Count from your root
In C major, count C as 1, D as 2, E as 3, F as 4 and G as 5. That makes G the fifth above C.
Try this: C–E–G is a C major chord: degrees 1, 3 and 5.
A handy place to look things up
You do not need to learn every word before playing. Find the term you need, try the small example, then get back to your music. The examples refer to our chord diagrams, scale lessons and practice tools.
Intervals: what does a flat fifth mean?
An interval is the distance between two notes. When a formula says 1–3–5, it means the root, third and fifth of the major scale built on that root. These numbers describe notes, not fingers or fret numbers.
A flat fifth is a lowered fifth
Lower the usual fifth by one semitone. From C, the fifth is G, so the flat fifth (b5) is Gb. From A, it is Eb instead of E.
Try this: In A minor blues, play D–Eb–E. Eb is the passing flat fifth between the fourth and fifth.
A semitone is one fret
On the same string, moving one fret changes the pitch by one semitone, also called a half step. Two frets make a tone, or whole step.
Try this: From a fretted G, move one fret towards the nut to hear Gb. Return one fret higher to G.
Flat does not always mean a flat note name
In a formula, b means lower that major-scale degree by one semitone. The result depends on your root.
Try this: E major has G# as its third. E minor's b3 is G natural, rather than Gb.
A sharp raises the degree
A # raises a major-scale degree by one semitone. From C, the fourth is F, so #4 is F#.
Try this: C's F# (#4) and Gb (b5) sound the same on a fretted guitar, but the names describe different musical roles.
A double flat lowers it twice
bb lowers a major-scale degree by two semitones. A diminished seventh is written bb7; it is different from a plain b7.
Try this: From C, 7 is B, b7 is Bb and bb7 is Bbb. Bbb sounds like A on a standard fretted guitar.
A quick interval reference
Every example below starts on C. The distance is counted from that root; on one string, one semitone is one fret.
| Formula mark | Interval name | Note from C | Semitones above C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root / unison | C | 0 |
| b2 | Minor second / flat second | Db | 1 |
| 2 | Major second | D | 2 |
| b3 | Minor third / flat third | Eb | 3 |
| 3 | Major third | E | 4 |
| 4 | Perfect fourth | F | 5 |
| #4 | Augmented fourth / raised fourth | F# | 6 |
| b5 | Diminished fifth / flat fifth | Gb | 6 |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | G | 7 |
| b6 | Minor sixth / flat sixth | Ab | 8 |
| 6 | Major sixth / natural sixth | A | 9 |
| bb7 | Diminished seventh / double-flat seventh | Bbb (sounds like A) | 9 |
| b7 | Minor seventh / flat seventh | Bb | 10 |
| 7 | Major seventh / natural seventh | B | 11 |
| 8 | Octave | C, one octave higher | 12 |
And what about 9, 11 and 13?
These are intervals beyond the first octave: a ninth is a second an octave higher, an eleventh is a fourth an octave higher, and a thirteenth is a sixth an octave higher. From C, those notes are D, F and A. Practical guitar voicings can place them in a different octave.
A name such as C9 normally includes a flat seventh too; Cadd9 adds D to C major without adding a seventh. The chord lesson's formula and omission line show exactly what the selected shape contains.
Chords and diagrams
Read the marks on a diagram, then try them in the chord collection.
What is a chord?
A chord is a group of notes played together. Each diagram is a map showing where to put your fingers.
Try this: Try Em: fret A and D at 2, leave the other strings open, then gently strum all six.
Frets and fingers are different
A fret is a numbered place along the neck. A finger number tells you which finger to use: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.
Try this: Fret 3 does not automatically mean finger 3. Check the diagram's dot number.
X means silent; O means open
Skip a string marked X. A string marked O rings without a fretting finger. Open means unfretted, rather than silent.
Try this: For D, start your strum on the D string and leave the two thicker strings silent.
What is a barre?
A barre uses one finger to hold more than one string at the same fret. The thick line shows where that finger goes.
Try this: Try a small barre gently. Rest between attempts and stop if it hurts.
What is a voicing?
A voicing is a particular arrangement of a chord's notes. Another voicing can move the same chord to a different part of the neck.
