The number of guitar chords can seem endless. A single root note can become major, minor, seventh, suspended, diminished, augmented, or extended, and most of those chords can be played in several places on the fretboard.

Fortunately, you do not need to memorize every possible shape.

Guitar chords follow repeatable patterns. Beginners can start with open chords, intermediate players can add barre and seventh chords, and advanced players can explore inversions, extensions, altered chords, and movable voicings.

This guitar chord chart organizes the most important chord types from beginner to advanced. Use it as a reference rather than trying to learn everything in one practice session.

How Guitar Chord Charts Work

A chord diagram represents the guitar fretboard as though you were looking directly at it.

The six vertical lines represent the strings:

6 5 4 3 2 1

E A D G B e

The sixth string is the thick low E string. The first string is the thin high E string.

Common chart symbols include:

Symbol	Meaning
X	Do not play the string.
O or 0	Play the string open.
1	Index finger
2	Middle finger
3	Ring finger
4	Little finger
Barre	One finger presses several strings.

Finger numbers refer to your fretting hand.

The Main Guitar Chord Families

Most guitar chords fall into several broad families.

Chord Family	Example	General Sound
Major	C	Bright and stable
Minor	Am	Darker or emotional
Dominant seventh	G7	Tense and bluesy
Major seventh	Cmaj7	Smooth and warm
Minor seventh	Am7	Soft and relaxed
Suspended	Dsus2	Open and unresolved
Diminished	Bdim	Unstable and tense
Augmented	Caug	Mysterious and unsettled
Sixth	C6	Warm and vintage
Ninth	E9	Funky, bluesy, or jazzy
Extended	Cmaj9	Rich and colorful
Altered	G7♯5	Strong tension

Level 1: Essential Open Major Chords

Major chords usually sound bright, complete, and stable. These five open shapes form the foundation of rhythm guitar.

C Major

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: X 3 2 0 1 0

Finger: – 3 2 – 1 –

Strum from the fifth string.

A Major

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: X 0 2 2 2 0

Finger: – – 1 2 3 –

Strum from the fifth string.

G Major

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: 3 2 0 0 0 3

Finger: 2 1 – – – 3

Strum all six strings.

E Major

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: 0 2 2 1 0 0

Finger: – 2 3 1 – –

Strum all six strings.

D Major

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: X X 0 2 3 2

Finger: – – – 1 3 2

Strum from the fourth string.

These shapes are sometimes called the CAGED chords because their names spell C-A-G-E-D. Their movable versions are used throughout the entire fretboard.

Level 2: Essential Open Minor Chords

Minor chords replace the brighter major sound with something darker, softer, or more reflective.

A Minor

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: X 0 2 2 1 0

Finger: – – 2 3 1 –

E Minor

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: 0 2 2 0 0 0

Finger: – 2 3 – – –

D Minor

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: X X 0 2 3 1

Finger: – – – 2 3 1

These three shapes are the most important open minor chords. C minor, F minor, G minor, and B minor are normally played as barre chords or simplified voicings.

Beginner Open-Chord Chart

Root	Major	Minor	Suggested Level
C	Open C	Barre or simplified Cm	Beginner to intermediate
C♯/D♭	Barre	Barre	Intermediate
D	Open D	Open Dm	Beginner
D♯/E♭	Barre	Barre	Intermediate
E	Open E	Open Em	Beginner
F	Small F or barre	Barre Fm	Intermediate
F♯/G♭	Barre	Barre	Intermediate
G	Open G	Barre Gm	Beginner to intermediate
G♯/A♭	Barre	Barre	Intermediate
A	Open A	Open Am	Beginner
A♯/B♭	Barre	Barre	Intermediate
B	Barre	Barre Bm	Intermediate

Level 3: Beginner-Friendly Seventh Chords

Seventh chords contain an additional note beyond a basic major or minor triad. They add color without requiring highly advanced technique.

Open Dominant Seventh Chords

Dominant seventh chords are written with the root plus the number 7.

