How to read a guitar chord chart
A chord chart shows where your fingers go. On a computer, the top line is the thin string (high E). On a phone, the neck stands up and the left pipe is the thick string, like a box chart. You see one picture at a time. Both are the same grip.
Marks in the picture
x means muted. 0 means open. Finger numbers: 1 is index, 2 is middle, 3 is ring, 4 is pinky. Fret labels are real fret numbers, not 1–3 every time. deg means degree: the note's job in this chord. 1st is the root.
The short code
The six-character code is one mark per string, starting at the thick string. On a computer the picture starts at the thin string (the top line). On a phone it starts at the thick string (the left pipe), the same side as the code.
Here is C major.
C major
C x32010
str fret note deg | fret 1 | fret 2 | fret 3 |
e 0 E 3rd 0|--------|--------|--------|
B 1 C 1st |---1----|--------|--------|
G 0 G 5th 0|--------|--------|--------|
D 2 E 3rd |--------|---2----|--------|
A 3 C 1st |--------|--------|---3----|
E x x|--------|--------|--------|
C x32010
str E A D G B e
x 0 0
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| | | | | |
| | | | | |
fret 1 | | | | 1 |
| | | | | |
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| | | | | |
| | | | | |
fret 2 | | 2 | | |
| | | | | |
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| | | | | |
| | | | | |
fret 3 | 3 | | | |
| | | | | |
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note C E G C E
deg 1st 3rd 5th 1st 3rd
Short code x32010, thickest string first.
- Low E string: muted, do not play.
- A string: fret 3, ring finger, note C, 1st.
- D string: fret 2, middle finger, note E, 3rd.
- G string: open, note G, 5th.
- B string: fret 1, index finger, note C, 1st.
- High E string: open, note E, 3rd.
Open the C major page for this grip on its own page. The eight beginner chords are on the basic chords page.
Use this page next to the guitar. The picture is text, not a drawing file.