The formula for a minor chord is 1 b3 5. In the case of a G minor (Gm) the notes would be G Bb D. **Note: a G flat major (Gb) is Gb Bb Db, therefore a Gbm (G flat minor) would be Gb Bbb Db, or Gb A Db. There are many cases where a flatted note has to be flatted again according to the chord formula.
In the following diagrams I will show the names, formulas, and fingerings for over 30 of the most common chords. The numbers show where to fret the strings and with which finger. A 1===1 means to barre that number of strings with your index finger. Any notes with a question mark ? underneath are optional (can be muted). Any strings with no note shown below are not to be played. Sharp and flat symbols will come before the note (b3). Shown are the most
common barre chord fingerings (all open chords can be derived from the barre chord shapes). Not all chords have the root as the bass note, but most do. 1 = index finger, 2 = ring, 3 = middle, 4 = pinky.
Name: Major +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
How it's written: M* +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
Formula: 1 3 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1 | | | 1===1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 4 | | | | | 3===3 | | | 3 | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 1 3 5 1 5 1 5 1 3 5 1 3 5 1 3
? ?
* G major can either be written GM or more commonly just G.
======================================================================
Minor
m +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 b3 5 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | 2 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 4 | | | | | 3 4 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 1b3 5 1 5 1 5 1b3 5
?
This is the last standard minor that I will diagram. All chords can
be turned into a minor by flatting the 3 note. I will diagram a
couple that are not apparent, but the rest are very easy to figure
out using this formula.
======================================================================
Fifth
5 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 | | | | | | 1 | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 4 | | | | | 3=3 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 1 1 5 1
======================================================================
Suspended 2
sus2 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 2 5 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 | | 1=1 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | 2 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | 3 4 | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | 3 | | | 4
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
5 1 5 1 2 5 1 2 5 1 5
? ?
======================================================================
Suspended 4
sus4 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 4 5 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3===3 | | | | 3=3 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | 4 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 1 4 5 1 5 1 5 1 4 5
? ? ? ?
======================================================================
Suspended 2 Suspended 4
sus2sus4 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 2 4 5 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 | 1=======1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 3 | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | 4 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
5 1 4 1 2 5 5 1 4 1 2
?
======================================================================
Major add 9*
add9 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 9 (or 2) +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3=3 | | 4 | | 3===3 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | 4 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 1 3 5 9 5 1 5 9 3 5
? ?
* 9 = 2, but one octave higher:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 (or 9) 3 4 (or 11)
5 6 (or 13)
======================================================================
Major 6
6 or M6 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 6 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3=3 | 4 | | | 3=====3
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 1 3 6 1 5 1 5 1 3 6
======================================================================
Major 6 add 9
6add9 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 6 9 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | 1=====1 | 1=======1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
4 | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 9 3 6 3 5 1 5 6 9
======================================================================
Dominant 7
7 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 b7 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 | | | | | | 3===3 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | 4
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 b73 5 1 5 1 5 1 3 b7
?
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 | | | | | | 3 | 4 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | 4 | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 b73 b71 5 1 5 b73 5
?
======================================================================
Minor add 9
m add9
1 b3 5 9
======================================================================
Minor 6
m6
1 b3 5 6
======================================================================
Minor 7
m7
1 b3 5 b7
======================================================================
Minor 6 add 9
m6 add9
1 b3 5 6 9
======================================================================
Seven suspended 4
7sus4 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 4 5 b7 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 | 4 | | | | 3 | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | 4 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 b74 5 1 5 1 5 b74 5
?
======================================================================
Major 7 X
M7 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 7 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1 | | | 1===1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | 3 2 | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 4 | | | | | | 3 | 4 | | | 3 | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 7 3 5 1 5 1 5 7 3 5 1 3 5 7 3
?
======================================================================
Minor Major 7
mM7
1 b3 5 7
======================================================================
Augmented X X X
+ +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 #5 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 1=1 | | | | | | 1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | 2 | | | | | | 3 2 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 | | | | | | 4 | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | 4 | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3#5 1 #5 #5 1 3 #5
#5 1 3#5 3 1 3#5 1
3#5 1 3 1 3#5 1 3
Because of the nature of the formulat for augmented chords, any note played
could be considered the root. Therefore, Ab+, C+, and E+ can all have exactly
the same shape at the same location on the neck. The same concept applies to
diminished chords.