Chord	String Pattern, 6 to 1
A7	X–0–2–0–2–0
B7	X–2–1–2–0–2
C7	X–3–2–3–1–0
D7	X–X–0–2–1–2
E7	0–2–0–1–0–0
G7	3–2–0–0–0–1

Dominant seventh chords are common in blues, country, rock, funk, jazz, and traditional music.

A simple blues-style progression is:

A7 – D7 – E7 – A7

Open Major Seventh Chords

Major seventh chords have a smooth, dreamy quality.

Chord	String Pattern, 6 to 1
Amaj7	X–0–2–1–2–0
Cmaj7	X–3–2–0–0–0
Dmaj7	X–X–0–2–2–2
Emaj7	0–2–1–1–0–0
Gmaj7	3–2–0–0–0–2

Try this progression:

Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7

Open Minor Seventh Chords

Minor seventh chords sound softer and more relaxed than standard minor chords.

Chord	String Pattern, 6 to 1
Am7	X–0–2–0–1–0
Bm7 simplified	X–2–0–2–0–2
Dm7	X–X–0–2–1–1
Em7	0–2–0–0–0–0

Level 4: Suspended and Add Chords

Suspended chords remove the third of the chord and replace it with either the second or fourth. This creates an open, unresolved sound.

Common Suspended Chords

Chord	String Pattern, 6 to 1
Asus2	X–0–2–2–0–0
Asus4	X–0–2–2–3–0
Dsus2	X–X–0–2–3–0
Dsus4	X–X–0–2–3–3
Esus4	0–2–2–2–0–0

Suspended chords sound especially effective when moving back to their regular major form:

Dsus4 – D – Dsus2 – D

Add Chords

An add chord keeps the basic triad and includes an additional note.

Chord	Common Shape
Cadd9	X–3–2–0–3–3
Gadd9	3–2–0–2–0–3
Emadd9	0–2–4–0–0–0
Aadd9	X–0–2–4–2–0

Cadd9 is especially popular because it connects smoothly with G, D, and Em.

G – Cadd9 – Em7 – D

Level 5: Power Chords

Power chords contain only a root note and fifth, sometimes with the root doubled at a higher octave.

They are written with the number 5:

A5, C5, E5

Power chords are neither clearly major nor minor. They are common in rock, punk, metal, and alternative guitar.

Sixth-String Power-Chord Shape

e|—X—|

B|—X—|

G|—X—|

D|—3—| Little finger or ring finger

A|—3—| Ring finger

E|—1—| Index finger

With the index finger at fret 1, this is F5.

Move the same shape:

Index-Finger Fret	Power Chord
1	F5
2	F♯5
3	G5
5	A5
7	B5
8	C5
10	D5
12	E5

Fifth-String Power-Chord Shape

Move the same relationship one string lower.

Fifth-String Fret	Power Chord
1	B♭5
2	B5
3	C5
5	D5
7	E5
8	F5
10	G5
12	A5

Level 6: Major and Minor Barre Chords

Barre chords allow one chord shape to move into every key.

E-Shape Major Barre Chord

The index finger bars all six strings while the remaining fingers form an E major shape.

Index Fret	Chord
1	F
2	F♯
3	G
4	G♯
5	A
6	B♭
7	B
8	C
9	C♯
10	D
11	E♭
12	E

E-Shape Minor Barre Chord

Remove the middle finger from the major shape to create a movable minor chord.

Index Fret	Chord
1	Fm
2	F♯m
3	Gm
5	Am
7	Bm
8	Cm
10	Dm
12	Em

A-Shape Major Barre Chord

The root note is on the fifth string.

Index Fret	Chord
1	B♭
2	B
3	C
4	C♯
5	D
6	E♭
7	E
8	F
9	F♯
10	G
12	A

A-Shape Minor Barre Chord

Use an A minor shape above the barred fret.

Index Fret	Chord
1	B♭m
2	Bm
3	Cm
5	Dm
7	Em
8	Fm
10	Gm
12	Am

Level 7: Movable Seventh Chords

Once you know barre shapes, you can turn them into seventh chords.

Shape	Root String	Example at Fret 3
E-shape major	6	G
E-shape minor	6	Gm
E-shape dominant 7	6	G7
E-shape minor 7	6	Gm7
A-shape major	5	C
A-shape minor	5	Cm
A-shape dominant 7	5	C7
A-shape minor 7	5	Cm7

This system lets you play many chord types in all twelve keys using only a handful of movable patterns.

