Chord progressions form the backbone of any song and add emotional weight, but just learning chords won’t do. Aim for a well-rounded skill set by learning some riffs/melodies as well!
Chord charts (also referred to as guitar chord diagrams) are easy to grasp and this video will guide you through the fundamentals of reading one! With lines, dots and X’s/O’s for easy reference!
Strings
A chord chart is an effective way to determine which strings and frets you need to hit in order to produce the appropriate notes. Similar to tabs, each horizontal line represents one string from its thickest (low E) to thinnest (high E), while dots inside black lines correspond with which finger on your left hand should place their fingers over each fret.
Some charts also include X’s or O’s above the thick black line that represents the nut of the guitar; these X’s indicate which strings you should avoid playing, while O’s signify which should be played open without pressing down any frets at any time.
Some charts will also include a text box at the top with the name of each chord and, sometimes, an M to indicate minor. Playing chords in minor is similar to major; however, its emotional effect tends to be more emotional.
Frets
A chord chart represents frets on a guitar neck. The farthest line from the nut represents the bass string; each successive line represents E, A, D or G strings and their associated fretted notes; numbers on these lines show which finger should fret each note.
For instance, if there is a number 1 on the second fret of a D string, that indicates placing your index finger at that fret with your left hand. Conversely, an O above the first fret of an A string indicates you should play that string openly.
Practice fretting using a chord chart so you can get used to transitioning between different shapes and fingering patterns. Also useful is playing each string/note individually so you can hear whether any fingers are touching other strings and producing muffled sounds.
Dots
On your chart you may notice dots – these indicate which fret and finger should be pressed, with guitar dots usually closer together than piano ones (and located more to one side than above).
Your chord diagram might include some X’s or O’s without black dots above them, indicating that those strings should either be muted or ignored altogether.
In a chord chart, the thick black line at the very top represents the nut of a guitar, while all other lines represent frets. Therefore, this chord requires you to barre all five strings on the first fret with one finger using your index finger as instructed on this chart; strings marked X should remain muted while those marked O should remain open.
X’s & O’s
As you review a chord chart, you may observe X’s and O’s above certain strings indicating which ones to mute (don’t strum) or play open; these visual clues help make understanding how to play different kinds of chords easier.
On top of that, you will see the name of each chord represented as letters or other symbols. Black dots on a diagram provide vital guidance as they show where frets and strings should be played with fingers placed upon fretting hands. Sometimes numbers will also appear within or below each dot that indicate which fingers of fretting hands to use when fretting a chord.
As an example, a dot on the second fret of the fifth string indicates you should place your index finger there. Additionally, there may be an accompanying number which indicates your index finger should fretting this note instead of playing it open.