Question 1

How many guitar chords are there?

Accepted Answer

There are thousands of possible shapes, but most songs use a small set of chord types. This library covers 190 chords: the 12 roots in the 15 most common types plus 10 slash chords.

Question 2

Which guitar chords should I learn first?

Accepted Answer

Start with the open chords C, A, G, E, D, Am, Em and Dm, then F (easy version), Bm and the open 7th chords. Together they cover most beginner songs in the keys of G, C, D and A.

Question 3

Is C# the same chord as Db?

Accepted Answer

Yes. C# and Db are the same pitch, so C#m and Dbm use the same shapes. Each chord has one page here, and the other spelling is listed on it.

Question 4

What do the numbers on a chord chart mean?

Accepted Answer

They are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky, T thumb. An x above a string means don't play it, and an o means play it open.

Question 5

What is a slash chord?

Accepted Answer

A chord played over a different bass note, written chord/bass. G/B is a G chord with B as the lowest note.

Question 6

Can I print these guitar chord charts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Download the free Essential Guitar Chords Chart as a PDF or PNG on this page, and every chord page has its own chart image.