How to Read a Guitar Chord Chart

Among the most important skills to learn when playing guitar is how to read chord charts. A chord chart is a graphic representation of a specific chord that shows you the strings and frets to place your fingers on to play it. Chord charts come in all shapes and sizes, and understanding how to read them can be a bit tricky for beginners.

A key element to understanding how to read a chord chart is to know that vertical lines represent the strings, while horizontal lines represent the frets. Dots, often times represented by circles, on the horizontal lines indicate what frets you need to press with your fingertips to make a particular string sound that corresponds to the chord. Some chord charts also include numbers inside the dots to tell you which fingers to use. Generally speaking, the number 1 indicates your index finger, the number 2 indicates your middle finger, and the number 3 indicates your ring finger. Sometimes, the numbers are accompanied by an X or an O. An X indicates that you shouldn’t strum or pick that particular string, while an O means to play it open.

You’ll also notice that some chord charts have a bold line above the top horizontal line, which is called the nut of the guitar. The nut is the white, or sometimes cream-colored, strip that elevates your fretboard so that you can play the frets. The nut can be seen as an obstacle to learning how to play guitar, and it is very important that you practice and understand the proper way to place your fingers on the guitar so that you don’t end up damaging your strings or your fingers.

Many different styles of guitar chord charts are used in books, posters and on the Internet, so it’s very important to know what to look for when you’re reading a chart. Most charts will start with a “6fr” or other symbol that tells you to begin reading the chart from the sixth fret, which is the first fret on the leftmost string.

The next thing you’ll see is a series of numbered dots that correspond to the six strings. The dots are usually arranged in groups of three, with one number indicating which finger to place on the first fret. For example, if you see a circled number 1, that means you need to place your index finger on the first fret of the low E string.

After locating the right finger to press down on the first fret, you will need to read the chord chart to find out what notes are being played and what names they go by. You may be able to figure out the name of the chord from its shape, or you may have to look it up on a website that offers an index of common chords and their names. A good resource for this is the Chord Finder at Ultimate-Guitar.