Read left to right, 6th string to 1st: a number is a fret, 0 is an open string, x is a string you do not play.
- Index finger on the 1st fret of the B string (2nd).
- Middle finger on the 2nd fret of the D string (4th).
- Ring finger on the 3rd fret of the A string (5th).
- Let the G and high E strings ring open.
- Do not play the low E string: start the strum from the A string.
String by string
What each string does in this shape, and which note of the chord it sounds. This is what to listen for when you pluck them one at a time.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note | In the chord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (low E) | not played | — | — | — |
| 5th (A) | fret 3 | ring | C3 | root |
| 4th (D) | fret 2 | middle | E3 | third |
| 3rd (G) | open | — | G3 | fifth |
| 2nd (B) | fret 1 | index | C4 | root |
| 1st (high E) | open | — | E4 | third |
One string at a time: a chord strummed into a microphone is several notes at once, and a single string is something the page can hear exactly. A string in tune but on the wrong fret, or deadened by the finger beside it, shows up here and not on a tuner. Tap a string to check it again.
3 other ways to play C
The same 3 notes, somewhere else on the neck. A different shape puts a different note on top, so each one colours the chord slightly differently — and one of them is usually nearer the chord you are coming from.
- x35553A barre at the 3rd fret and three more fingers
- 8-10-10-9-8-8A barre at the 8th fret and three more fingers
- 875558A barre at the 5th fret and three more fingers
Holding it cleanly
2 strings ring open next to fretted ones. Arch the fingers so they come down on their tips — a finger lying flat will deaden the open string beside it, and the chord loses a note without sounding obviously wrong.
The lowest string is left out, because its open note is not in the chord. Aim the strum to start below it, or let the tip of a fretting finger rest against the unwanted string to keep it quiet.
The notes in C
A major chord is built from the root (1), 3 and 5 of its root’s major scale. From C that gives C – E – G. Bright and settled — the chord a song in a major key comes home to.
The same root, other chords: Cm, C7, Cmaj7, Cm7, Csus2, Csus4, Cdim, Caug.
Keys that use C
C is built from the notes of 6 keys. Each link is that key’s full set of guitar chords — the ones that sound right next to this one.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a C chord?
C major is three notes: C – E – G — the root, 3 and 5 of the C major scale. On guitar the shape x32010 sounds C3, E3, G3, C4 and E4, so some of those notes appear more than once.
What is the easiest way to play C on guitar?
The usual shape is x32010 — an open-position shape, with three fingers. It is already about as easy as this chord gets.
What is the difference between C and Cm?
One note. C has a major third (E); Cm lowers it a semitone. That single fret is the whole difference between the two sounds.
What keys is C in?
C is one of the seven chords of C major (as I), F major (as V), G major (as IV), A minor (as III), D minor (as VII) and E minor (as VI).