Try this: Choose Standard or Alternative, then compare the diagram and sound.
Reading the fret code
Codes always run from thick low E to thin high e. The numbers are frets; x means skip that string and 0 means play it open.
Try this: Em is 0 · 2 · 2 · 0 · 0 · 0, even when you turn the diagram horizontally.
Chord names and formulas
Understand what chord symbols mean. Use the interval reference above whenever a number or flat sign is unfamiliar.
The root names the chord
The root is the note the chord is built from. It names the chord even when a different chord note is lowest.
Try this: C major is built from C. Some C voicings put E or G in the bass.
What does a formula mean?
A formula describes notes by their distance from the root, using the major scale as the reference. It is not a finger code.
Try this: For C major, 1–3–5 means C–E–G. The numbers do not tell you which frets to press.
Major and minor
These are two common chord sounds. A minor chord lowers the major chord's third by one fret's worth of pitch.
Try this: C major has E; C minor has Eb. The small m in Cm means minor.
7 and maj7 are different
Both add a note a seventh above the root to a major chord, but it is a different seventh. A plain 7 means a dominant seventh.
Try this: C7 uses Bb; Cmaj7 uses B. Listen to them rather than treating the names as interchangeable.
sus and add are little changes
sus2 or sus4 replaces the third with a second or fourth. add9 keeps the third and adds a ninth.
Try this: Csus2 has C–D–G. Cadd9 has C–E–G–D. The third makes a real difference.
Why do some notes get left out?
A ninth or thirteenth chord can have more notes than a practical guitar shape can hold. A voicing may leave some out while keeping its character.
Try this: The full formula lists the chord's notes. The omission line says which ones this particular shape leaves out.
Scales and note names
Make sense of roots, note spellings and the patterns in a scale lesson.
What is a scale?
A scale is a collection of notes used to build melodies. Play a few slowly; you do not need to race through the whole pattern.
Try this: A minor pentatonic has five notes: A, C, D, E and G.
The root is your home note
The root gives a scale its name and helps the music feel settled. Our darker dots mark it wherever it appears.
Try this: In A minor, find an A. Finish a short phrase there and listen to the sense of arrival.
What is an interval?
An interval is the distance between two notes. Formula numbers describe that distance from the root, rather than finger numbers.
Try this: In C major, 1 is C, 3 is E and 5 is G. A b lowers a formula note by one fret's worth of pitch.
Sharp, flat and natural
A sharp (#) raises a note by one fret's worth of pitch; a flat (b) lowers it by one. Natural means neither sharp nor flat.
Try this: C# and Db sound the same on a standard fretted guitar. Their names depend on the key.
An octave is the next version of a note
An octave is the same note name at a higher or lower pitch. On one string it is 12 frets away.
Try this: Low E and high e share a name. The thin high-e string sounds two octaves above low E in standard tuning.
A position is a small area of the neck
A fret window keeps your attention on a few neighbouring frets. It shows available notes, rather than a compulsory playing order.
Try this: Start with one comfortable root and two nearby notes. Follow the tab when a short shift is needed.
Rhythm and practice
Keep time in small, comfortable steps. The practice examples use four beats per bar.
What does BPM mean?
BPM means beats per minute. It tells you how quickly the steady pulse moves; a lower number is slower.
Try this: At 60 BPM, one beat lasts one second. Slow down whenever clean notes become difficult.
A bar is a small group of beats
The examples here use four beats per bar. Count 1, 2, 3, 4, then begin again.
Try this: One bar per chord means play Em for four beats, then change to the next chord for four.
The metronome keeps the pulse
A metronome makes steady clicks so you can hear whether your timing is even. It does not mean you must play on every click.
Try this: Tap with the clicks first. Then try one relaxed note per beat.
A rest is planned silence
Leaving space is part of music. Stop the sound deliberately, or use a rest step to give your hands a break.
Try this: Open strings keep ringing when you lift your fretting fingers. Gently touch the strings with your strumming hand to stop them.
Comparing scales
Listen for shared notes, changed notes and a different musical home.
Shared notes
Shared notes appear in both scales. Our highlighted dots compare their sound, even when the note names are spelled differently.
