Life is so much easier with chord charts. They tell you exactly where and what notes to play on the guitar. Instead of figuring out what notes are in the chord, what inversion, what voicing, et cetera, you look at the chord chart and put your fingers where it says to put them and voila, you now know a new chord.

The Types of Chord Charts

First Position Chord Chart

Guitar Chord Chart for C major

The first, or open, position chord chart for guitars will tell you how to play a chord located within the first position. The first position is typically the first four frets of the guitar but you’ll also see up to the first five frets included in the open position.

You can identify a first position chord chart by looking at the left hand side of the chord chart and seeing if there is a thick black line. The black line represents the nut of the guitar. The nut is the solid white, and sometimes solid black, piece of plastic located on the headstock of the guitar near the tuning keys.

This chord chart is what you would see if you looked down at your guitar while you are holding it in your hands.

Movable Position Chord Chart

C major Chord Chart for Guitar

Movable position guitar chord charts are used whenever the chord lies outside of the first four frets. You can tell a movable position chord chart from a first position chord chart from the lack of the thick dark line representing the nut.

To be able to tell where you are on the fretboard, an empty circle with a number in it will be placed underneath a certain fret. Whatever fret it’s under tells you what fret it is. In the example above, the circle with a five in it tells you that that entire vertical line is the fifth fret. You then place your fingers accordingly.

This chord chart is what you would see if you looked down at your guitar while you are holding it in your hands.

Vertical Chord Charts

C major Vertical Guitar Chord Chart

You’ll also see guitar chord charts that are positioned vertically instead of horizontally. Everything will be the same except that the nut will be at the top of the chord chart, the strings point vertically and the frets are horizontal.

This chord chart is what you would see if you held the guitar in front of you with the strings facing you and the head of the guitar upwards.

How To Read A Chord Chart

Guitar Chord Chart Tutorial

The Chord Name

The chord name is displayed in large letters across the top of the chord chart. Keep in mind, with the example above, major is not usually written down. In music, we always assume a chord or interval is major unless otherwise noted. So, in most cases you will just see a “C” instead of “C major”.

The Nut

The nut is the thick black line on the left hand side of the chord chart.

The Strings

The strings are the thin lines that run horizontally. From the bottom up, the strings are E A D G B E; from lowest note to the highest note. Remember, the chord chart in this example is what you would see if you were looking down on it while holding the guitar.

The Frets and Fret Bars

The fret bars, the metal bars across the neck of the guitar, are shown by a horizontal line. In between two fret bars are frets and this is where we place our fingers. We don’t put our fingers directly on the fret bars but slightly to the left of the fret bars. This eliminates buzzing.

The Fret Number

The fret number is underneath the chord chart inside a circle. What fret it is under on the chord chart is whatever number it says.

The Fretted Note

Fretted notes are show with a thick black circle. This is where you place your fingers.

Sometimes you will see an empty circle on the string. This means that playing the note is optional.

The Open String

An open string is shown by an empty circle to the left of the chord chart. This means that you don’t put any fingers on that string and let it ring out.

The Muted String

A muted string is shown as an “X” on the chord chart. You can mute a string by simply not playing it with your pick, laying an unused finger lightly on top of the string or by sliding one of your fingers already being used to lightly touch the side of the string.

In the case above, you would slide your third finger down a little to lightly touch and mute the low E string.

The Fingerings

The fingerings, or what finger to use to fret a note, is shown by a number next to a black circle. The numbers for fingerings are as follows:

1 – index
2 – middle
3 – ring
4 – pinky

Putting It All Together

Now you know all you need to know on how to play any chord whenever you see a chord chart. You’ll know what fret to put your fingers on, what strings to play and which fingers to use.

Any questions?

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