Chord Directory
Open Major/Minor Chords
Open Dominant Seventh Chords
Open Suspended Chords
Open Chord Lesson
First, to explain the diagrams:
1. The letter(s) at the top of the diagram is the chord name.
2. From left to right, the strings go from low to high. The vertical lines represent the strings.
*Remember E - A - D - G - B - E*
3. The double horizontal line represents the nut of the guitar, while the single horizontal lines represent the frets of the guitar.
4. The "X" symbol means you do not strum that string.
5. The "O" symbol means you strum that string open or with no finger on any fret.
6. The numbered circles represent your fingers. The circle with a "1" in the center represents your pointer finger or your first finger.
Open Major/Minor Chords
Open major and minor chords consist of fretted notes and open strings to make up a chord. The chords you will learn in this lesson are called triads; triads are chords built of three tones.
- In open major chords, the tones that make up the triad are:
1 - 3 - 5
- In open minor chords, the tones that make up the triad are:
1 - b3 - 5
Open A Major: A - C# - E - Remember to not strum the low E (6th) string and to strum the open A (5th) and high E (1st) string when playing. Other fingers include:
1. Barre with your first finger over the three fretted strings while not playing the high E (1st) string.
2. Switching your first and second fingers also make the same chord and could be easier with a player with larger fingers.
Open A Minor: A - C - E - Very similar to the A major chord but one note is a half step lower than before. Same open strings and a very popular chord in guitar music. Other fingerings include:
1. Instead of 2 - 3 - 1; you could also try 3 - 4 - 2 which might come in handy later when you start using Barre chord shape.
Open B Major Chord: B - D# - F# - The B major chord in this lesson is a barre chord but I didn't want to leave it out. We will go over barre chords more in the barre chord lesson. Things to remember with this chord is to barre your first finger across the fret board as well as barre your third finger across the fret board. You can also not play the first string if needed and you still have the chord. This chord will take some practice to get rid of the buzzing strings and finger cramping but it opens a whole new door for lessons in the future.
Open B Minor Chord: B - D - F# - This chord is also a barre chord close to the open position but if I did major, I might as well do minor. The shape of the minor chord is very close to the major but you are changing the fingering and sliding back the third to give you a flat third which is the only different tone from the major.
Open C Major: C - E - G - Also a very popular chord in guitar music. Might be a little more difficult because of the stretch and being aware of the open strings but you will get it in no time. Remember to not strum the low E (6th) string when playing. Other fingerings include:
1. Instead of 3 - 2 - 1, you could try 4 - 3 - 2. This will come in handy once we start learning the C-A-G-E-D System for Barre chords.
Open C Minor Chord: C - Eb - G - The open C minor chord is not very common but a good one to know. This shape is different from the standard shape but I will explain another option also. Remember to not play the sixth and fifth strings and to let the third string ring out. This shape is an inversion where the root note is not on the top, we will also go over that later. If you like, you can try to remove your fourth finger, fret the fifth string on the third fret with your third finger and just play the four middle strings. This will also give you a C minor but its a big stretch and can be very difficult to play cleanly.
Open D Major: D - F# - A - This chord is a tight and different shape similar to a triangle. Remember to just strum the open D string (4th) and not the lower strings. Other fingerings include:
1. Instead of 1 - 2 - 3, you could also barre your first finger across the first, second and third strings and then apply your second finger infront of the bar to get the same shape.
2. Instead of 1 - 2 - 3, you could also try 2 - 4 - 3. Both of these different fingerings will come in hand later when we learn other barre chord shapes.
Open D minor: D - F - A - Here is another minor chord for you. Also very similar to the open D major chord but you lower one note down a half step. Might be a little awkward to finger but just think of the D major chord and adjust as necessary. Other fingerings include:
1. Instead of 2 - 3 - 1, try a slightly more difficult 3 - 4 - 2. This change in fingering will help in making a barre chord later on down the road.
