Beginners Guitar Chords

Basic Guitar Chords

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© 2003 Roger Edward Blumberg 1

Large numbers inside chord dots are fingering numbers: 1 = index finger 2 = middle finger 3 = ring finger 4 = little finger T = thumb

• Black diamonds are root tones. • Grayed tones are optional. • White filled tones behind the nut are open string tones (to be included in chord). • X ed strings at the nut are muted or not played.

open position chords (first three frets plus nut or open strings)

Beginners Guitar Chords

Basic Guitar Chords TheCipher.com


R 5 R 3 5 R

2 3

1

E Major

R 5 R 3 5 R

2 3

E minor

4

R 5 7 3 7 R

2

1

E Dom 7

3

R 5 R 3 7 R

1 2

E minor 7

R 5 7 3 5 R

3

1 2

E Major 7

4

R 5 R 3 6 R

2 3

1

E Major 6

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5 R 5 R 3 5

2 1 3

A Major

5 R 5 R 3 5

2 3

1

A minor

3

5 R 5 7 3 5

2

A Dom 7

5 R 5 7 3 5

2

1

A minor 7

3

5 R 5 7 3 5

2

1

A Major 7

5 R 5 R 3 6

1 1 1 1

A Major 6



1

3

2

3 5 R 5 R 3

T

X

D Major X

3

1

5 R 5 R 3

2

D minor X

3

5 R 5 7 3

2

1

D Dom 7 X

5 R 5 7 3

2

1 1

D minor 7 X

5 R 5 7 3

1 1 1

D Major 7 X

2

5 R 5 6 3

1

D Major 6

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3

R 3 5 R 3 R 5

2

1

G Major

3 4

R 3 5 R 5 R

2

see barre chord

1

G minor 1

R 3 5 R 3 7

3

2

G Dom 7

R

2

7 3 5 R

3 3 3 3

see barre chord

X

G minor 7

1

R 3 5 R 3 7

3

2

G Major 7

R 3 5 R 3 6

3

2

G Major 6



R 3 5 3 5

3

5 R 3 5 R 3

4

see barre chord

1

2

X

C minor

3 4

2

1

C Major X

4

R 3 7 R 3

3

2

1

C Dom 7 X

R

1

4

3

7 3 5

2

see barre chord

X

C minor 7 X

4

R 3 7 R 3

3

2

1

C Major 7 X

R 3 6 R 3

4

2 3

1

C Major 6

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X

5 R 3 5 R

see barre chord

3 4

2

1 1

F Major X

5 R 3 5 R

see barre chord

3 4

1 1 1

F minor X

2

1 1

5 7 3 5 R

see barre chord

3

1

F Dom 7 X

5 7 3 5 R

see barre chord

3

1 1 1 1

F minor 7 X

3 R 3 5 7

3

2

1

F Major 7 X

4

1

3 R 3 6 R

3

2

F Major 6



5 R 3 5

5 R 3 5

2

1

3 4

1

see barre chord

X X

B minor

2 3 4

see barre chord

X X

B Major X

3

4

R 3 7 R 5

2

1

B Dom 7 X

3

1 2

1

R 5 7 3 5

1

B minor 7 X

3

1 2

1

R 5 7 3 5

1

B Major 7

X X

5 R 3 6

1 1 1 1

B Major 6

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Memorize the letter names and locations (fret number) of the notes on strings one and two, low E and A (first twelve frets). Consult the Guitar Fretboard Note Speller.

This principle applies to all barre chords, Major, minor, seventh, etc. That's the beauty of barre chords, they're movable and universal.

For example: the Major barre chord shape that looks like the open position E Major chord (top row, root on string one or low E) can be played at the first fret for an F Major chord, or at the third fret for a G Major chord. Likewise, the Major barre chord shape that looks like the open position A Major chord (second row, root on string two or A) can be played on the second fret for B Major or on the third fret for C Major.

The roots (lowest black diamonds) of these barre chord voicings can be aligned to any fretline to produce the desired letter named chord.

Movable Barre chords

Beginners Guitar Chords (continued)



3 4

2

1 1

R 5 R 3 5 R

1

Major

3 4

1 1 1

R 5 R 3 5 R

1

minor

3

1 2

1 1

R 5 7 3 5 R

1

Dom 7

3

1 1 1 1

R 5 7 3 5 R

1

minor 7

Root on low E string


4

2 3

1 1

R 5 7 3 5 R

1

Major 7

3

1 2 4

1

R 5 7 3 6 R

1

Dom 7/6

Basic Guitar Chords

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5 R 5 R 3 5

3 3 3

3 4

2

1

3

1

4

1

5 R 5 7 3 5

1 1

X

Dom 7

3

1 2

1

5 R 5 7 3 5

1 1

X

minor 7

3

2 4

1

5 R 5 7 3 5

1 1

X

Major 7

* Low 5th (grayed tone) is always optional. If used, simply barre across all 6 strings with your index finger.

5 R 5 R 3 5

1 1

1 1

1

X

minor

X

Major

* Root on low A string


3 3 3 3

5 R 5 R 3 6

1 1

X

Major 6

Guitar Fretboard Spelled Nut = open strings Fret 0

Nut A

D

G

Fret # 0

E

1

F

2

F/G

B

E

A

3

G

C

F

A/B

4 5 6

A/B D/E G/A

G/A C/D F/G A

D

B

E

8

C

F

10 11 octave fret 12

C

A/B D/E G/A C/D

7

9

G

B

C/D F/G D

G

A

D

A/B D/E B

E

C

F

B

E

C

F

C/D F/G D

G

D/E G/A E

A

F

A/B

F/G

B

G

C

G/A C/D A

D

D/E G/A C/D F/G A/B D/E E


A

D

G

B

E


Basic Guitar Chords

TheCipher.com


