Chords are one of the first few landmarks in the guitar land. If fortunate enough though, newbies land upon the topic "8 open chords" and not the monstrous chord chart demonstrating an endless number of variations (voicings).
Unfortunately due to copyright reasons the 'monstrous chord chart' can't be shared here but it'll come up if you search something along the lines of 'the ultimate chord chart'.
It's easily one of the most lethal misdirections to step in — also happens to be most tempting as the idea of gulping in a big directory of chords is satisfying.
I suggest my students to utilize chord library in the Guitar Tuna app — this is not a sponsored post.
While using the chord library, two inputs are required: root note and chord quality.
All chord names comprise two segments, yes even F#7sus2(b9). Although that chord above is an eyeful, it essentially has two segments to be deciphered. The root note is always the prefix followed by the chord quality as the suffix. F# is the root and 7sus2(b9) is quality. There's no denying that the suffix or the 'chord quality' needs further decoding but it'll deviate the conversation into the territory of 'extended chord theory'.
As a beginner guitar player, one only needs to deal with two qualities: Major and Minor. But since I have already hinted at what's beyond, here's the list of chord qualities one may stumble upon. Don't really try to memorize, just skim through!
1. Major Chords
Sound: Happy, bright, and full.
Example: C, G, D, A, E.
Formula: Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th.
2. Minor Chords
Sound: Sad, mellow, or somber.
Example: Am, Em, Dm, Cm, Gm.
Formula: Root, Minor 3rd, Perfect 5th.
3. Dominant Chords
Sound: Tense, jazzy, or bluesy.
Example: G7, A7, D7.
Formula: Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th.
4. Augmented Chords
Sound: Mysterious, suspenseful, or unresolved.
Example: C+, G+, Aaug.
Formula: Root, Major 3rd, Augmented 5th.
5. Diminished Chords
Sound: Dark, tense, and unstable.
Example: Bdim, F#dim, G#dim.
Formula: Root, Minor 3rd, Diminished 5th.
6. Suspended Chords
Sound: Open, airy, and unresolved.
Types:
Sus2: Root, Major 2nd, Perfect 5th (e.g., Csus2, Asus2).
Sus4: Root, Perfect 4th, Perfect 5th (e.g., Csus4, Dsus4).
7. Seventh Chords
Add depth or complexity to basic chords:
Major 7th (Maj7): Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Major 7th (e.g., Cmaj7, Gmaj7).
Minor 7th (m7): Root, Minor 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th (e.g., Am7, Dm7).
Dominant 7th (7): Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th (e.g., G7, E7).
Diminished 7th (dim7): Root, Minor 3rd, Diminished 5th, Diminished 7th (e.g., Bdim7, Fdim7).
8. Extended Chords
Chords with additional tones for color:
9th Chords: Root, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th (e.g., C9, Gm9, Fmaj9).
11th Chords: Add the 11th (e.g., D11, Gm11).
13th Chords: Add the 13th (e.g., A13, Fm13).
9. Add Chords
Chords with one note added to a basic triad:
Add9: Root, 3rd, 5th, 9th (e.g., Cadd9, Gadd9).
Add11: Root, 3rd, 5th, 11th.
10. Power Chords
Sound: Heavy and driving (commonly used in rock).
Example: C5, G5, D5.
Formula: Root, Perfect 5th (no 3rd).
11. Slash Chords (Inversions)
Chords where a non-root note is in the bass:
Example: G/B, D/F#, C/E.
Useful for smoother voice leading or bass lines.
12. Altered Chords
Add dissonance or tension:
Examples: G7#5, G7b9, F#9#11.
To make life simpler, please recall that chord names are made of two elements and that's all I expect you to take away.
Guitarists aren't always playing chords by the way, there are riffs, licks, solos, etc. The implication being,
Drenching in all the chord qualities above all at once will be useless.
The real-life approach to chords starts with the topic of '8 open chords'.
Why?
These are the easiest, most used, and open.
All the shapes from '8 open chords' reside within the first three frets of the guitar.
These chords — along with a capo — will get you through the majority of the songs!
Once a player is comfortable with '8 open chords' the natural pathway is towards an E-shaped barre chord, followed by an A-shaped barre chord.
With all my experience I can say for a fact that A-shaped barre chords are relatively more challenging compared to E-shaped barre chords.
