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Guitar chord charts: open and barre shapes

Read 12 original chord diagrams and review major, minor, open-string and barre-chord positions.

12 common chord shapes

Standard tuning, low E at left through high e at right. × = mute, ○ = open string; filled dot = fret. Absolute fret numbers appear beside each shape. Shapes illustrate a fingering option, not every possible voicing.

Cx32010 · Open C major

G320003 · Open G major

Dxx0232 · Open D major

Ax02220 · Open A major

E022100 · Open E major

Em022000 · Open E minor

Amx02210 · Open A minor

Dmxx0231 · Open D minor

F133211 · F major, barre at fret 1

F#m244222 · F-sharp minor, barre at fret 2

G#m466444 · G-sharp minor, barre at fret 4

Bmx24432 · B minor, barre at fret 2

40 entries

Common open major shapes

C major: x32010
Mute low E; fret A3, D2, B1 and let G and high e ring open. [1][2]
G major: 320003
Fret low E3, A2 and high e3; let D, G and B ring open. [1][2]
D major: xx0232
Mute low E/A; play open D, G2, B3, high e2. [1][2]
A major: x02220
Mute low E; play open A, D2, G2, B2 and open high e. [1][2]
E major: 022100
Play all strings; fret A2, D2 and G1, with other strings open. [1][2]
C-to-G switch: C: x32010 → G: 320003
Transition between two common major chords; ensure all intended strings ring. [1][2]
G-to-D switch: G: 320003 → D: xx0232
Do not strum the muted low E and A strings in D. [1][2]
A-to-E switch: A: x02220 → E: 022100
Common neighboring major chords using different bass roots. [1][2]
Open strings in C: G and high e: fret 0
Zero means let the string ring without fretting it. [1][2]
Open strings in E: Low E, B and high e: fret 0
These open notes belong to the E-major chord. [1][2]

Minor and movable barre shapes

E minor: 022000
Two second-fret fingers; all six strings sound. [1][3][4]
A minor: x02210
Mute low E; fret D2, G2, B1; play A and high e open. [1][3][4]
D minor: xx0231
Mute low E/A; fret G2, B3, high e1 and play D open. [1][3][4]
F major: 133211
First-fret E-shape barre; add A3, D3 and G2. [1][3][4]
F-sharp minor: 244222
Second-fret E-minor barre; low E2 and other barred strings at fret 2. [1][3][4]
G-sharp minor: 466444
Fourth-fret E-minor barre; rooted on low E4. [1][3][4]
B minor: x24432
Second-fret A-minor-family barre; avoid the low E string. [1][3][4]
F-sharp minor, smaller voicing: xx4222
Mute low E/A; fret D4 and bar G/B/e strings at fret 2. [1][3][4]
F major, compact variant: xx3211
Mute low E/A; fret D3, G2 and bar B/e at fret 1. [1][3][4]
E-minor to A-minor: Em: 022000 → Am: x02210
Similar fretboard region, but Am omits the low E bass string. [1][3][4]

Read diagrams and fret numbers

Leftmost string on the diagram: Low E (sixth string)
The lowest pitched string is traditionally shown on the left. [1]
Rightmost string on the diagram: High e (first string)
The thinnest, highest pitched string is at right. [1]
Strings in order: E · A · D · G · B · e
String positions are low to high in standard tuning. [1]
Horizontal lines: Frets of the fingerboard
The thick first horizontal line at fret 1 represents the nut on open diagrams. [1]
Filled circles: Press the indicated string at that fret
Dots denote fretted note positions, not strumming order. [1]
Open circle (○): Sound the string without fretting
Open string's fret number is zero. [1]
Cross (×): Do not sound this string
You can avoid, mute or otherwise omit it. [1]
Fret shape x32010: Low E muted, A3, D2, G open, B1, e open
Six symbols always map to six strings low to high. [1]
Fret shape 244222: 2 on low E, 4 on A/D, 2 on G/B/e
This full six-string F-sharp minor uses a barre. [1]
Movable fret label: Number beside first drawn row identifies the starting fret
For example, 4th-position G#m uses four, not fret one. [1]

Intervals, voicings and practice

Major triad formula: Root · major third · perfect fifth
C major consists of C, E and G pitches. [1][3][4]
Minor triad formula: Root · minor third · perfect fifth
A minor consists of A, C and E pitches. [1][3][4]
C major notes: C · E · G
Different octave doublings still belong to the same basic major triad. [1][3][4]
G major notes: G · B · D
Open G shape repeats chord notes across several octaves. [1][3][4]
A minor notes: A · C · E
Open Am remains minor despite several open strings. [1][3][4]
F-sharp minor notes: F# · A · C#
Triad present in the barred 244222 voicing. [1][3][4]
G-sharp minor notes: G# · B · D#
Raising the F#m barre shape two frets changes its root to G#. [1][3][4]
Barre-finger technique: Flatten one finger across several strings
Fretting some notes with a barre can replace multiple independent fingertips. [1][3][4]
Mute extra bass strings: Follow each chord's x string markers
Accidentally sounding excluded strings can change the chord's bass. [1][3][4]
Learn clean changes: Alternate two chords slowly and check each string
Clean tone before speed reduces accidental muting. [1][3][4]

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Updated 2026-10-20Standard guitar tuning · EADGBE

Sources

cheatsheetatlas.com/sheets/guitar-chords/ · Updated 2026-10-20 · Standard guitar tuning · EADGBE

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