Level 8: Diminished and Augmented Chords

Diminished Chords

A diminished triad contains a root, minor third, and diminished fifth.

Common symbols include:

Bdim

B°

Diminished chords sound tense and often connect two more stable chords.

An open B diminished shape is:

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: X 2 3 4 3 X

A diminished seventh shape repeats every three frets because of its symmetrical construction.

For example, the same diminished seventh notes repeat at:

Fret 1 – Fret 4 – Fret 7 – Fret 10

Augmented Chords

An augmented triad contains a root, major third, and raised fifth.

Common symbols include:

Caug

C+

C♯5

A compact C augmented shape is:

String: 6 5 4 3 2 1

Fret: X 3 2 1 1 X

Augmented chords create tension and are often used as passing chords.

Level 9: Sixth, Ninth, and Extended Chords

Extended chords are especially common in jazz, soul, funk, R&B, gospel, and more advanced blues.

Sixth Chords

A sixth chord adds the sixth note of the scale.

Chord	Common Use
C6	Jazz and vintage pop
A6	Country and swing
E6	Blues and rockabilly
Am6	Jazz and minor-key movement

A common C6 voicing is:

X–3–2–2–1–0

Ninth Chords

A ninth chord normally contains a seventh plus a ninth.

The movable dominant ninth shape is highly useful in blues and funk.

A common E9 voicing is:

0–2–0–1–0–2

A movable shape with its root on the fifth string can be shifted around the neck for chords such as D9, E9, and G9.

Eleventh and Thirteenth Chords

Eleventh and thirteenth chords contain additional scale tones.

Chord Type	Common Character
Minor 11	Spacious and soulful
Dominant 11	Suspended tension
Dominant 13	Jazzy and funky
Major 13	Rich and sophisticated

Guitarists usually leave out some chord tones because all seven theoretical notes cannot always be played comfortably on six strings.

A chord voicing therefore does not need to contain every possible note to communicate its harmonic function.

Level 10: Slash Chords and Inversions

A slash chord names the main chord first and the bass note second.

Examples include:

C/E

G/B

D/F♯

Am/G

C/E means a C major chord with E as its lowest note.

Slash chords create smoother bass lines.

Try this progression:

C – G/B – Am – G – F – C/E – Dm – G

The bass line moves gradually rather than jumping between roots.

Common Open Slash Chords

Chord	String Pattern, 6 to 1
C/E	0–3–2–0–1–0
G/B	X–2–0–0–0–3
D/F♯	2–X–0–2–3–2
Am/G	3–0–2–2–1–0

Advanced Altered Chords

Altered chords change one or more chord tones to increase tension.

Common symbols include:

Symbol	Meaning
♭5	Lowered fifth
♯5	Raised fifth
♭9	Lowered ninth
♯9	Raised ninth
♯11	Raised eleventh
♭13	Lowered thirteenth
alt	One or more altered tones

Examples include:

G7♭9

E7♯9

C7♯5

A7alt

These chords are most common in jazz, fusion, blues, and advanced harmony. They usually resolve to a more stable chord.

For example:

G7♭9 – Cmaj7

The tension of G7♭9 resolves into C major seventh.

Complete Chord-Type Reference

Symbol	Chord Type	Formula
C	Major	1–3–5
Cm	Minor	1–♭3–5
C5	Power chord	1–5
C7	Dominant seventh	1–3–5–♭7
Cmaj7	Major seventh	1–3–5–7
Cm7	Minor seventh	1–♭3–5–♭7
Cm(maj7)	Minor major seventh	1–♭3–5–7
C6	Major sixth	1–3–5–6
Cm6	Minor sixth	1–♭3–5–6
Csus2	Suspended second	1–2–5
Csus4	Suspended fourth	1–4–5
Cadd9	Major add nine	1–3–5–9
Cdim	Diminished	1–♭3–♭5
Cdim7	Diminished seventh	1–♭3–♭5–♭♭7
Cm7♭5	Half-diminished	1–♭3–♭5–♭7
Caug	Augmented	1–3–♯5
C9	Dominant ninth	1–3–5–♭7–9
Cmaj9	Major ninth	1–3–5–7–9
Cm9	Minor ninth	1–♭3–5–♭7–9
C11	Dominant eleventh	1–3–5–♭7–9–11
C13	Dominant thirteenth	1–3–5–♭7–9–11–13

Recommended Learning Order

Trying to memorize advanced chords too early can slow your progress. Follow a structured order.

