Complete Beginner Chord Chart

All chords taught in this course. Each diagram shows six strings (low E on the left, high E on the right), fret positions, finger numbers, and open (O) or not played (X) string indicators.

Finger numbering: 1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, 4 = little finger, T = thumb

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How to Read These Diagrams

• Each column is a string: string 6 (low E, the thickest) on the left, string 1 (high e, the thinnest) on the right
• Numbers in the grid show which finger to place at that position
• O above a string = play the string open (unfretted)
• X above a string = do not play this string
• Fretted strings have no marker above them (the finger number in the grid shows the fretting)
• Fret numbers appear on the left side
• Introduced names the session that teaches the chord; it stays in use from that session onwards

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Minor Chords

Em — E Minor

• Introduced: Session 2

Em

OOOO

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 2 (middle): string 5 (A), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Strings 6, 3, 2 and 1 are played open
• Strum all six strings

Am — A Minor

• Introduced: Session 3

Am

XOO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 2 (B), fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Strings 5 and 1 are played open
• Do not play string 6
• Strum strings 5 to 1 (five strings)

Dm — D Minor

• Introduced: Session 21

Dm

XXO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 1 (high e), fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 2 (B), fret 3
• String 4 (D) is played open
• Do not play strings 6 and 5
• Strum strings 4 to 1

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Major Chords

E — E Major

• Introduced: Session 5

E

OOO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 3 (G), fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 5 (A), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Strings 6, 2 and 1 are played open
• Strum all six strings

D — D Major

• Introduced: Session 7

D

XXO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Finger 2 (middle): string 1 (high e), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 2 (B), fret 3
• String 4 (D) is played open
• Do not play strings 6 and 5
• Strum strings 4 to 1 (four strings)

A — A Major

• Introduced: Session 8

A

XOO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Finger 2 (middle): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 2 (B), fret 2
• Strings 5 and 1 are played open
• Do not play string 6
• Strum strings 5 to 1 (five strings)

G — G Major

• Introduced: Session 10

G

OOO

2

3

4

EADGBe

• Finger 2 (middle): string 5 (A), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 6 (low E), fret 3
• Finger 4 (little finger): string 1 (high e), fret 3
• Strings 4, 3 and 2 are played open
• Strum all six strings

C — C Major

• Introduced: Session 11

C

XOO

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 2 (B), fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 5 (A), fret 3
• Strings 3 and 1 are played open
• Do not play string 6
• Strum strings 5 to 1 (five strings)

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Barre Chords

Barre work: no more than 5 minutes a day in total. Pain rule: tender fingertips are normal. Pain in the wrist, forearm, thumb joint or knuckles, numbness or tingling, any sharp pain, or pain that lasts into the next day means stop. The full rule is in START HERE.

F — F Major (Simplified)

• Introduced: Session 17

F (simplified)

XX

1

2

3

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index) barres strings 2 (B) and 1 (high e) at fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 4 (D), fret 3
• Do not play strings 6 and 5
• Strum strings 4 to 1 (four strings)

F — F Major (Full Barre)

• Beyond this course: shown in Session 17 as a look-ahead. This shape is not practised or tested in this course. If you start on it afterwards, begin at fret 5, where it is easier, use the press-pluck-release method, and keep to 3 minutes a day.

F (full barre)

1

2

3

4

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index) barres all six strings at fret 1
• Finger 2 (middle): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Finger 3 (ring): string 5 (A), fret 3
• Finger 4 (little finger): string 4 (D), fret 3
• Strum all six strings

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Power Chords

E5 — E Power Chord

• Introduced: Session 9

E5

OXXXX

1

EADGBe

• String 6 (low E) is played open (the root note)
• Finger 1 (index): string 5 (A), fret 2
• Do not play strings 4, 3, 2 and 1
• Strum strings 6 and 5 only
• Often played with palm muting
• Three-string version (fuller sound): add finger 3 (ring) on string 4 (D), fret 2, and strum strings 6, 5 and 4
• Higher version, one octave up (Session 13): finger 1 (index) on string 4 (D), fret 2 and finger 3 (ring) on string 3 (G), fret 4; strum strings 4 and 3 only

