Chord · Major Key of C

C Chord on guitar · voicings, notes & diagram

The C chord contains the notes C, E, G. Bright, resolved, stable — the default sound of "happy" in Western music.

Voicings

How to play C.

C 8fr 1 3 4 2 1 1 E A D G B E

E-shape barre

C 3fr × 1 3 4 2 1 E A D G B E

A-shape barre

Every chord tone on the neck

EADGBE 35791215 E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G Root Scale note

Notes & intervals.

# Degree Note
1 1 C root
2 3 E
3 5 G

Sound & use

Bright, resolved, stable — the default sound of "happy" in Western music.

The home chord for any major-key song. Found in every pop verse and chorus you can name.

Common in: pop, rock, country, folk, classical

Also written as: Maj, M

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Same key

Other chords in the key of C.

Cm

Minor

Cdim

Diminished

Caug

Augmented

Csus2

Suspended 2nd

Csus4

Suspended 4th

C7

Dominant 7

Cmaj7

Major 7

Cm7

Minor 7

Cm7b5

Minor 7♭5

Cdim7

Diminished 7

Cm(maj7)

Minor-Major 7

C6

Major 6

Cm6

Minor 6

Cadd9

Add 9

Cm(add9)

Minor Add 9

C9

Dominant 9

Cmaj9

Major 9

Cm9

Minor 9

All keys

Major chord in every key.

C♯

D

D♯

E

F

F♯

G

G♯

A

A♯

B

FAQ

About the C chord
on guitar.

What notes are in the C chord?

The C chord contains the notes C, E, G — that's a 1, 3, 5 from the root.

How do I play C on guitar?

The most common voicings for C are shown above as fretboard diagrams. Start with the e-shape barre — finger position numbers are inside the dots. Mute any string marked X; play open strings shown with O.

Where is C used in music?

Bright, resolved, stable — the default sound of "happy" in Western music. The home chord for any major-key song. Found in every pop verse and chorus you can name.

What's a movable shape for C?

Both E-shape (root on the 6th string) and A-shape (root on the 5th string) barre versions are common. Once you can play those two shapes, you can play Major in any key just by sliding up or down the neck.

Can I print the C chord diagram?

Yes. Use your browser's print function (Cmd/Ctrl + P) — the SVG diagrams print crisply at any size. For a custom voicing or a printable handout with multiple chords, use the chord chart generator.