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Chord library

Chord library: triads, 7th, suspended, add9, 6th and 9th chords

168 chords (14 types x 12 roots): notes, staff, 667 guitar and 624 ukulele fingerings checked note by note, piano keys, and the keys each chord belongs to.

What this section is

Pick a chord to see its notes and inversions on the staff, every guitar and ukulele fingering in the open chords-db database that passed our checks drawn as a diagram, the piano keys, and the keys the chord belongs to. The chords are grouped by type: major and minor triads, seventh chords (G7, Cmaj7, Am7, Bm7b5, Cdim7), suspended chords, add9, sixth chords and the dominant ninth. The diagrams are not typed in: each was recomputed, string by string, and a fingering whose sounding notes are not part of the chord is dropped instead of drawn.

  • 168chord pages: 14 types, 12 roots each
  • 667guitar fingerings, each checked
  • 624ukulele fingerings, each checked
  • 37,284automatic checks run when these pages are built

The 12 dominant 7th chords (C7)

The 12 major 7th chords (Cmaj7)

The 12 minor 7th chords (Cm7)

The 12 half-diminished 7th chords (Cm7b5)

The 12 diminished 7th chords (Cdim7)

The 12 suspended 2nd chords (Csus2)

The 12 suspended 4th chords (Csus4)

The 12 dominant 7th suspended 4th chords (C7sus4)

The 12 added 9th chords (Cadd9)

The 12 major 6th chords (C6)

The 12 minor 6th chords (Cm6)

The 12 dominant 9th chords (C9)

How to choose a fingering

1. Look for an open-position shape. A shape with open strings and no barre is the easiest place to start. 65 of the 168 chords in this library have at least one open-position guitar shape. Among the 24 major and minor chords they are C major, D major, E major, G major, A major, C minor, D minor, E minor, G minor and A minor; the other 14 (D♭ major, E♭ major, F major, F♯ major, A♭ major, B♭ major, B major, C♯ minor, E♭ minor, F minor, F♯ minor, G♯ minor, B♭ minor and B minor) have only barre or closed shapes, so on guitar they are played as movable shapes. The table below gives the same count for every chord type.

2. Check the bass note. Of the 667 guitar shapes in the database, 478 have the root of the chord as the lowest sounding note; the other 189 put another chord tone in the bass (the diagram shows this as a slash chord such as C/E). If you want the plain chord for accompanying a song, take a shape with the root in the bass. For ukulele it is only 161 of 624 (the tuning has a high G, so the first string is not the lowest note).

3. Barre shapes move. 416 of the 667 guitar shapes and 304 of the 624 ukulele shapes use a barre. A barre shape keeps its form when it slides up the neck, so one learned shape gives you several chords; the fret number printed beside each diagram tells you where it sits.

4. Left-out notes are marked. 50 guitar shapes and 0 ukulele shapes leave out the fifth of the chord, which is usual for seventh, ninth and 7sus4 chords; the diagram label says so. A shape that leaves out any other chord tone was not shown.

5. Match the key. Guitar music leans on keys whose chords have open-string shapes: 4 of 5 of the commonest guitar keys are named after an open string. The Guitar and piano keys page compares guitar and piano scores.

Chord types at a glance

Chord types at a glance

C is the example root. Chords = pages of that type (one per root). The last two columns count pages that have no guitar (or ukulele) diagram because none of the database fingerings passed the checks.

Chord typePagesGuitar fingeringsUkulele fingeringsChords with an open guitar shapeWithout guitar diagramWithout ukulele diagram
major (C)125048500
minor (Cm)124848500
dominant 7th (C7)124848600
major 7th (Cmaj7)124848500
minor 7th (Cm7)126448200
half-diminished 7th (Cm7b5)124848400
diminished 7th (Cdim7)124848700
suspended 2nd (Csus2)124848400
suspended 4th (Csus4)124848400
dominant 7th suspended 4th (C7sus4)124848400
added 9th (Cadd9)124548500
major 6th (C6)124748500
minor 6th (Cm6)124248500
dominant 9th (C9)123504012

All 168 chords at a glance
All 168 chords at a glance

Keys = how many of the 24 keys on this site contain the chord (including chords borrowed from the parallel minor).

