Guitar Chords
Every common chord in all twelve keys — 120 in total. Each one has a clear diagram, step-by-step fingering, the notes it contains, and where a barre chord is involved, the capo position that replaces it with an easy open shape.
The eight chords to learn first
Between them these cover a startling number of songs, and not one of them needs a barre.
Browse by chord type
Pick a quality to see it in all twelve keys, or jump straight to a root note below.
Minor chords
Darker and more reflective than major; the 3rd drops a semitone.
Dominant seventh chords
Bluesy and unresolved — it leans hard toward the chord a fourth above.
Minor seventh chords
Smooth and mellow; a minor chord with the edge taken off.
Major seventh chords
Warm, dreamy and jazzy — a major chord with a soft top note.
Suspended second chords
Open and airy: the 3rd is replaced by the 2nd, so it is neither major nor minor.
Suspended fourth chords
Tense and suspended — it wants to fall back to the plain chord.
Added ninth chords
A major chord with extra shimmer; very common in worship and pop.
Diminished chords
Unstable and tense — used to pull between two stronger chords.
Browse by root note
Everything built on one note — useful when a chart throws an unfamiliar variation at you.
Frequently asked questions
- Which guitar chords should a beginner learn first?
- Start with E minor, E major, A minor, A major, D major, D minor, C major and G major. Those eight open chords cover a huge share of popular songs, and none of them needs a barre. Add G7 and D7 next, then tackle F major — usually with a capo first.
- How do I read a chord diagram?
- The six vertical lines are the strings, low E on the left and high E on the right. Horizontal lines are frets, with the thick line at the top being the nut. A dot shows where to press, the number inside it is which finger to use, an O above a string means play it open, and an X means do not play it.
- Do I have to learn barre chords?
- Eventually they are worth it, but you can play thousands of songs without them. A capo lets you finger easy open shapes that sound as the barre chords a song calls for, which is why every chord page here shows the capo alternative alongside the barre shape.
- What is the difference between a chord shape and a chord?
- The chord is the sound — a specific set of notes. The shape is what your hand does. With a capo the two come apart: an open G shape at the 2nd fret is a G shape, but the chord you hear is A.
Learn chords in context
Chords make more sense as a set. Browse the chords in each key to see which ones belong together, or upload a chart and put every chord into a key that suits your voice and your hands.