Open E Major: E - G# - B - This chord is a powerful low chord and is very similar to the A minor chord from before but only one string lower. With the chord also, there are plenty of open strings. Other fingerings include:
1. Instead of 2 - 3 - 1, try 3 - 4 - 2. This new fingering will help with partial and barre chords in the future.
Open E Minor: E - G - B - Super easy chord to learn. If you can play E Major, then just lift your first finger up and there you go. Also a pretty heavy chord with plenty of open strings for presence and warmth. Other fingerings include:
1. Any two finger combination will work but try instead of 2 - 3, try 3 - 4. This fingering will set you up for learning the rest of the minor barre chord coming up in future lessons.
Open F Chord: F - A - C - This chord is a partial shape to a barre chord in the open position. It is a similar shape to a C major chord but shifted up a string and with an added finger. Remember to not strum the sixth string and the first string. There are a few more extended voicings for this chord but we will learn this one to get you started.
Open F Minor Chord: F - Ab - C - This chord is similar to its major but we are going to flat the third to make it a minor. You can barre the second and third strings with your first finger and add the third and fourth fingers to complete the chord. This chord is also a partial chord to a barre chord you will learn in future lessons.
Open G Chord: G - B - D - This chord is definately a stretch and can be complicated to throw down immediately but give it some practice and you will have it in no time. Don't forget about those open strings, let them ring out. Other fingerings include:
1. Instead of 2 - 1 - 3, try 3 - 2 - 4. This one may be tricky because of your pinky finger but it will be one step closer to learning another shape in the future.
Open G Minor Chord: G - Bb - D - This chord is a variation of a G minor 7 chord without the added b7 but we will go over that later. It uses the same root note as the G major but with a muted string, then an open string and then your third finger barres the rest of the strings to complete the chord. It's not a very common chord but it will help you in the future when you learn minor 7 chord voicings.
Open Dominant Seventh Chords
Dominant seventh chords are similar to major chords but we are adding another tone. The tone we are adding is the b7. This tone has alot of color and is especially good for the blues as well as country and folk.
- In open dominant seventh chords, the tones that make up the chord are:
1 - 3 - 5 - b7
Open A7 Chord: A - C# - E - G - Very similiar to the A major chord but just lift up one finger. By lifting that one finger you will be introducing the b7 of the chord which makes dominant chords so unique. Any finger combination will work, try a few and use what's best for you.
Open B7 Chord: B - D# - F# - A - This chord uses alot of fingers and is packed in there pretty tight but it is not that hard of a chord to play. There is a triangle cluster on the lower strings with a little bit of a stretch for your pinky.
Open C7 Chord: C - E - G - Bb - This chord is pretty much a C major chord but remember you need to add that b7 to make it dominant. This is done by placing your pinky finger on the 3rd string, 3rd fret. Congrats! Now you've got a C7 chord.
Open D7 Chord: D - F# - A - C - This chord is very popular and is very similar to a D major chord but you switch the triangular pattern the opposite way. Might be a little tight getting your fingers all beside each other but not a difficult chord to throw down in a jam.
Open E7 Chord: E - G# - B - D - This chord is also very popular and goes well with an E major chord when doing hammer ons and pull offs to give a chord strum a little more flavor. Perform the same excercise as you would with the A major and just lift that finger up.
Open F7 Chord: F - A - C - Eb - This chord is not a very standard open chord but thought I would throw it in there. It works as a partial shape to a barre chord with alot of muted strings. At this position of the neck, you can also use a F7 barre chord instead. Everything is muted except for the 1, the 3 and the b7 chord tones.
Open G7 Chord: G - B - D - F - This chord can be a bit of a stretch. It is very similar to a G major chord but with a b7. Considering the shape of the chord, you have to move your fingers around a bit to make it work. I guess you could say its like a stretched out C major shape with alot of open strings to ring out nicely.
Open Suspended Chords
Suspended chords are a little different than the other chords we have learned but they are nothing to be scared of. When you have a suspended chord, you are just replacing the third of a chord with something else. I think of it as the chord is suspended in air, waiting to resolve on the third. The chords are very powerful when interchanging with a major or minor chord. In this lesson, we will learn Sus2 and Sus4 chords. With suspended 2 (Sus2) chords, you are replacing the third of the chord with the second and with suspended 4 (Sus4) chords, you are replacing the third of the chord with the fourth.
