Back
📚

GUITAR CHORDS

🎸

Guitar Chord Theory

Master the essential shapes every pop guitarist needs to know.

💡 The Basics

A guitar chord is played by pressing down strings at specific frets and strumming them together. The letters (A, B, C...) represent the Root of the chord.

✨ Major vs. Minor

Major chords (like C) sound bright and happy. Minor chords (like Am) have a smaller interval in the middle that makes them sound sad or moody.

☝️ Fingering Guide

The numbers inside the dots tell you which finger to use:

1 Index
2 Middle
3 Ring
4 Pinky

🎸 Essential Open Chords

These are the most common chords used in thousands of pop songs. Master these first!

A
× 1 2 3
X-0-2-2-2-0
Am
× 1 2 3
X-0-2-2-1-0
Bm
× 1 2 3 4
X-2-4-4-3-2
C
× 1 2 3
X-3-2-0-1-0
D
× × 1 2 3
X-X-0-2-3-2
Dm
× × 1 2 3
X-X-0-2-3-1
E
1 2 3
0-2-2-1-0-0
Em
2 3
0-2-2-0-0-0
F
1 2 3 4
1-3-3-2-1-1
G
1 2 3
3-2-0-0-0-3

(Plus many more: Bb, Gm, C7, D7, Amaj7...)

✨ Sus & 7th Chords

Suspended (sus)

Instead of the regular "happy" or "sad" middle note, we "suspend" it. Sus4 reaches up, Sus2 reaches down. Great for adding tension!

7th Chords

Adds a bluesy or jazzy flavor. A G7 or Cmaj7 sounds much more sophisticated than a regular triad.

Dsus2
× × 1 3
X-X-0-2-3-0
Dsus4
× × 1 3 4
X-X-0-2-3-3
G7
1 2 3
3-2-0-0-0-1
Cmaj7
× 2 3
X-3-2-0-0-0

⚡ Power Chords (The "5" Chords)

Power chords like C5, G5, or D5 are the backbone of rock and pop. They aren't major or minor—they just sound powerful!

The Secret: You only play the Root and the 5th (and often the octave). They are movable shapes that work anywhere on the neck!

G5: 3-5-5-X-X-X
A5: 5-7-7-X-X-X
C5: X-3-5-5-X-X