The C chord is one of the first chords you should know on guitar. Although this is a simple chord to learn, knowing different chord variations gives you the flexibility to play throughout the fretboard whenever needed.
We’ll first go over some basic chord theory and then cover 14 ways to play a C chord which you can start to incorporate into your playing.
Grab your guitar and let’s get started!
C chord theory intro
Major triad chords are built upon the chord tones 1, 3, and 5. These chord tones can also be thought of as the scale degrees related to one Major scale.
For example, in a C Major scale, the notes C (1), E (3), and G (5) make up a C Major chord.
You can also think of the step formula for Major chords below.
In contrast, minor triad chords contain the chord tones 1, b3, and 5. For example, a C minor chord would contain the chord tones C, Eb, and G. However, we will only be covering the different Major chord variations in this lesson.
Now that you know what notes belong to the chord structure let’s look at how to read the chord charts.
How to read the chord charts
For the charts below:
- The top horizontal line of the chord chart represents the high E string and the bottom horizontal line represents the low E string.
- The vertical lines separate each fret.
- The numbers in the blue dots tell you which fingers to use on the fretting hand.
- The letters on the right of the charts tell you what notes you are playing on each string.
- Circles on the left represent open strings.
- Red X means to avoid that string.
You can check this link for more on how to read guitar notation symbols.
C open chord
This is the first way I recommend learning a C Major chord. This is considered an open chord, meaning that there are open strings included in the shape.
C chord triad
This is an easy way you can play a C chord by using a triad shape. This shape is similar to an open A Major chord but you slide all your fingers one fret higher.
C chord triad including pinky
You can also add one more note to the previous shape by adding your pinky like this:
C chord on the 5th string (without a barre)
For this shape, you have to make sure to not let the 1st string ring out. You can mute the 1st string letting the bottom part of your first finger lightly touch the string, but not press it down.
C chord barre on the 5th string
This is another common chord shape that will show up when looking up a C chord. This shape comes from the open A Major chord except you have to rearrange your fingers as you barre the 3rd fret with your 1st finger.
*Tip: Before even trying this on the 3rd fret, start the shape higher up on the fretboard around the 7th fret. The tension of the strings is lighter as you press down on chords higher up the fretboard. Then you can gradually shift the shape down as you develop more strength in your hand.
C chord triad variation 2
Another easy way I recommend learning this chord is by playing this other simple triad shape. This is very similar to an open C Major chord shape but you move your ring and middle finger down one string and shift the root note to the 10th fret on the 4th string.
The shape looks like this:
C chord triad with G in the bass (C/G)
This chord can be called C Major in 2nd inversion. This means that the 5th degree of the chord is in the bass. This makes the chord sound fuller compared to the last chord we looked at. You can play it like this:
You can also check out this other lesson for more on how to play chord inversions on the guitar.
C chord with a mini barre
Another step you can take to make the C chord sound fuller is to play a mini barre on the 1st and 2nd strings. The mini barre can be hard at first but it will get easier as you continue to review this shape. The chord looks like this:
C chord with a mini barre (G in the bass)
This shape is similar to the previous chord except you add the G, which is the 5th degree in the bass. However, you have to rearrange some of your fingers like this:
C chord barre on the 6th string
At this point, we’ve worked on different steps to take before getting to this chord because it requires more strength in your fretting hand.
This shape comes from the open E Major chord except you have to rearrange your fingers as you barre the 8th fret with your 1st finger.
Here is the chord:
Tip* If this chord is difficult to play, start the shape higher up on the fretboard. The tension of the strings is lighter as you press down on chords higher up the fretboard. Then you can gradually shift the shape down as you develop more strength in your hand.
You may also want to check out 5 tips to get better at playing barre chords on guitar.
Easily look up guitar chords with the Essential Guitar Chords Chart!
This chart covers how to play:
- Major chords
- Minor chords
- Major 7 chords
- Minor 7 chords
- Dominant chords
- Half diminished chords
- Diminished chords
- Chords starting on all (12) root notes
- Over 80+ chords!
C chord on the 4th string
This shape comes from the open D Major chord except you have to rearrange your fingers as you add your 1st finger. This shape can feel uncomfortable when first learning it but you will get better at it as you keep reviewing it.
C chord spread shapes
The following chords are called spread shapes because of the wider space between some of the notes within the chord shape. Because these chord shapes skip a string, they are more suitable for a finger picking style of playing. You might also hear these chords in a more classical music context.
To go more in-depth, check out this lesson on how to play spread triad chords on the guitar.
C spread chord on the 6th string
C spread chord on the 5th string
C spread chord on the 4th string
Wrapping up
All these chords were mostly in root position, meaning the root note is in the bass. However, you have even more variations if you use different chord inversions. This is when you play a chord with notes other than the root in the bass.
It’s good to know many possibilities of playing the same chord because you have more flexibility to move around the fretboard. Also, you can use different chord variations when you need a certain note at the top to help define a melody that you are playing over.
I hope this helped you understand how to play a C Major guitar chord or learn new ways of playing it. You can also try shifting the shapes that have all fretted notes to play other Major chords on the same string.
To learn a more advanced chords, check out how to play a C Major 7 or C minor 7 chord on guitar.
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All the best,
JG Music Lessons
