A chord is three or more notes played together (two, in the case of power chords). Its name says which notes they are: the letter is the root, and everything after it describes the other notes as distances from the root, counted in semitones. Once you know those distances, any chord name can be decoded on any instrument.
The building blocks: intervals in semitones
| Chord | Example | Notes above the root (semitones) | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major | C (C E G) | 4, 7 | Bright, settled |
| Minor | Cm (C E♭ G) | 3, 7 | Darker, sad |
| Power chord (5) | C5 (C G) | 7 | Neutral, heavy with distortion |
| Suspended 2nd | Csus2 (C D G) | 2, 7 | Open, unresolved |
| Suspended 4th | Csus4 (C F G) | 5, 7 | Tense, wants to resolve to C |
| Diminished | Cdim (C E♭ G♭) | 3, 6 | Tense, unstable |
| Augmented | Caug (C E G♯) | 4, 8 | Dreamy, unresolved |
| Dominant 7th | C7 (C E G B♭) | 4, 7, 10 | Bluesy, pulls to the next chord |
| Major 7th | Cmaj7 (C E G B) | 4, 7, 11 | Soft, jazzy |
| Minor 7th | Cm7 (C E♭ G B♭) | 3, 7, 10 | Mellow |
The only difference between major and minor is the middle note, the third: four semitones above the root for major, three for minor. That one semitone is the difference between "happy" and "sad".
What is a power chord?
A power chord is the root and the fifth, often with the root doubled an octave up. It has no third, so it is neither major nor minor, and it is written with a 5: G5, E5, A5. It is the backbone of rock, punk and metal because it stays clear under heavy distortion, where the third of a full chord turns into a muddy growl.
On guitar the shape is the same everywhere on the neck:
- Root on the low E string: index finger on the root, ring finger two frets higher on the A string, little finger on the same fret on the D string. At the 3rd fret that is G5 (frets 3-5-5).
- Root on the A string: the same shape one string higher. At the 3rd fret that is C5.
- Drop D: with the low string tuned down to D, one finger across the lowest three strings plays a power chord, which is why so much heavy music uses Drop D tuning (see alternate guitar tunings).
Mute the other strings with the side of your fretting fingers, and palm-mute near the bridge for the chugging sound.
How to play barre chords
A barre chord uses one finger, usually the index, pressed flat across several strings, acting like a moveable capo. The rest of the hand plays an open-chord shape above it, so one shape gives you every major or minor chord as you slide it up the neck.
The two shapes worth learning first:
| Shape | Root on | At the 1st fret | Frets (low E → high E) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-shape major | Low E string | F major | 1 3 3 2 1 1 |
| E-shape minor | Low E string | F minor | 1 3 3 1 1 1 |
| A-shape major | A string | B♭ major | x 1 3 3 3 1 |
| A-shape minor | A string | B♭ minor | x 1 3 3 2 1 |
Move the E-shape to the 3rd fret and it's G major; the A-shape at the 3rd fret is C major. Why barre chords buzz and how to fix it:
- Roll the index finger slightly onto its side (the edge toward the headstock). The side is harder and flatter than the soft underside, and the creases of the joints fall in better places.
- Sit right behind the fret, not in the middle between frets. Less pressure is needed there.
- Pull back with the arm instead of squeezing with the thumb. A little weight from the arm does most of the work; a death grip just tires the hand.
- Start at the 5th fret, where the strings are lower and the frets closer, then move toward the nut as your hand gets stronger.
- Check each string by picking them one at a time and adjust only the finger that is muted.
Barre chords hurt for everyone for the first two or three weeks. Short daily practice beats one long session.
What is a chord inversion?
A chord's notes can be stacked in any order. Which note is lowest (the bass) decides the inversion:
- Root position: the root is lowest. C E G.
- First inversion: the third is lowest. E G C, written C/E.
- Second inversion: the fifth is lowest. G C E, written C/G.
- Third inversion (seventh chords only): the seventh is lowest. B♭ C E G, written C7/B♭.
The chord is the same, but the bass line changes. Inversions let a bass line walk step by step (C, C/B, Am, Am/G) instead of jumping, and they keep a pianist's hands in one place while the chords change.
What is a slash chord?
A slash chord is written chord/bass note: play the chord on the left over the bass note on the right. It covers two cases:
- An inversion, where the bass note belongs to the chord: C/E, G/B, D/F♯ (a favourite in acoustic pop for walking down from G to Em).
- A different bass note, which doesn't belong to the chord and creates a new colour: D/C, F/G or C/D, common in gospel and film music.
On guitar, the bass note is simply the lowest string you play: G/B is a G chord with the low E string left silent and B played on the A string at the 2nd fret.
Naming a chord you found yourself
Found a shape that sounds good but don't know its name? The chord finder names it from the notes: press the keys on a piano or the frets on a guitar, and it shows the chord, its intervals, any slash-chord reading and other names the same notes can have (A C E G is both Am7 and C6). It knows the common chord types, from power chords to thirteenths, and plays the chord back so you can check it by ear.
To work out which chords a song uses, find its key first with the key detector: most songs stay within the chords of one key.
FAQ
Is a power chord major or minor?
Neither. It has no third, so it fits over both, which is part of why it is so useful.
What is the hardest barre chord?
F major at the 1st fret, because the strings are highest and stiffest near the nut. Practise the same shape higher up first.
What does "add9" mean?
A major chord with the ninth (the second, an octave up) added and no seventh: Cadd9 is C E G D.
What is the difference between C/E and Em?
C/E is a C major chord (C E G) with E in the bass. Em is a different chord, E G B.