ChordSymbolNotesGuitar fingeringsUkulele fingeringsKeys
C majorCC – E – G4410
D♭ majorDbD♭ – F – A♭4410
D majorDD – F♯ – A4410
E♭ majorEbE♭ – G – B♭449
E majorEE – G♯ – B4410
F majorFF – A – C5410
F♯ majorF#F♯ – A♯ – C♯4410
G majorGG – B – D5410
A♭ majorAbA♭ – C – E♭4410
A majorAA – C♯ – E449
B♭ majorBbB♭ – D – F4410
B majorBB – D♯ – F♯4410
C minorCmC – E♭ – G447
C♯ minorC#mC♯ – E – G♯447
D minorDmD – F – A447
E♭ minorEbmE♭ – G♭ – B♭447
E minorEmE – G – B447
F minorFmF – A♭ – C447
F♯ minorF#mF♯ – A – C♯446
G minorGmG – B♭ – D447
G♯ minorG#mG♯ – B – D♯447
A minorAmA – C – E447
B♭ minorBbmB♭ – D♭ – F447
B minorBmB – D – F♯447
C dominant 7thC7C – E – G – B♭444
D♭ dominant 7thDb7D♭ – F – A♭ – C♭444
D dominant 7thD7D – F♯ – A – C444
E♭ dominant 7thEb7E♭ – G – B♭ – D♭443
E dominant 7thE7E – G♯ – B – D444
F dominant 7thF7F – A – C – E♭444
F♯ dominant 7thF#7F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E444
G dominant 7thG7G – B – D – F444
A♭ dominant 7thAb7A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭444
A dominant 7thA7A – C♯ – E – G444
B♭ dominant 7thBb7B♭ – D – F – A♭444
B dominant 7thB7B – D♯ – F♯ – A443
C major 7thCmaj7C – E – G – B446
D♭ major 7thDbmaj7D♭ – F – A♭ – C446
D major 7thDmaj7D – F♯ – A – C♯446
E♭ major 7thEbmaj7E♭ – G – B♭ – D446
E major 7thEmaj7E – G♯ – B – D♯446
F major 7thFmaj7F – A – C – E446
F♯ major 7thF#maj7F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E♯446
G major 7thGmaj7G – B – D – F♯446
A♭ major 7thAbmaj7A♭ – C – E♭ – G446
A major 7thAmaj7A – C♯ – E – G♯445
B♭ major 7thBbmaj7B♭ – D – F – A446
B major 7thBmaj7B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯446
C minor 7thCm7C – E♭ – G – B♭547
C♯ minor 7thC#m7C♯ – E – G♯ – B547
D minor 7thDm7D – F – A – C547
E♭ minor 7thEbm7E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭547
E minor 7thEm7E – G – B – D747
F minor 7thFm7F – A♭ – C – E♭647
F♯ minor 7thF#m7F♯ – A – C♯ – E646
G minor 7thGm7G – B♭ – D – F547
G♯ minor 7thG#m7G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯547
A minor 7thAm7A – C – E – G647
B♭ minor 7thBbm7B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭447
B minor 7thBm7B – D – F♯ – A547
C half-diminished 7thCm7b5C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭442
C♯ half-diminished 7thC#m7b5C♯ – E – G – B442
D half-diminished 7thDm7b5D – F – A♭ – C442
D♯ half-diminished 7thD#m7b5D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯442
E half-diminished 7thEm7b5E – G – B♭ – D442
F half-diminished 7thFm7b5F – A♭ – C♭ – E♭442
F♯ half-diminished 7thF#m7b5F♯ – A – C – E442
G half-diminished 7thGm7b5G – B♭ – D♭ – F442
G♯ half-diminished 7thG#m7b5G♯ – B – D – F♯442
A half-diminished 7thAm7b5A – C – E♭ – G442
B♭ half-diminished 7thBbm7b5B♭ – D♭ – F♭ – A♭442
B half-diminished 7thBm7b5B – D – F – A442
C diminished 7thCdim7C – E♭ – G♭ – B𝄫441
C♯ diminished 7thC#dim7C♯ – E – G – B♭441
D diminished 7thDdim7D – F – A♭ – C♭441
D♯ diminished 7thD#dim7D♯ – F♯ – A – C441
E diminished 7thEdim7E – G – B♭ – D♭441
F diminished 7thFdim7F – A♭ – C♭ – E𝄫441
F♯ diminished 7thF#dim7F♯ – A – C – E♭441
G diminished 7thGdim7G – B♭ – D♭ – F♭440
G♯ diminished 7thG#dim7G♯ – B – D – F441
A diminished 7thAdim7A – C – E♭ – G♭441
A♯ diminished 7thA#dim7A♯ – C♯ – E – G441
B diminished 7thBdim7B – D – F – A♭441
C suspended 2ndCsus2C – D – G4413
D♭ suspended 2ndDbsus2D♭ – E♭ – A♭4413