So to summarize, 8 open chords > E-shaped barre chords > A-shaped barre chords
Now, if a player has been throwing in a few songs (as they should) in their practice sessions that'll further introduce them to slight variations, such as slash chords, sus chords, etc.
Quick note, practicing a chord shape individually is the stupidest thing to do as it'll never get used in the songs isolated.
And that's one of the reasons why beyond a point playing more and more songs is the way to practice.
If you think about it, all the songs are interesting finger exercises and all the exercises are boring songs.
Despising finger workouts and straight-up playing challenging riffs... is the same as skipping a couple of steps on a ladder.
Yet a balance between songs one can justify and one aspires to play works well.
Probably because we're pushing boundaries harder working out songs we aspire to play.
Back to the chords...
Assuming the basic shapes and two kinds of barre chords are all under your fingers, this is where the learning trajectory dissipates in various directions for respective learners — Influenced by the music taste, instructor, student's involvement with the guitar, etc.
An easy way to think about chords is the CAGED system.
All the chords on the guitar sprout out of five basic shapes — C major, A major, G major, E major, and D major.
Even the '8 open chords' are the compilation of the above five chords combined with minor variations for three out of five shapes in CAGED, namely: E minor, A minor, and D minor.
Why leave out C and G?
Well, their minor variations aren't easily available in the open form, and if one may recall '8 open chords' are supposed to be OPEN. What Are Open Shapes?
Short answer — they do not involve barre.
Open shapes invite the open strings to join the party. They’re resonant, rich, and grounded— like the soundtrack to a sunset jam session.
These shapes rely on the natural ringing of open strings, which limits their transposability but makes them perfect for certain keys.
Open strings add depth and texture. That’s why cowboy chords (like G, C, and D) sound so full and bright. Also, they are perfect for beginners — or for when you’re playing an acoustic set and don’t want to sweat the finger gymnastics.
Open strings allow for unusual, drone-like effects in genres like folk, bluegrass, and even experimental rock.
Classic Examples:
Open-position chords: G major, Cadd9, Dsus4—all staples of campfire sing-alongs.
DADGAD or open tunings: These create beautiful open shapes that spark creativity.
Indian ragas often use open-string drones (like Sa or Pa notes) as a foundation. Similarly, Irish folk music thrives on DADGAD tuning, which maximizes open-string harmony.
Closed shapes on the other hand are self-contained—like a hermit crab carrying its home.
No open strings here! Every note comes from fretted positions, which means you can slide these shapes anywhere on the fretboard to change keys.
It’s like having the same chess piece, but you get to choose where to place it on the board.
Need a G major chord? Move the F major shape two frets up. Boom—instant G!
The fingerings stay the same no matter where you are. This makes them invaluable for navigating key changes without reinventing the wheel. Since no open strings are involved, closed shapes give you better control over muting and dynamics—perfect for funk, jazz, and shreddy rock solos.
Classic Examples:
The CAGED system: Barre chords like E-shape and A-shape are foundational.
Scale patterns: Think of your pentatonic boxes or 3-notes-per-string major scales.
Flamenco guitarists rely heavily on closed shapes for the rapid rhythmic patterns of rasgueado and intricate modulations.
When to Use Closed vs. Open Shapes
Closed Shapes = Versatility: Playing with a full band in Eb? Or need to modulate mid-song? Closed shapes let you follow the music wherever it goes. They’re also perfect for shredding solos and tight, punchy rhythm parts.
Open Shapes = Warmth: Need to connect with your audience? Open shapes deliver. Whether you’re fingerpicking a heartfelt ballad or playing a bluesy riff, open strings add a human touch.
Movable Vs Immovable: Closed chords are movable whereas open chords are movable only in certain creative cases, for the scope of this discussion we might as well consider them immovable.
Beginners often over-grip barre chords, leading to fatigue. Focus on precision, not force—like pressing a button on a touch screen.
Stepping into CAGED broadens the understanding of the fretboard as it isn't only applicable to chords but also to the scales, infact it applies to anything and everything that goes on the fretboard — I'm hoping this wasn't news to you!
Quick note: This conversation was limited to triads (three-note chords) and beyond. Thus, power chords aren't covered.
Say Bye!
Anubhav Kulshreshtha
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