Guitar chord · Open shape · Standard tuning
G major guitar chord (G)
Place finger 2 on the 3rd fret of the low E, finger 1 on the 2nd fret of the A, finger 3 on the 3rd fret of the high e. Strum all six strings.
G – B – D
Loop strum: down, down-up, up-down-up on 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &.
Next moves
3 fingers, 6 strings, chart notation 320003. Tap the chord box to hear it strummed, then play it string by string to check every note is ringing cleanly.
How to play G
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).
- 1st finger (index) — 2nd fret, A string
- 2nd finger (middle) — 3rd fret, low E string
- 3rd finger (ring) — 3rd fret, high E string
- Play open: D (4th), G (3rd) and B (2nd) — strum them without fretting anything.
- Strum all six strings. Nothing is muted in this shape, so the chord should ring from the low E right through to the high E.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note it sounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th — low E | 3rd fret | 2 (middle) | G |
| 5th — A | 2nd fret | 1 (index) | B |
| 4th — D | Open | — | D |
| 3rd — G | Open | — | G |
| 2nd — B | Open | — | B |
| 1st — high E | 3rd fret | 3 (ring) | G |
Notes and intervals in G
G is built from 3 notes: G, B and D.
- G — the root
- B — the major 3rd
- D — the perfect 5th
Across the six strings the shape sounds G · B · D · G · B · G 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 G is used for
G opens the key of G and is the V chord of C, so it partners with C, D and Em in more beginner progressions than any other shape. Its three fretted notes sit at the outside edges of the neck with three open strings running between them, which is why the hand has to spread rather than bunch.
Common mistakes with G
- The ring finger brushing the B string. It has to arch clear over two open strings to reach the 3rd fret of the high E.
- Bunching the hand toward the middle of the neck. Spread the fingers out to the two outside strings — the middle three stay open.
- Ignoring the four-finger alternative. Fretting the 6th string with the ring finger, the 5th with the middle and the 1st with the little finger keeps the index free and makes G to C and G to Cadd9 dramatically quicker.
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.
G major FAQ
How do you play G major on guitar?
Place finger 2 on the 3rd fret of the low E, finger 1 on the 2nd fret of the A, finger 3 on the 3rd fret of the high e. Strum all six strings. In chart notation it is 320003, low E string first.
What notes are in G major?
G, B and D: the root, the major 3rd and the perfect 5th.
What chord comes after G major?
Common changes from G major: C major, D major and E minor. Practice the switch slowly with the strum loop, then speed it up.
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.