- In open Sus2 chords, the tones that make up the chord are:
1 - 2 - 5
- In open Sus4 chords, the tones that make up the chord are:
1 - 4 - 5
Open Asus2 Chord: A - B - E - This chord shape is very similar to an A major or A minor but a finger is lifted to add the second. Depending on your surrounding chords of a progression determines what fingering you might use. Once you get the hang of sus chords, try running a progression such as major, minor, sus2, minor or major, sus4, major, minor to better understand the difference in tonal color of each chord.
Open Asus4 Chord: A - D - E - Also very similar to an A major or minor but you are replacing the third with the fourth. You can easily strum an A major, then add your pinky to form the Asus4 chord. Again, the sus chords work very well for adding color and flair to a progression by tastefully hammering-on or pulling off from a major or minor chord.
Open Bsus2 Chord: B - C# - F# - This chord is a barre chord similar to the B minor barre chord. The only difference is you barre the first and second strings and lift your second finger to give the chord the second in the voicing. This chord is moveable so if you slide the root up and down the neck using the same shape, you will have sus2 chords anywhere on the neck.
Open Bsus4 Chord: B - E - F# - This chord is identical to the B Major barre chord from before but with an extention. If you add you pinky finger to the second string on the fourth fret, you will raise the third to a fourth giving you a sus4 chord. This shape is also moveable up and down the neck.
Open Csus2 Chord: C - D - G - The Csus chords are not very common in the open position but they can be fingered to create the chord. With a Csus2, the outer strings are muted so only the inner four ring out. If you finger a C major chord, then just lift your second finger up and you have a Csus2 chord.
Open Csus4 Chord: C - F - G - The Csus4 chord resembles a partial barre chord but its in the open position so I thought I would throw it in for a treat. Finger a C Major chord; then add your pinky, lift your second finger and barre your first finger across the first and second strings. Its kind of a mouthful but it makes a pretty nice chord. Don't forget to let that third string ring out.
Open Dsus2 Chord: D - E - A - The Dsus chord voicings should be fairly easy if you can already play the major and minor forms. Once again, finger a D major chord and lift a finger up. Again, try a pattern that runs from major to minor to sus2 for example.
Open Dsus4 Chord: D - G - A - This chord is a little bit of a cluster but shouldn't be a problem for you. Finger a D Major chord and then add your pinky to form the Dsus4 chord. Do a little finger dance with this chord also to hear the difference in major, minor, sus2 and sus4.
Open Esus2 Chord: E - F# - B - This chord resembles a barre chord but its in the open position. We will go over barre chord in a following lesson. The Esus2 chord is definately a stretch and might be difficult to throw down in a progression but give it time and you will have it. Remember to barre your first finger across the strings, then add your third and fourth finger to complete the chord.
Open Esus4 Chord: E - A - B - This chord is just an addition to an E major or an E minor chord depending on how you finger it. Just add your pinky finger and you have an Esus4 Chord. Try the finger dance again to hear the difference in major, minor, sus2 and sus4 chords.
Open Fsus2 Chord: F - G - C - This chord is a variation of a partial barre chord voicing of a F major or F minor. Barre the first two strings and fret with your third finger. Remember to let the third string ring out to complete the chord voicing.
Open Fsus4 Chord: F - A# - C - This chord consists of doubling up your finger patterns to complete the chord. It might be a little bit of a cluster but give it a try. The sixth and fifth strings are not played in this particular chord form.
Open Gsus2 Chord: G - A - D - The Gsus2 chord uses all kinds of specifics to make it sound right. This chord is also not very common but its a good one to have in your bag. If you finger a G major chord, then make a few changes you will rock it out. A few things to remember are when you finger your second finger, have it rest om the fifth string to mute it and the rest of the chord is exactly like a Dsus4 fingering. Try changing from a Dsus4 to a Gsus2 chord while accenting the root note of the Gsus2 chord on the sixth string.
Open Gsus4 Chord: G - C - D - Also similar to a Gsus2 chord when considering the muted fifth string but there are a few open strings in the chord as well as a good stretch with your first finger to fret the fourth on the second string. Give it some practice and make sure the strings are ringing out clearly and you are fretting with the tips of your fingers.
Open D Major: D - F# - A - This chord is a tight and different shape similar to a triangle. Remember to just strum the open D string (4th) and not the lower strings. Other fingerings include:
