The C root note is one of the most fundamental chord families in all of music. C major is often the very first chord a guitarist learns and for good reason — it sits at the heart of the most common keys and progressions in popular music. From the warm open C major to the sophisticated Cmaj7 — every C chord shape you will ever need is on this page.

C Minor (Cm)

Dark and powerful. Cm has no comfortable open position voicing so it is played as a barre chord at fret 3. One of the most emotionally heavy minor chords on guitar.

e |--3--|
B |--4--|
G |--5--|
D |--5--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Index barre across all strings at fret 3
         Ring=G string fret 5  Pinky=D string fret 5
         Middle=B string fret 4? 

Let me use A shape barre at fret 3:
Cm using A minor barre shape:
e |--3--|
B |--4--|
G |--5--|
D |--5--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Index=A string fret 3 and e string fret 3
         Ring=D string fret 5  Pinky=G string fret 5
         Middle=B string fret 4
Strum: 5 strings (A to e — skip low E)

Songs: Billie Jean — Michael Jackson, The Sound of Silence — Simon and Garfunkel, Losing My Religion — REM

C Major (C)

Warm bright and instantly recognisable. One of the first chords every guitarist learns. The home chord of C major and one of the most used chords in all of popular music.

e |--0--|
B |--1--|
G |--0--|
D |--2--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Index=B string fret 1  Middle=D string fret 2  Ring=A string fret 3
Strum: 5 strings (A to e — skip low E)

Songs: Let It Be — The Beatles, Wonderwall — Oasis, Leaving on a Jet Plane — John Denver

C Power Chord (C5)

Root and fifth only. Clean and powerful. Most commonly played at fret 3 on the A string anchoring the shape in a comfortable mid-neck position.

e |-----|
B |-----|
G |-----|
D |--5--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Index=A string fret 3  Ring=D string fret 5
Strum: A and D strings only

Songs: Rock rhythm guitar in C, power chord progressions, punk and alternative riffs

C Dominant 7th (C7)

The blues chord in C. Adds a flat 7th to C major creating tension that wants to resolve to F. Essential for blues, jazz and any progression in F major.

C7 notes: C E G Bb

e |--0--|   E (3rd)
B |--1--|   C (root) -- B fret 1 = C yes
G |--3--|   Bb (b7) -- G fret 3 = Bb yes
D |--2--|   E (3rd) -- D fret 2 = E yes
A |--3--|   C (root) -- A fret 3 = C yes
E |--x--|

e |--0--|
B |--1--|
G |--3--|
D |--2--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Index=B string fret 1  Middle=D string fret 2
         Ring=A string fret 3  Pinky=G string fret 3
Strum: 5 strings (A to e — skip low E)

Songs: 12 bar blues in C, jazz standards resolving to F, La Bamba — Ritchie Valens

C Minor 7th (Cm7)

Smooth sophisticated and soulful. The flat 7th added to Cm creates a cooler more sophisticated minor sound. Used constantly in jazz, soul and R&B.

Cm7 notes: C Eb G Bb

Barre at fret 3 A shape minor:
e |--3--|   G (5th)
B |--4--|   C? -- B fret 4 = D# = Eb yes (minor 3rd)
           wait B fret 3 = D  fret 4 = D# = Eb yes
G |--3--|   Bb (b7) -- G fret 3 = Bb yes
D |--5--|   G (5th) -- D fret 5 = G yes
A |--3--|   C (root) -- A fret 3 = C yes
E |--x--|

e |--3--|
B |--4--|
G |--3--|
D |--5--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Index=A e G strings at fret 3
         Middle=B string fret 4
         Pinky=D string fret 5
Strum: 5 strings (A to e — skip low E)

Songs: Jazz ii V I progressions in Bb, soul and R&B chord movements, sophisticated pop ballads

C Major 7th (Cmaj7)

Lush dreamy and warm. One of the most beautiful and easy open chord voicings on guitar. The open G and e strings provide the 5th and major 7th naturally.

Cmaj7 notes: C E G B

e |--0--|   E (3rd) yes
B |--0--|   B (maj7) yes
G |--0--|   G (5th) yes
D |--2--|   E (3rd) -- D fret 2 = E yes
A |--3--|   C (root) -- A fret 3 = C yes
E |--x--|

e |--0--|
B |--0--|
G |--0--|
D |--2--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Middle=D string fret 2  Ring=A string fret 3
Strum: 5 strings (A to e — skip low E)

Songs: Blackbird — The Beatles, jazz ballads, bossa nova, sophisticated pop progressions

C Suspended 2nd (Csus2)

Open floating and atmospheric. Replaces the 3rd with a 2nd creating a sound that is neither major nor minor. Beautiful for verse sections and fingerpicking patterns.

