Beginner Guitar Chord Chart

This is the beginner guitar chord chart to help get you started. Each chord is a shape that can be played anywhere on the guitar neck using a 'bar'.

A musical scale only uses the notes from A-G, so there's 7 basic chords to learn. There are lots more (sharp and flat notes) but these will get you started.

The chord charts are read as if the guitar is leaning upright with the neck facing upwards. The left hand side is the bottom E string (thickest string) and the right hand side is the top E string (thinnest string). If there is an X above a string then don't play it. An 'O' means play the string open without any fingers on the guitar frets.

The numbers underneath each string represent the finger you should be using to play that note. Those are the basic chords, now here are some slightly more complicated ones. They aren't difficult to play but take a bit of practice!

If you're looking to learn more guitar chords and understand how chords are put together, plus learn everything there is to know about playing guitar you need to visit GuitarZoom.com

Bar chords using basic chord shapes
These chords allow you to play the shapes above anywhere on the neck. They are the same shapes but depending on the fret that you're on makes it a completely different chord.
As a guide using the bottom E string (thickest string), starting at fret 1 the notes are
Open string = E then F, F sharp, G, G sharp, A, B flat, B, C, C sharp, D, D sharp, E
That takes you all the way up to the 12th fret. See the chart below for what these look like. They all use the E shape from the chart above.

The numbers on the top left of the charts (start from the second line) are the fret numbers. So for G # (in music sharp is written as #) play the E shape bar chord on the 4th fret.

Back to Home from Beginner Guitar Chord Chart