======================================================================
Diminished 7 X X
dim7 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 b3 b5 bb7 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 | | 1 | 2 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 2 | | | | | | | 3 | 4
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | 3 | 4 | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
First shape: 1 b5 1 b3 bb7 1, b3 bb7 b3 b5 1 b3, b5 1 b5 bb7 b3 1, or
bb7 b3 bb7 1 b5 bb7
Second shape: 1 b5 bb7 b3, b3 bb7 1 b5, b5 1 b3 bb7, or bb7 b3 b5 1
======================================================================
Ninth X
9 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 b7 9 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 | | 1 | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | | 2 | 3===3
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 | | | 4 | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 b73 1 9 1 3 b79 5
======================================================================
Minor 9
m9
1 b3 5 b7 9
======================================================================
Major 9
M9 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 7 9 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 1=======1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
2 | | | 3 | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | 4 | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | 4 | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 7 9 5 7 3 1 9 5 7 3
X X
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 | | 1 | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | | 2 | | 3 |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | 3 | | | | | | 4 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
5 1 5 7 9 5 1 3 7 9 (no fifth)
?
======================================================================
Eleventh X
11 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 b7 9 11 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 1=======1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | 2 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | 3
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 11b79 5 1 11b73 5 9
======================================================================
Minor 11th X
m11 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 b3 5 b7 9 11 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 1=======1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | 2 | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | 3
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 11b7b35 1 11b7b35 9
(no ninth)
======================================================================
Thirteenth
13 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 5 b7 9 13 +-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1=========1 1=========1
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | 2 | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 3 | | 4=4 | | 2 | 3 4
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 5 b73 139 5 1 5 b73 13
X X
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | 1 | | | 1 | 2 | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| 2 | 3=3 | | | | 3 | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | | | | | | 4=4
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
| | | | | 4 | | | | | |
+-+-+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+-+-+
1 3 b79 13 1 b7 3 139
======================================================================
Minor 13th
m13
1 b3 5 b7 9 13
The following is a chart of chords which have a slight alteration to
one of the given formulas, and are therefore called altered chords.
Chord Name Chord Formula Example
---------- ------------- -------
Major flat five 1 3 b5 Cb5: C E Gb
Minor seven flat five 1 b3 b5 b7 Cm7b5: C Eb Gb Bb
Seven sharp five 1 3 #5 b7 C7#5: C E G# Bb
Seven flat five 1 3 b5 b7 C7b5: C E Gb Bb
Seven sharp nine 1 3 5 b7 #9 C7#9: C E G Bb D#
Seven flat nine 1 3 5 b7 b9 C7b9: C E G Bb Db
Seven sharp five flat nine 1 3 #5 b7 b9 C7#5b9: C E G# Bb Db
Nine sharp five 1 3 #5 b7 9 C9#5: C E G# Bb D
Nine flat five 1 3 b5 b7 9 C9b5: C E Gb Bb D
Nine sharp eleven 1 3 5 b7 9 11# C9#11: C E G Bb D F#
Minor nine major seven 1 b3 5 7 9 Cm9(M7): C Eb G B D
Thirteen flat nine 1 3 5 b7 b9 13 C13b9: C E G Bb Db A
Thirteen flat five flat nine 1 3 b5 b7 b9 13 C13b5b9: C E Gb Bb
Db A
In altered chords, the notes to be altered are always written as
part of the chord name, enabling you to construct the chord. For
example, Cm7#5b9 (not listed above) is a Cm7 chord with the fifth
sharped and the ninth flatted.
Another type of alteration occurs when chord symbols are written
thus:
G/F#, or C/G.
Finger the chord to the left of the slash, then change the note on
the bass string to the note to the right of the slash.
Here are the substitution rules for altered chords:
9, b9, or #9 replaces 1
sus2, sus4, or b3 replaces 3
b5, #5, #11, or 13 replaces 5