In this lesson
low E: open; A: fret 2; D: fret 2; G: open; B: open; high E: open
low E: do not play; A: fret 3; D: fret 2; G: open; B: fret 1; high E: open
A chord diagram shows a fingering: which strings to play, which frets to press and which strings to leave out. Some diagrams suggest fingers as well. The usual upright layout is described below; check the labels or key when a chart uses another orientation or symbol system.
Read the six strings
In the usual upright diagram, imagine looking at the front of a guitar with its headstock at the top. The vertical lines run from low E on the left to high E on the right in standard tuning:
| Position from left | String number | Open string |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Low E |
| 2 | 5 | A |
| 3 | 4 | D |
| 4 | 3 | G |
| 5 | 2 | B |
| 6 | 1 | High E |
That left-to-right string order differs from the top-to-bottom order of ordinary guitar tab. The tab-reading lesson explains the latter. Mirrored or horizontal chord diagrams need their own string labels; do not infer the order from the dots alone.
Find the fret spaces
Horizontal lines mark fret boundaries. A thick line across the top often represents the nut. In a diagram that starts at the nut, the space below it is fret 1, the next space is fret 2, and so on. A dot in a space marks the string and fret to play.
On the guitar, place the fingertip just behind the required fret wire, towards the headstock, using enough pressure for a clear note. A dot’s position in the middle of a drawn space is a symbol for the fret, not a demand to put your finger halfway between the wires.
A diagram higher up the neck may omit the nut and print a fret label beside the grid. If the first displayed space is labelled 5, that space is fret 5, the next is 6 and the next is 7. Use the labelled space as your reference; do not count it as fret 1. Publishers place labels differently, so check which fret the label identifies.
Keep finger numbers separate from fret numbers
Numbers inside or beside dots often suggest fretting-hand fingers:
| Number | Finger |
|---|---|
| 1 | Index |
| 2 | Middle |
| 3 | Ring |
| 4 | Little finger |
Some charts use T for the thumb, and some omit finger numbers. Read the key if numbers have another purpose. A dot marked 2 in the first fret space can mean “middle finger at fret 1”; the finger number does not change the fret location.
A suggested fingering can be useful when learning a shape. You may choose another if it sounds the intended notes and makes the movement comfortable.
Open circles, X marks and barres
An O or open circle above a string usually means play it open, without fretting. An X means leave it out of the sounding chord. You can avoid striking that string or mute it so it stays quiet. An X on a chord diagram does not ask for the percussive dead note that an x can indicate in tab.
Follow the indicated strings for that voicing. A note on a string marked X may belong to the chord but change its bass or arrangement; the mark is not a universal claim that the note can never be used.
A thick line, curved arc or repeated finger number across several strings can indicate a barre: one finger frets multiple strings at the same fret. Read the other dots too, since some strings under that finger may be fretted higher by other fingers. The barre-alternatives lesson gives smaller F and Bm shapes if a full barre is uncomfortable.
Work through Em and C
These text examples give the information you would look for in an upright diagram. They use standard tuning, E A D G B E from low to high. Read the compact patterns in that same order: numbers are frets, 0 means open and x means leave out.
| Chord | Low E, A, D, G, B, high E | Suggested fingers |
|---|---|---|
| E minor (Em) | 0 2 2 0 0 0 |
Middle on A string (5), fret 2; ring on D string (4), fret 2. |
| C major (C) | x 3 2 0 1 0 |
Ring on A (5), fret 3; middle on D (4), fret 2; index on B (2), fret 1. |
For Em, leave low E, G, B and high E open, and play all six strings. For C, leave G and high E open and play only A (5) through high E (1). The low E is left out of this C shape.
Place the fingers slowly and pick each intended string separately. If one note is unclear, check the finger location and whether a neighbouring finger touches the string. Use the checks in getting the hang of new chords if needed. Release unnecessary pressure between attempts, take breaks and stop if playing hurts.
A shape still needs a rhythm
A chord box alone does not tell you when to strum, how long to hold the chord or when the next chord begins. Look for the song’s rhythm, time signature and chord-change instructions. Our beginner strumming patterns give counted practice examples.
Use the chord charts to look up another shape, or follow the first-chord lesson for more open-chord fingerings. Once two shapes are familiar, the chord-change lesson shows how to connect them.
Source notes
Fender’s written chord-chart guide explains the usual upright string order, nut, finger numbers and open/X symbols. GuitarLessons.com’s diagram guide also covers fret labels and barre marks. The text examples use Fender’s Em fingering and C fingering.