Back to the workshop
● Live Notation · Tool 06 · Free forever

Free interactive Guitar Chord Encyclopedia every chord · every key · printable

Look up any chord in any key — voicings, notes, intervals, fretboard map, audio. 19 chord types × 12 keys = 228 dedicated chord pages, all bookmarkable and indexed for search.

Ready
Open chord page →

Now displaying

C major

Key

Chord type

Triads Three-note chords — the building blocks every other chord extends.
Sevenths Four-note chords adding a 7th — the workhorse of jazz, blues and pop.
Sixths & Adds Add a 6 or a 9 to a triad — major sweetened, minor warmed.
Ninths Five-note chords extending the 7th — sophisticated, jazz-leaning.
Altered Tension chords — half-diminished, dominant alterations, sus4-7.
Strummed, plucked-string synth

Common voicings

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

C E G

Intervals

1 · 3 · 5

What is a chord encyclopedia?

A guitar chord encyclopedia is a comprehensive reference of every common chord in every key — voicings, notes, intervals, fretboard positions. This free version covers 19 chord types across all 12 keys, with movable barre shapes that let you play any chord at any fret on the neck.

How to use

How to look up
a chord.

  1. 01

    Pick a key

    Choose any of the twelve keys. The voicings, fretboard map, audio playback and chord-name display all update instantly.

  2. 02

    Pick a chord type

    Triads, sevenths, sixths, adds, ninths or altered. Each category opens up a different harmonic palette — major triad for resolved, m7 for jazz comping, dim7 for tension.

  3. 03

    Explore the voicings

    Each chord shows multiple shapes — E-shape barre, A-shape barre, sometimes a custom voicing. Pick the one that fits your hand position or the song you're playing.

  4. 04

    See it on the neck

    The full-neck fretboard map shows every position of every chord tone in your chosen tuning. Useful for finding the chord in any position, or for soloing over it.

  5. 05

    Hear it

    Play the chord — strummed, plucked-string sound via Web Audio. Great for ear-training and for verifying a voicing sounds right before you commit to learning it.

  6. 06

    Open the dedicated page

    Every chord × key combination has its own URL (e.g. /chords/a-minor-7). Bookmarkable, shareable, and indexed by search — handy when you want to send a specific voicing to a student.

FAQ

Common
questions.

How do I read a chord diagram?

Each vertical line is a string (low E on the left, high E on the right). Horizontal lines are frets. Black dots show where to press; numbers inside the dot show which finger to use (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky). An X above a string means mute it; an O means play it open. A solid bar across multiple strings shows a barre.

What's the difference between an E-shape and an A-shape barre chord?

Both are movable shapes that let you play any chord at any fret. The E-shape takes the open E chord shape and slides it up the neck — the root is on the low E (6th) string. The A-shape takes the open A shape and slides it up — the root is on the A (5th) string. The two together cover every chord on the guitar in two convenient positions.

What's the difference between a 7 and a maj7?

A 7 chord (e.g. C7) is a major triad with a flat 7th — bluesy, restless, wants to resolve. A maj7 chord (e.g. Cmaj7) is a major triad with a major 7th — lush, sophisticated, more "settled" sounding. The difference is one note (B♭ vs B in C major), but it changes the entire character of the chord.

How many chord shapes do I need to learn?

The minimum useful set: open C, A, G, E, D majors and their minors (Am, Em, Dm), plus the E-shape and A-shape barre versions of major, minor, 7 and m7. That's 16 shapes that cover every chord in every key — about a month of focused practice for an intermediate player.

Can I print or share these chord diagrams?

Yes. Every chord × key has a dedicated URL (e.g. /chords/c-major) — bookmarkable, shareable, prints cleanly from your browser. For custom voicings outside the encyclopedia, use the chord chart generator for full SVG / PNG export.

Is this chord library free?

Yes — completely free, no login, no usage limits. Built by myguitartutor for working guitar tutors.
Keep digging

Encyclopedias are reference — these are workflow.

The encyclopedia is the catalogue. These pieces and tools turn lookup into lesson and lesson into progress.

Journal · Teaching

How to track guitar student progress

A 12-item skill checklist, BPM tracking and milestone moments — including which chord-type families belong on every student tracker.

Open
Tool

Chord chart generator

When the encyclopedia voicing isn’t quite right — generate a custom diagram for any voicing, fingering or tuning.

Open
Tool

Reverse chord & scale lookup

The opposite tool — drop in notes from the fretboard, get every chord and scale that matches.

Open