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Key Guide

Pick a key and see which chords belong to it, how to play them, and the famous progressions written out in that key. Learn it once and you can play thousands of songs.

What is a key?

A key is a family of seven notes that sound good together. Each note makes a chord, so every key comes with seven chords that fit together. A song in G major mostly uses G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em and F#dim.

Numbers instead of names

Musicians number the chords of a key with Roman numerals: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi. In C major, I is C, IV is F and V is G. In G major they are G, C and D. A progression written in numerals works in every key.

Big letter, small letter

A capital numeral (I, IV, V) is a major chord. A small numeral (ii, iii, vi) is a minor chord. The little circle in vii° means diminished, a tense chord that is rarely a song's main sound.

Major keys

Bright and open. Most pop, country and folk.

C major C Dm Em F G Am Bdim G major G Am Bm C D Em F#dim D major D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim A major A Bm C#m D E F#m G#dim E major E F#m G#m A B C#m D#dim B major B C#m D#m E F# G#m A#dim F# major F# G#m A#m B C# D#m E#dim Db major Db Ebm Fm Gb Ab Bbm Cdim Ab major Ab Bbm Cm Db Eb Fm Gdim Eb major Eb Fm Gm Ab Bb Cm Ddim Bb major Bb Cm Dm Eb F Gm Adim F major F Gm Am Bb C Dm Edim

Minor keys

Darker and moodier. Each minor key shares its notes with a major key.

A minor Am Bdim C Dm Em F G E minor Em F#dim G Am Bm C D B minor Bm C#dim D Em F#m G A F# minor F#m G#dim A Bm C#m D E C# minor C#m D#dim E F#m G#m A B G# minor G#m A#dim B C#m D#m E F# D# minor D#m E#dim F# G#m A#m B C# Bb minor Bbm Cdim Db Ebm Fm Gb Ab F minor Fm Gdim Ab Bbm Cm Db Eb C minor Cm Ddim Eb Fm Gm Ab Bb G minor Gm Adim Bb Cm Dm Eb F D minor Dm Edim F Gm Am Bb C

CAGED: one chord, five places

CAGED is the guitarist's map of the neck. It is named after the five open chords everyone learns first: C, A, G, E and D. Each of those shapes can slide up the neck and still play a major chord, so every major chord can be played in five different places.

1. Start with the open shape

Learn C, A, G, E and D as open chords. Each one has its root note (the note that names the chord) on a particular string.

2. Slide it up and add a barre

Open strings are now covered by your index finger laid across the fret, like a movable nut. Keep the shape and the chord keeps its sound, only higher.

3. Land the root on your chord

Slide until the root note lands on the chord you want. The E shape with its root on the 3rd fret of the low E string is a G chord. Slide it to the 5th fret and it becomes A.

Where each shape keeps its root

C
on the A string
A
on the A string
G
on the low E string
E
on the low E string
D
on the D string

The shapes interlock

Go up the neck and the shapes always follow the same order, C then A then G then E then D, and then it starts again an octave higher. Each shape ends right where the next one begins, so you can play one chord all the way up the neck.

The five open shapes (tap one to enlarge it)

C

NUT E A D G B e × 3 2 1
NUT E A D G B e × 3 2 1

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

G D A E
G D A E

Mandolin, tuned G D A E (the letters under the strings). Each string is a pair played together. ○ = open string; the dots are where your fingers go.

A

NUT E A D G B e × 1 2 3
NUT E A D G B e × 1 2 3

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

G D A E
G D A E

Mandolin, tuned G D A E (the letters under the strings). Each string is a pair played together. ○ = open string; the dots are where your fingers go.

G

NUT E A D G B e 2 1 3
NUT E A D G B e 2 1 3

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

G D A E
G D A E

Mandolin, tuned G D A E (the letters under the strings). Each string is a pair played together. ○ = open string; the dots are where your fingers go.

E

NUT E A D G B e 2 3 1
NUT E A D G B e 2 3 1

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

G D A E
G D A E

Mandolin, tuned G D A E (the letters under the strings). Each string is a pair played together. ○ = open string; the dots are where your fingers go.

D

NUT E A D G B e × × 1 3 2
NUT E A D G B e × × 1 3 2

The red NUT marks the start of the neck, by the tuning pegs; frets count away from it. The thickest string is the low E (the letters show each string). × = don't play it, ○ = play it open. Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little.

G D A E
G D A E

Mandolin, tuned G D A E (the letters under the strings). Each string is a pair played together. ○ = open string; the dots are where your fingers go.

See any major chord in all five shapes

C G D A E B F# Db Ab Eb Bb F

Looking for a particular song? Browse Song Chords.