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Guitar chord · Open shape · Standard tuning

C major guitar chord (C)

Place finger 3 on the 3rd fret of the A, finger 2 on the 2nd fret of the D, finger 1 on the 1st fret of the B. Don't play the low E string.

Frets, low E → high e
CC major

C – E – G

Practice this
Speed80BPM

Loop strum: down, down-up, up-down-up on 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.

Next moves

Next chordG majorC → G changeNext chordA minorC → Am changeNext chordF majorC → F changePracticePractice changing to CRandom chord changes at a tempo you setOn pianoC major on pianoThe same chord on a keyboard, with inversionsAll chordsAll 20 easy guitar chordsEvery open shape with charts and audioPrintGuitar chord chart PDFAll 34 chords, free

3 fingers, 5 strings, chart notation x32010. Tap the chord box to hear it strummed, then play it string by string to check every note is ringing cleanly.

How to play C

Finger numbers run 1 for the index to 4 for the little finger. String names are given as players say them — the low E is the thickest string (the 6th) and the high E is the thinnest (the 1st).

  1. 1st finger (index) — 1st fret, B string
  2. 2nd finger (middle) — 2nd fret, D string
  3. 3rd finger (ring) — 3rd fret, A string
  • Play open: G (3rd) and high E (1st) — strum them without fretting anything.
  • Leave out: low E (6th) — start the strum below it, or damp it with the side of the thumb.
C guitar chord: string by string (x32010)
StringFretFingerNote it sounds
6th — low ENot played—×
5th — A3rd fret3 (ring)C
4th — D2nd fret2 (middle)E
3rd — GOpen—G
2nd — B1st fret1 (index)C
1st — high EOpen—E

Notes and intervals in C

C is built from 3 notes: C, E and G.

  • C — the root
  • E — the major 3rd
  • G — the perfect 5th

Across the six strings the shape sounds C · E · G · C · E from low to high, so some notes are doubled in different octaves — that is what gives an open guitar chord its width compared with the same chord on a keyboard.

What C is used for

C is the guitar's reference chord: the I in the key of C, the IV in G, and the shape that Cadd9, C7 and Am all branch off. The fingers form a diagonal running from the 3rd fret of the A string down to the 1st fret of the B string — memorize that line rather than three separate positions.

Common mistakes with C

  • The ring finger flattening onto the low E string. It should keep the 6th string quiet, not fret it — otherwise an unwanted G appears in the bass.
  • Losing the open G string. Keep the middle finger arched over it; a dead 3rd string is the single most common reason C sounds thin.
  • Reaching with a locked wrist. Let the wrist drop slightly forward so the ring finger reaches the 3rd fret without dragging the other two out of place.

A first strum pattern

Count “1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &” — eighth notes (quavers). Strum down, down-up, up-down-up: down on 1, down on 2, up on the “&” of 2, up on the “&” of 3, down on 4, up on the “&” of 4. Keep your hand moving down and up all the time, and only touch the strings on the marked counts.

Start the strum loop above at 60–70 BPM and change chords on beat 1.

C major FAQ

How do you play C major on guitar?

Place finger 3 on the 3rd fret of the A, finger 2 on the 2nd fret of the D, finger 1 on the 1st fret of the B. Don't play the low E string. In chart notation it is x32010, low E string first.

What notes are in C major?

C, E and G: the root, the major 3rd and the perfect 5th.

What chord comes after C major?

Common changes from C major: G major, A minor and F major. Practice the switch slowly with the strum loop, then speed it up.

C major guitar chord diagram
C guitar chord chart (x32010): where each finger goes and the note every string sounds.

Guitar chord data last updated . Every diagram here, in the printable PDF and in the chart image comes from one dataset, so the paper and the screen cannot disagree.