A5 — A Power Chord

• Introduced: Session 9

A5

XOXXX

1

EADGBe

• Do not play string 6
• String 5 (A) is played open (the root note)
• Finger 1 (index): string 4 (D), fret 2
• Do not play strings 3, 2 and 1
• Strum strings 5 and 4 only
• Often played with palm muting
• Three-string version (fuller sound): add finger 3 (ring) on string 3 (G), fret 2, and strum strings 5, 4 and 3

D5 — D Power Chord

• Introduced: Session 13

D5

XXOXX

1

EADGBe

• Do not play strings 6 and 5
• String 4 (D) is played open (the root note)
• Finger 1 (index): string 3 (G), fret 2
• Do not play strings 2 and 1
• Strum strings 4 and 3 only
• Often played with palm muting
• This is the A5 shape moved one string over

F5 — Moveable Power Chord (shown as F5)

• Introduced: Session 20

F5

XXX

1

3

4

EADGBe

• Finger 1 (index): string 6 (low E), fret 1 (the root note)
• Finger 3 (ring): string 5 (A), fret 3
• Finger 4 (little finger): string 4 (D), fret 3
• Do not play strings 3, 2 and 1
• Strum strings 6, 5 and 4 only

Nothing in this shape is an open string, so the same shape gives other power chords when you move it. The shape never changes: finger 1 on the root, finger 3 two frets higher on the next string, finger 4 on the same fret as finger 3, one string further. The chord takes its name from the note under finger 1. Session 20 uses the shape in four places:

Chord	Root note	Finger 1	Finger 3	Finger 4	Strings to strum
F5	F	string 6, fret 1	string 5, fret 3	string 4, fret 3	6, 5 and 4
Ab5	Ab (G#)	string 6, fret 4	string 5, fret 6	string 4, fret 6	6, 5 and 4
Bb5	Bb (A#)	string 5, fret 1	string 4, fret 3	string 3, fret 3	5, 4 and 3
Db5	Db (C#)	string 5, fret 4	string 4, fret 6	string 3, fret 6	5, 4 and 3

For Bb5 and Db5 the whole shape sits one string over, with finger 1 on string 5, and string 6 is left out. A tuner shows Ab, Bb and Db under the sharp names in brackets. Other frets give other chords: with the root at fret 3 of string 6, the same shape is G5.

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Quick Lookup Table

Chord	Type	Strings	Frets Used	Introduced
Em	Minor	All 6	A2, D2	Session 2
Am	Minor	A-e (5)	B1, D2, G2	Session 3
E	Major	All 6	G1, A2, D2	Session 5
D	Major	D-e (4)	G2, e2, B3	Session 7
A	Major	A-e (5)	D2, G2, B2	Session 8
E5	Power	E, A (2)	A2	Session 9
A5	Power	A, D (2)	D2	Session 9
G	Major	All 6	A2, E3, e3	Session 10
C	Major	A-e (5)	B1, D2, A3	Session 11
D5	Power	D, G (2)	G2	Session 13
F (simplified)	Barre	D-e (4)	B1, e1, G2, D3	Session 17
F (full)	Barre	All 6	All-1, G2, A3, D3	Beyond this course (shown in Session 17)
F5	Power (moveable)	E, A, D (3)	E1, A3, D3	Session 20
Dm	Minor	D-e (4)	e1, G2, B3	Session 21

In this table strings are shown by letter to save space: E = string 6 (low E), A = string 5, D = string 4, G = string 3, B = string 2, e = string 1 (high e). “A2” means string 5 at fret 2. “All-1” means finger 1 barring all six strings at fret 1.

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Common Chord Progressions in This Course

Progression	Key	Sessions
Em - Am	E minor	Sessions 3, 6
Em - Am - E	No single key (chord-change exercise)	Sessions 5, 6
Am - D	A minor, Dorian mode (a minor sound with one brighter note)	Session 7
A - D - E	A major (12-bar)	Session 8
Em - G	E minor	Session 10
G - D - Am	G major	Session 10
G - Em - C - D	G major	Session 11