Major chords are the cornerstone of guitar playing, and among the first chords every guitarist should learn. Alongside minor chords, they form the foundation upon which countless songs are built. Understanding and mastering major chords unlocks a vast world of musical possibilities on the guitar.
Beyond these fundamental major chords, you’ll encounter related chord types like major seventh, major ninth, and major thirteenth chords, all of which stem from the basic major chord structure.
Essential Major Chords for Guitar
Let’s dive into the must-know major chords for guitarists. These are presented with chord diagrams to help you visualize finger placement.
C Major
The C major chord is bright and uplifting, a staple in countless genres.
Alt text: C major chord diagram, showing finger placement on guitar fretboard for beginners.
D Major
D major is another incredibly common chord, known for its resonant and full sound.
Alt text: Diagram of D major chord for guitar, illustrating finger positions on the fretboard.
E Major
E major is a powerful and energetic chord, often used in rock and blues music.
Alt text: E major guitar chord diagram, displaying standard fingering for guitar players.
F Major
F major can be a little trickier for beginners as it often involves a barre, but it’s an essential chord to learn.
Alt text: Guitar chord diagram for F major, indicating finger positions including barre chord technique.
G Major
G major is a warm and versatile chord, frequently used in folk, country, and pop music.
Alt text: G major chord diagram for guitar, showing common finger placement on the guitar neck.
A Major
A major is another bright and cheerful sounding chord, widely used across many musical styles.
Alt text: A major chord diagram on guitar, illustrating how to finger the chord shape for guitarists.
B Major
B major is often considered one of the more challenging basic major chords, but it’s important for expanding your chord vocabulary.
Alt text: B major chord diagram for guitar, depicting finger positions and string placement for playing B major.
Chord Practice and Training
To solidify your understanding and playing of major chords, consistent practice is key.
Major chord exercises (.pdf)
Exploring common chord progressions is also a great way to apply your major chord knowledge. A fundamental progression to learn is the I-IV-V progression, which heavily features major chords and is presented in all keys on this site, including downloadable PDF files.
Understanding Major Chord Names
You’ll often see basic major chords written simply as single letters like C, D, E, and so on. In this context, “C” is understood to mean “C Major.” Sometimes, you might see them written as “CM,” “DM,” “EM,” etc. It’s crucial to note that a lowercase “m” indicates a minor chord (e.g., “Cm” is C minor), while an uppercase “M” or no “m” implies major.
There are twelve major chords in total, corresponding to the twelve musical pitches. However, due to the standard tuning of the guitar, chords with root notes like C#/Db, D#/Eb, F#/Gb, G#/Ab, and A#/Bb can be less straightforward to play in open positions. These chords are frequently played as barre chords or with the use of a capo (click on the links below the pictures in the next section for guidance on these variations).
The Delta Symbol for Major Chords
In older music notations, and sometimes even today, the term “major” can be represented by a triangle symbol (Δ), also known as a delta symbol. When you see a chord name written with a letter followed by a triangle (often in superscript), it signifies a major chord.
For example:
CΔ (C triangle) = C major
Major Chords with Sharps and Flats
While perhaps less commonly visited by absolute beginners initially, understanding major chords with sharp or flat root notes expands your musical horizons. These chords are just as major in quality as C, D, E, G, A, and B, but their root notes are the altered or “chromatic” notes.
C# Major / Db Major
Alt text: Chord diagram for C sharp major or D flat major on guitar, illustrating barre chord shape.
D# Major / Eb Major
Alt text: D sharp major / E flat major guitar chord diagram, showing barre chord form for guitar.
F# Major / Gb Major
Alt text: F sharp major or G flat major chord diagram for guitar, depicting common barre chord shape.
G# Major / Ab Major
Alt text: Guitar chord diagram for G sharp major / A flat major, illustrating barre chord position.
A# Major / Bb Major
Alt text: A sharp major / B flat major chord diagram for guitar, showing standard barre chord fingering.
Music Theory of Major Chords
A fundamental major chord always consists of three distinct musical notes, or pitches. Since a guitar has six strings, some of these notes are often duplicated within a chord voicing. This duplication is a result of the instrument’s design and standard tuning. For instance, a G major chord is typically played using all six strings, while a D major chord might only utilize four strings in certain positions. In the case of the open position D major chord, the root note D, which functions as the bass note, isn’t readily available on the lowest two strings in that particular fretboard location.
All major chords are derived from the major scale. For example, C major, C major 7th, and other C major-related chords are all built upon the C major scale. While this website doesn’t deeply focus on scales, resources like GuitarScale.org offer comprehensive information on scales and their relationship to chords.
To further your understanding of chord relationships, explore chord progressions.
Notes within Major Chords and Extensions
Let’s look at the notes that make up major chords and their extended forms, such as major 7th, 9th, and 13th chords.
Number of Notes in Major Chords
- Basic Major (e.g., C): 3 notes
- Major 7th (e.g., Cmaj7): 4 notes
- Major 9th (e.g., Cmaj9): 5 notes
- Major 11th (e.g., Cmaj11): 6 notes
- Major 13th (e.g., Cmaj13): 7 notes
Notes in Major 7th Chords
- Cmaj7: C – E – G – B
- C#maj7: C# – F – G# – C
- Dmaj7: D – F# – A – C#
- D#maj7: D# – G – A# – D
- Emaj7: E – G# – B – D#
- Fmaj7: F – A – C – E
- F#maj7: F# – A# – C# – F
- Gmaj7: G – B – D – F#
- G#maj7: G# – C – D# – G
- Amaj7: A – C# – E – G#
- A#maj7: A# – D – F – A
- Bmaj7: B – D# – F# – A#
See diagrams for Major 7th Chords
Notes in Major 9th Chords
- Cmaj9: C – E – G – B – D
- Dmaj9: D – F# – A – C# – E
- Emaj9: E – G# – B – D# – F#
- Fmaj9: F – A – C – E – G
- Gmaj9: G – B – D – F# – A
- Amaj9: A – C# – E – G# – B
- Bmaj9: B – D# – F# – A# – C#
See diagrams for Major 9th Chords
Notes in Major 11th Chords
- Cmaj11: C – E – G – B – D – F
- Dmaj11: D – F# – A – B – E – G
- Emaj11: E – G# – B – C# – F# – A
- Fmaj11: F – A – C – E – G – Bb
- Gmaj11: G – B – D – F# – A – C
- Amaj11: A – C# – E – G# – B – D
- Bmaj11: B – D# – F# – A# – C# – E
Notes in Major 13th Chords
- Cmaj13: C – E – G – B – D – A
- Dmaj13: D – F# – A – C# – E – B
- Emaj13: E – G# – B – D# – F# – A
- Fmaj13: F – A – C – E – G – B
- Gmaj13: G – B – D – F# – A – C
- Amaj13: A – C# – E – G# – B – D
- Bmaj13: B – D# – F# – A# – C# – E
See diagrams for Major 13th Chords
Expand Your Chord Knowledge
[ *The Chord Chart Poster*](poster-chord-chart.html)Alt text: Thumbnail image of The Chord Chart Poster, a visual guide for guitar chords.
The Chord Chart Poster is a fantastic resource that includes a selection of over 100 of the most important chords for guitar, including a wide variety of major chords and their variations.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of major chords on the guitar, from the essential basic shapes to more advanced concepts and extended chord types. By mastering these chords, you’ll build a solid foundation for your guitar playing journey and unlock countless musical possibilities. Keep practicing and exploring, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly major chords become second nature!
