Guitar chord charts, or chord diagrams are simple visual representations of how to play a chord on the guitar neck. Chord diagrams can show finger placement on the guitar neck, musical intervals, music notes, or even fingers and notes.
The most basic type of guitar chord charts will show where to put your fingers on the guitar, which strings to play open, and which guitar strings to skip.
Some chord charts will show an X at the top of the chart for strings that you are supposed to skip, while other charts will just have a blank spot which also means to skip that string.
The O above a string means to play it open, and the dots with numbers represent which finger to use, and where to place it. 1 is pointer, 2 is middle, 3 is ring, 4 is little finger, and if you see a T then you wrap your thumb around the top of the neck.
If a chart doesn’t start with the open strings there will always be a number next to it so that you can tell which fret the chord starts at. Here is a C major bar chord where your index finger bars across the 8th fret. Notice the number 8 next to the chart
Guitar Chord Charts Showing Intervals or Notes
Other guitar chord diagrams will show you the musical intervals of a chord. Sometimes the intervals will be on the dots and other times they will be below the diagram. Another common type of guitar chord chart will show the notes within a chord.
The Occasional Random X in Guitar Charts
Every once in a while you will come across a guitar diagram that has an X on the neck. This simply means to block that string with one of your fingers. This type of chord chart isn’t typical but you will see one occasionally.
Understanding Ted Greene Chord Charts
Ted Greene was a guitar genius and he came up with his own way to show melodies within a chord diagram. The dots are where your fingers start, and the the X, square, and triangle represent what notes you play next. If you ever see an O it is an optional note, and it’s also important to keep holding as much of the chord as you can.