D suspended 2ndDsus2D – E – A4413
E♭ suspended 2ndEbsus2E♭ – F – B♭4413
E suspended 2ndEsus2E – F♯ – B4413
F suspended 2ndFsus2F – G – C4413
F♯ suspended 2ndF#sus2F♯ – G♯ – C♯4413
G suspended 2ndGsus2G – A – D4413
A♭ suspended 2ndAbsus2A♭ – B♭ – E♭4413
A suspended 2ndAsus2A – B – E4412
B♭ suspended 2ndBbsus2B♭ – C – F4413
B suspended 2ndBsus2B – C♯ – F♯4413
C suspended 4thCsus4C – F – G4413
D♭ suspended 4thDbsus4D♭ – G♭ – A♭4413
D suspended 4thDsus4D – G – A4413
E♭ suspended 4thEbsus4E♭ – A♭ – B♭4413
E suspended 4thEsus4E – A – B4412
F suspended 4thFsus4F – B♭ – C4413
F♯ suspended 4thF#sus4F♯ – B – C♯4413
G suspended 4thGsus4G – C – D4413
A♭ suspended 4thAbsus4A♭ – D♭ – E♭4413
A suspended 4thAsus4A – D – E4413
B♭ suspended 4thBbsus4B♭ – E♭ – F4413
B suspended 4thBsus4B – E – F♯4413
C dominant 7th suspended 4thC7sus4C – F – G – B♭4410
D♭ dominant 7th suspended 4thDb7sus4D♭ – G♭ – A♭ – C♭4410
D dominant 7th suspended 4thD7sus4D – G – A – C4410
E♭ dominant 7th suspended 4thEb7sus4E♭ – A♭ – B♭ – D♭4410
E dominant 7th suspended 4thE7sus4E – A – B – D4410
F dominant 7th suspended 4thF7sus4F – B♭ – C – E♭4410
F♯ dominant 7th suspended 4thF#7sus4F♯ – B – C♯ – E4410
G dominant 7th suspended 4thG7sus4G – C – D – F4410
A♭ dominant 7th suspended 4thAb7sus4A♭ – D♭ – E♭ – G♭4410
A dominant 7th suspended 4thA7sus4A – D – E – G4410
B♭ dominant 7th suspended 4thBb7sus4B♭ – E♭ – F – A♭4410
B dominant 7th suspended 4thB7sus4B – E – F♯ – A449
C added 9thCadd9C – E – G – D449
D♭ added 9thDbadd9D♭ – F – A♭ – E♭449
D added 9thDadd9D – F♯ – A – E449
E♭ added 9thEbadd9E♭ – G – B♭ – F449
E added 9thEadd9E – G♯ – B – F♯449
F added 9thFadd9F – A – C – G449
F♯ added 9thF#add9F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – G♯349
G added 9thGadd9G – B – D – A349
A♭ added 9thAbadd9A♭ – C – E♭ – B♭449
A added 9thAadd9A – C♯ – E – B448
B♭ added 9thBbadd9B♭ – D – F – C449
B added 9thBadd9B – D♯ – F♯ – C♯349
C major 6thC6C – E – G – A449
D♭ major 6thDb6D♭ – F – A♭ – B♭449
D major 6thD6D – F♯ – A – B449
E♭ major 6thEb6E♭ – G – B♭ – C449
E major 6thE6E – G♯ – B – C♯449
F major 6thF6F – A – C – D449
F♯ major 6thF#6F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – D♯449
G major 6thG6G – B – D – E449
A♭ major 6thAb6A♭ – C – E♭ – F449
A major 6thA6A – C♯ – E – F♯448
B♭ major 6thBb6B♭ – D – F – G349
B major 6thB6B – D♯ – F♯ – G♯449
C minor 6thCm6C – E♭ – G – A343
C♯ minor 6thC#m6C♯ – E – G♯ – A♯443
D minor 6thDm6D – F – A – B343
E♭ minor 6thEbm6E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – C443
E minor 6thEm6E – G – B – C♯443
F minor 6thFm6F – A♭ – C – D443
F♯ minor 6thF#m6F♯ – A – C♯ – D♯342
G minor 6thGm6G – B♭ – D – E343
G♯ minor 6thG#m6G♯ – B – D♯ – E♯443
A minor 6thAm6A – C – E – F♯343
B♭ minor 6thBbm6B♭ – D♭ – F – G343
B minor 6thBm6B – D – F♯ – G♯443
C dominant 9thC9C – E – G – B♭ – D203
D♭ dominant 9thDb9D♭ – F – A♭ – C♭ – E♭303
D dominant 9thD9D – F♯ – A – C – E303
E♭ dominant 9thEb9E♭ – G – B♭ – D♭ – F303
E dominant 9thE9E – G♯ – B – D – F♯303
F dominant 9thF9F – A – C – E♭ – G303
F♯ dominant 9thF#9F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E – G♯303
G dominant 9thG9G – B – D – F – A303
A♭ dominant 9thAb9A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭303
A dominant 9thA9A – C♯ – E – G – B303
B♭ dominant 9thBb9B♭ – D – F – A♭ – C303
B dominant 9thB9B – D♯ – F♯ – A – C♯302