Stage	Chords to Learn
1	Em, E, Am, A, D, C, G
2	Dm, Fmaj7, B7
3	A7, C7, D7, E7, G7
4	Am7, Dm7, Em7, Cmaj7
5	Sus2, sus4, and add9 chords
6	Power chords
7	E-shape barre chords
8	A-shape barre chords
9	Movable seventh chords
10	Diminished, augmented, and extended chords
11	Inversions and slash chords
12	Altered jazz voicings

How to Practice a Large Chord Chart

Do not move randomly from one shape to another. Organize your practice around chord families.

Practice by Root

Choose one root and compare several chord qualities:

A – Am – A7 – Amaj7 – Am7 – Asus2 – Asus4

Listen to how the sound changes while the root remains A.

Practice by Progression

Use the chords in a musical context:

Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7

or:

Em – Cadd9 – G – Dsus4 – D

Practice Movable Shapes

Choose one barre shape and move it through several roots:

F – G – A – B♭ – C

Name every chord aloud as you move.

Test Every String

Pick the strings individually after forming a chord.

Check for:

• Buzzing notes
• Muted strings
• Incorrect bass notes
• Excessive hand tension
• Fingers touching neighboring strings

Common Chord-Learning Mistakes

Mistake	Better Approach
Learning too many shapes at once	Add two or three chords at a time.
Ignoring the root note	Learn which string names the chord.
Squeezing barre chords too hard	Improve finger position before adding pressure.
Memorizing diagrams without sound	Listen to each chord quality.
Avoiding difficult chord changes	Isolate and repeat the transition.
Using only one chord position	Learn movable shapes and inversions gradually.
Playing advanced chords without context	Practice them inside progressions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many guitar chords are there?

There is no practical fixed total because each chord can have many voicings, inversions, extensions, and fretboard positions. Learning chord families and movable patterns is more useful than counting individual shapes.

Do I need to memorize all guitar chords?

No. Most players rely on a core collection and learn additional chords as needed. Understanding how shapes move is more valuable than memorizing hundreds of unrelated diagrams.

Which chords should beginners learn first?

Start with Em, E, Am, A, D, C, and G. These open shapes appear in many songs and prepare your hand for more difficult chords.

What is the hardest common beginner chord?

The full F major barre chord is often the first major challenge because the index finger must press several strings.

What is the difference between C7 and Cmaj7?

C7 contains a flattened seventh and sounds tense or bluesy. Cmaj7 contains a natural major seventh and sounds smoother and more settled.

Are barre chords necessary?

They are not required for your first songs, but they eventually allow you to play major, minor, and seventh chords in every key.

What are advanced guitar chords?

Advanced chords generally include extended, altered, diminished, augmented, and inversion-based voicings. Their difficulty comes from both finger placement and harmonic use.

Can the same chord have different shapes?

Yes. The same chord can be played in several places with different note orders. These versions are called voicings.

Conclusion

A complete guitar chord system begins with open major and minor chords, then expands into sevenths, suspended chords, power chords, barre shapes, extensions, inversions, and altered voicings.

Beginners should focus first on Em, E, Am, A, D, C, and G. Intermediate players can add dominant sevenths, major sevenths, minor sevenths, power chords, and movable barre shapes. Advanced players can explore diminished, augmented, ninth, eleventh, thirteenth, slash, and altered chords.

You do not need to memorize every diagram at once. Learn how chord families are built, identify the root note, and understand which shapes can move across the fretboard.

Use this chart as a long-term reference. Master one level at a time, practice chords inside real progressions, and return to the more advanced sections as your technique and musical understanding develop.