Csus2 notes: C D G (root 2nd 5th)

e |--0--|   E -- not in Csus2
           Hmm e open = E not in chord
           e fret 3 = G yes (5th)
B |--1--|   C (root) -- B fret 1 = C yes
G |--0--|   G (5th) yes
D |--0--|   D (2nd) yes -- D open = D yes
A |--3--|   C (root) -- A fret 3 = C yes
E |--x--|

e |--3--|   G (5th)
B |--1--|   C (root)
G |--0--|   G (5th)
D |--0--|   D (2nd)
A |--3--|   C (root)
E |--x--|

e |--3--|
B |--1--|
G |--0--|
D |--0--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Index=B string fret 1  Ring=A string fret 3  Pinky=e string fret 3
Strum: 5 strings (A to e — skip low E)

Songs: Atmospheric pop and rock, verse sections, fingerpicking patterns

C Suspended 4th (Csus4)

Tense and dramatic. The 4th replaces the 3rd creating tension that resolves beautifully to C major. Often played just before the full C chord.

Csus4 notes: C F G (root 4th 5th)

e |--1--|   F (4th) -- e fret 1 = F yes
B |--1--|   F (4th) -- B fret 1 = C wait
           B fret 1 = C not F
           B fret 6 = F -- too far
           
Let me remap:
e fret 1 = F (4th) yes
B fret 1 = C (root) yes
G fret 0 = G (5th) yes
D fret 3 = F (4th) -- D fret 3 = F yes
A fret 3 = C (root) yes

e |--1--|   F (4th)
B |--1--|   C (root)
G |--0--|   G (5th)
D |--3--|   F (4th)
A |--3--|   C (root)
E |--x--|

e |--1--|
B |--1--|
G |--0--|
D |--3--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Index=e and B strings at fret 1
         Ring=A string fret 3  Pinky=D string fret 3
Strum: 5 strings (A to e — skip low E)

Songs: Classic Csus4 to C resolutions, dramatic rock moments, tension builders before chorus

C Add 9 (Cadd9)

C major with an added 9th (D). One of the most popular and beautiful open chord voicings on guitar. Fuller and more colourful than plain C major without any tension.

Cadd9 notes: C E G D (root 3rd 5th 9th)

e |--0--|   E (3rd) yes
B |--3--|   D (9th) -- B fret 3 = D yes
G |--0--|   G (5th) yes
D |--2--|   E (3rd) -- D fret 2 = E yes
A |--3--|   C (root) -- A fret 3 = C yes
E |--x--|

e |--0--|
B |--3--|
G |--0--|
D |--2--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|

Fingers: Middle=D string fret 2  Ring=A string fret 3  Pinky=B string fret 3
Strum: 5 strings (A to e — skip low E)

Rich and modern. One of the most used guitar chords in contemporary music. Sounds dramatically fuller than plain C major with almost no extra effort.

Songs: Fix You — Coldplay, Colorblind — Counting Crows, countless modern pop and rock songs

C Diminished (Cdim)

Tense unstable and dramatic. Used as a passing chord creating powerful chromatic movement. Appears in classical, jazz and dramatic rock passages.

Cdim notes: C Eb Gb (root minor 3rd flat 5th)

e |--x--|
B |--4--|   Eb (minor 3rd) -- B fret 4 = D# = Eb yes
G |--2--|   A -- not in Cdim
           G fret 2 = A -- not in chord
           G fret 4 = B -- not in chord
           Gb on G string: fret 9 -- too far
           
Let me try:
A string fret 3 = C (root) yes
D string fret 1 = Eb (minor 3rd) yes
G string fret 2 = A -- no
B string fret 4 = Eb yes

e |--x--|
B |--4--|   Eb (m3)
G |--5--|   Gb? -- G fret 5 = C -- not Gb
           G fret 6 = C# -- no
           Actually Gb on G string:
           G string: 0=G 1=G# 2=A 3=Bb 4=B 5=C 6=C# 7=D 8=D# 9=E 10=F 11=F# 12=G
           No Gb on G string in this range.

Most practical Cdim:
e |--x--|
B |--4--|   Eb
G |--3--|   Bb -- not in Cdim (Cdim=C Eb Gb)
           
Cdim full: C Eb Gb
D string: 0=D 1=Eb 2=E -- fret 1 = Eb yes (m3)
          fret 9 = Bb -- no
A string: 3=C (root)
Low E: 3=G -- not Gb. fret 2 = F# = Gb yes!

e |--x--|
B |--x--|
G |--x--|
D |--1--|   Eb (minor 3rd)
A |--3--|   C (root)
E |--2--|   Gb (flat 5th) -- low E fret 2 = F# = Gb yes

e |--x--|
B |--x--|
G |--x--|
D |--1--|
A |--3--|
E |--2--|

Fingers: Index=low E string fret 2  Middle=D string fret 1
         Ring=A string fret 3
Strum: Low E A D strings only

Dark and tense. Used as a chromatic passing chord between C and Dm or as a dramatic tension chord in jazz and classical progressions.

Songs: Classical passing chords, jazz progressions, dramatic chromatic movements

C Augmented (Caug)

Mysterious and unsettling. The augmented 5th creates a floating tense quality. Used as a passing chord between C and Cm or F creat