Try this: C# and Db count as the same pitch on a standard fretted guitar.
Relative scales
Relative scales share the same notes but have different home notes. Listening for that home note changes how the notes feel.
Try this: C major and A natural minor share C, D, E, F, G, A and B.
Parallel scales
Parallel scales have the same home note but change some of the other notes. Listen for the notes that move.
Try this: A major has C#; A minor has C. Both use A as home.
What is a mode?
A mode is a scale with its own pattern of distances and musical centre. Familiar notes can feel different when home changes.
Try this: A Dorian is a minor sound with F# where A natural minor has F.
Keys and progressions
The basics behind a genre guide's musical choices. Each displayed chord in our genre examples lasts one four-beat bar.
A genre is a musical style
Blues, rock and folk are broad families of sounds. These examples offer a starting point, rather than rules every song must follow.
Try this: Choose a sound you enjoy. You can try another style whenever you like.
A key gives the music a home
A key is a set of relationships around a home note or chord. Major and minor keys have different patterns of notes.
Try this: E minor rock uses E as home. Finish a small phrase on E and hear how settled it feels.
A progression is a chord sequence
The arrows tell you which chord comes next. In this guide, each chord lasts four beats before you move on.
Try this: Em → G → D → Em means four beats on each chord, in that order.
Blues terms
A few words that help with the blues examples.
Pentatonic just means five notes
A pentatonic scale has five notes in each octave. The minor blues scale adds a passing colour to the minor pentatonic.
Try this: Use a short phrase and a pause. The blue note does not need to be held.
A blues colour can rub against a chord
Minor notes over a major-third dominant chord create a deliberate blues tension. The chord's own notes help the phrase settle.
Try this: Listen to the current chord before choosing where your answer ends.
Rock terms
A few words that help with the rock examples.
Rhythm is how notes use time
The pulse stays steady, but notes can be long, short or silent. A phrase is a small musical idea, a little like a spoken sentence.
Try this: Strum on beat 1, then leave three beats of space before answering.
Chord tones help a melody fit
A scale is a useful map, but the current chord tells you which notes feel most settled right now.
Try this: Em contains E, G and B. Try ending an E-minor phrase on one of those notes.
Metal terms
A few words that help with the metal examples.
Power chords leave out the third
A power chord uses a root and fifth, often with the root repeated higher. That leaves its major or minor mood to the surrounding music.
Try this: E5 means an E power chord. Only play the strings allowed by its diagram.
Palm muting makes notes shorter
Gently rest the edge of your strumming hand near the bridge while picking. Move a little until the note still speaks clearly.
Try this: Start quietly. These shapes use standard tuning, with no retuning needed.
Folk & singer-songwriter terms
A few words that help with the folk & singer-songwriter examples.
Bass means the low part
The bass note here is the lowest sounding note in the chosen shape. It is often the root, but it does not have to be.
Try this: Pick that bass note, then an allowed thinner string for a simple accompaniment.
What is an arpeggio?
An arpeggio plays the notes of a chord one after another. You can use your fingers or a pick, instead of sweeping across the strings.
Try this: Start with two strings. Never include a string marked X just to complete a pattern.
Funk terms
A few words that help with the funk examples.
Muting makes the silence happen
Short chord attacks need a deliberate stop. Lifting your fretting fingers alone will not stop open strings.
Try this: After the chord, gently touch every string with your strumming hand. Listen for a clean rest.
Dorian has one useful brighter note
Dorian is a minor scale with a natural sixth. Compared with natural minor, that sixth is one fret's worth of pitch higher.
Try this: A Dorian has F# rather than F. That F# belongs to the D7 chord in the A-minor funk example.
Jazz terms
A few words that help with the jazz examples.
ii–V–I is a chord route
The Roman numerals mean chords built on notes 2, 5 and 1 of a major key. Lowercase ii describes a minor chord.
Try this: In C major, the seventh-chord version is Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7.
Passing notes keep moving
A passing note connects more settled notes. You do not have to stop on every note available in a scale.
Try this: Over Cmaj7, try E–F–G, moving through F and settling on G.