Chord Shapes

Lesson 7/65 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Beginner Guitar Theory

Chord Shapes

Here is a chart of some basic fingerings for major, minor and diminished chords. With the chords shown here you should be able to work out how to play the seven scale tone chords in each of the major keys. The shapes given are all based around the first few frets. The most useful chord shapes are outlined with a box. The other shapes are given for your reference only but in most cases would be better played holding a bar chord shape.

Bar chords, although a little difficult at first are ultimately easier and more convenient to play than most of the non-outlined shapes. Bar chords will be discussed in a later lesson.

The boxed shapes shown here are generally easier to play and should be memorized. These open chords sound particularly good on acoustic guitars and for fingerpicking. Remember that there is always more than one fingering for a chord, so experiment with doubling notes in these chords or re-arranging the order of the notes.

Major Chords

A#/Bb

C#/Db

D#/Eb

F#/Gb

G#/Ab

Minor Chords

A#m/Bbm

C#m/Dbm

D#m/Ebm

F#m/Gbm

G#m/Abm

Diminished Chords

A⁰

B⁰

C⁰

D⁰

E⁰

F⁰

G⁰

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Class Sessions

1- Transposing 2- Glossary of Musical Terms 3- Simple and Compound Time 4- Sixteenth Notes 5- Triplets 6- Minor Key Scale Tone Triads 7- Minor Keys and Scales 8- Scale Tone Chords 9- Chord Construction 10- Chords 11- Intervals 12- INTRODUCTION 13- Keys and Key Signatures 14- The Major Scale 15- Learning All the Notes 16- The Lead-In 17- How to Read Music 18- Dotted Notes 19- Note Values 20- Slurs 21- Approach to Practice 22- Swing Rhythms 23- Tablature 24- Chords in Other Minor Keys 25- Minor Scales in All Keys 26- Major Key Triad Pattern 27- Double Sharps And Double Flats 28- Fingering Variations 29- Naming Intervals 30- C Chromatic Scale 31- Time Signatures 32- Ties 33- Tones and Semitones 34- Major Scales in All Keys 35- The Octave 36- Scale Tone Chords in All Keys 37- Dynamics 38- Electronic Tuner 39- Transposing in Minor Keys 40- The Left Hand 41- Relative Keys 42- C Major Scale in Open Position 43- Rhythm Notation 44- Interval Types 45- Rests 46- Enharmonic Notes 47- Summary of Scale Tone Chords 48- Volume Changes 49- Music Notation 50- Interval Distances 51- Major Scale Pattern 52- Harmonic Minor Scale Tone Chords 53- Learning the Notes on the Staff 54- The Unison 55- Common Progressions 56- The G Major Scale 57- Tempo Markings 58- Melodic Minor Scale Tone Chords 59- The Open Strings of the Guitar 60- Tempo Changes 61- The F Major Scale 62- Chord Shapes 63- Identifying Intervals by Ear 64- Notes in the Open Position 65- Other Major Scales

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Chord Shapes

Chord Shapes

Major Chords

Minor Chords

Diminished Chords

Peter Gelling

Class Sessions

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