Guitar Chord Chart (Chord Finder with Diagrams)

Look up how to play any chord on the guitar: pick the root and the chord type, or type a symbol such as F#m7b5, Cadd9 or C/G. The tool works out every playable shape from the notes of the chord, ranks them by how easy they are, and draws chord-box diagrams with finger numbers, open and muted strings. It also works in drop D, half step down, open G, DADGAD and for 4-string bass.

How to use this tool

1. Choose the root note and the chord type, or type a chord symbol.
2. Pick the tuning and where on the neck you want to play.
3. Read the best shape in the results (x = do not play the string, 0 = open string) and the finger numbers.
4. Open the diagrams or the table for other shapes, and download the SVG pictures if you like.

Formula

Chord tones from the formula, e.g. major = 1 3 5, m7 = 1 ♭3 5 ♭7, 9 = 1 3 5 ♭7 9 · note on a string = open-string note + fret (in semitones)

Every combination of muted, open and fretted strings inside a four-fret window is tested. A shape counts when the lowest string played is the root (or the slash note), every required chord tone sounds, muted strings sit only at the edges, and four fingers can hold it (with a first-finger barre when more than four notes are fretted). The perfect 5th may be left out of chords with four or more notes; in 11th and 13th chords the 9th may be left out too, and the 11th is left out of a 13th chord with a major 3rd, as guitarists do. Shapes are ranked by muted strings, fingers, barres, fret height and stretch.

Example

For C major (C E G) in open position the best shape is x32010: A string 3rd fret (C), D string 2nd fret (E), open G, B string 1st fret (C), open high E, with fingers 3, 2 and 1. G major comes out as 320003 and E minor as 022000, the same shapes printed in every beginner's chord book.