How every picture and number is produced

  • Notes. Spelled by the rule one letter name per chord tone, so F♯ major is F♯ – A♯ – C♯ and never contains a B♭. A separate test re-derives every page's notes with the tonal library.
  • Fingerings. Taken from chords-db. For each shape the script adds the fret to the open-string pitch of every played string (guitar EADGBE, ukulele GCEA), requires every sounding note to be a chord tone and every required chord tone to be present, and compares the result with the database's own note list. Shapes that fail are dropped, not repaired.
  • Keys. Each chord type is built on each degree of the 24 keys' scales; the chord counts when its pitch classes match.
  • Real use. Counts and shares come from the OpenScore Lieder (CC0), analysed automatically by the AugmentedNet software; the analysis has not been checked by people. They are given only where the analysis can support them (major and minor triads, and the share of chords with a seventh).

Boundaries

  • chords-db is a community database: it lists a few common fingerings per chord, not every possible one. Many players voice these chords differently.
  • The statistics describe 19th-century art songs for voice and piano, not pop, rock or jazz, and the chord labels are software output.
  • 73 database fingerings were dropped because they failed a check (wrong or missing chord tones, an impossible barre or a diagram that does not fit); they are not shown. Augmented chords, power chords, slash chords and extended chords beyond the ninth are not covered yet.

Data used

chords-db licence (MIT)

The guitar and ukulele fingerings come from chords-db (version 0.6.0). Its licence text, which must travel with the data, is:

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2016 David Rubert

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.

Related

Licences and credits for everything used on this site are on the credits page. Fingerings: chords-db, Copyright (c) 2016 David Rubert, MIT licence (text above).