Guitar Chord Chart

Infinite Guitar's guitar chord chart is a free chord finder that shows you how to play 154 guitar chords, from simple major and minor chords to sevenths, sus chords, sixths, ninths, augmented and diminished chords, in all 12 keys. Every shape is shown on a real guitar neck, and you can hear each chord played clean or with distortion so you know exactly how it should sound.

How to use the guitar chord chart

1. Pick a root. The root is the note the chord is named after, like the A in A minor 7. Sharps and flats are the same notes, so A# and Bb share a button.
2. Pick a chord type. Choose from 13 types, from major and minor to dominant 9 and diminished 7.
3. Read the shape. The dots on the neck show where your fingers go.
4. Press play or hit the space bar to hear it. Switch Tone between Clean and Distorted to hear it both ways.
5. Change what the dots show. Fingers tells you which finger to use, Notes shows the note under each finger, and Intervals shows the job each note does in the chord.

Not sure what to learn next? Press Random chord. Your last chord and settings are saved in your browser, so the chord finder is set up the way you left it next time you come back.

How to read a chord chart

A chord chart is a picture of the guitar neck standing up, like you're looking straight at it. Most chord books and guitar apps draw chords this way.

• Strings: the lines running up and down are the six strings, with the thickest (low E) on the left and the thinnest (high E) on the right.
• Frets: the lines running across are the frets, with the nut at the top.
• Finger numbers: 1 is your index finger, 2 your middle finger, 3 your ring finger and 4 your pinky.
• O and X: an O above a string means play it open, without fretting it. An X means don't play that string.
• The root: the white dot is the root note, the note the chord is named after.

Each chord is shown in one shape near the nut. Some shapes use only a few strings, which makes them easier to reach while you're learning.

Chord types and their formulas

Every chord is built from a root and a few notes stacked on top of it. The formula tells you which notes those are, counted up from the root. Here's what each of the 13 chord types is made of, with A as the example.

R is the root, b means flat (one fret lower) and # means sharp (one fret higher). Switch the dots to Intervals in the chord finder to see where each of these notes sits in the shape.

Chord practice tips for guitarists

• Start with the basics. If chords are new to you, What are Chords? explains how they work, and the Beginner's Guide to Understanding Chords Learning Path takes you from there step by step.
• Hear the difference between major and minor. Play A, then Am, and listen to how one note changes the mood. The Major Chord and The Minor Chord show you why.
• Learn the intervals. Once you know what a 3rd and a 5th are, you can build any chord yourself. Start with Intervals and Building Chords.
• Go beyond major and minor. Sus, augmented and diminished chords add color to your playing. Try Expanding your Chord Knowledge Pt 2: Dim, Aug, Sus and the Grow Your Chord Vocabulary Learning Path.
• Put chords in a progression. Chords come alive when you move between them in time. Work through Simple Chord Progressions and the Strumming 101: Developing Rhythm Learning Path with our online metronome running.
• Try jazz voicings. Seventh chords sound great with just three or four notes. Shell Voicings shows you how.

Ready to use these chords in real songs? Check out our free guitar lessons.