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Page Title: Guitar Chord Dictionary: Chord Names, Formulas and Shapes
SEO Title: Guitar Chord Dictionary: Symbols, Formulas & Chord Types
Meta Description: Explore this guitar chord dictionary to understand major, minor, seventh, suspended, diminished, augmented, added, and extended chord symbols and formulas.
A guitar chord dictionary is a reference for understanding chord names, symbols, formulas, notes, and playable voicings. It helps you decode labels such as Cmaj7, F♯m7♭5, Asus4, and G13 instead of treating every symbol as an unrelated shape.
Every chord name contains useful information. The root identifies the note the chord is built from, while the remaining symbols describe its quality, extensions, alterations, added notes, or bass note. For example, Dm7 means a D-root minor chord with a minor seventh, while C/G means a C major chord played with G in the bass.
Use this dictionary as a reference rather than a list to memorize in one sitting. Begin with major and minor triads, add seventh chords, and then move into suspended, diminished, altered, and extended harmonies.
How to Read a Guitar Chord Name
Most chord symbols can be separated into four possible components:
Root + quality + extension or alteration + bass note
Consider the symbol:
F♯m7/C♯
- F♯ is the root.
- m means minor.
- 7 adds a minor seventh.
- C♯ after the slash is the bass note.
A chord symbol always begins with a root letter from A through G. The root may include a sharp or flat:
- C
- C♯
- D♭
- D
- E♭
- E
- F
- F♯
- G♭
- G
- A♭
- A
- B♭
- B
A plain letter such as C normally means C major. Minor chords add m, dominant seventh chords add 7, and major seventh chords add maj7. Fender similarly explains that chord symbols communicate both the root and the chord quality, with an unmodified letter generally understood as major. (Fender)
The guide to understanding guitar chord names provides a useful introduction to longer or less familiar symbols.
Quick Guitar Chord Symbol Dictionary
Chord formulas are written relative to the major scale of the root. The numbers represent scale degrees:
- 1 = root
- 2 or 9 = second
- 3 = major third
- ♭3 = minor third
- 4 or 11 = fourth
- 5 = perfect fifth
- ♭5 = diminished fifth
- ♯5 = augmented fifth
- 6 or 13 = sixth
- ♭7 = minor seventh
- 7 = major seventh
| Chord type | Common symbol | Formula | Example in C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major | C | 1–3–5 | C–E–G |
| Minor | Cm | 1–♭3–5 | C–E♭–G |
| Power chord | C5 | 1–5 | C–G |
| Diminished | Cdim or C° | 1–♭3–♭5 | C–E♭–G♭ |
| Augmented | Caug or C+ | 1–3–♯5 | C–E–G♯ |
| Suspended second | Csus2 | 1–2–5 | C–D–G |
| Suspended fourth | Csus4 | 1–4–5 | C–F–G |
| Added ninth | Cadd9 | 1–3–5–9 | C–E–G–D |
| Major sixth | C6 | 1–3–5–6 | C–E–G–A |
| Minor sixth | Cm6 | 1–♭3–5–6 | C–E♭–G–A |
| Dominant seventh | C7 | 1–3–5–♭7 | C–E–G–B♭ |
| Major seventh | Cmaj7 | 1–3–5–7 | C–E–G–B |
| Minor seventh | Cm7 | 1–♭3–5–♭7 | C–E♭–G–B♭ |
| Minor-major seventh | Cm(maj7) | 1–♭3–5–7 | C–E♭–G–B |
| Half-diminished seventh | Cm7♭5 or Cø7 | 1–♭3–♭5–♭7 | C–E♭–G♭–B♭ |
| Diminished seventh | Cdim7 or C°7 | 1–♭3–♭5–♭♭7 | C–E♭–G♭–B♭♭ |
| Dominant ninth | C9 | 1–3–5–♭7–9 | C–E–G–B♭–D |
| Major ninth | Cmaj9 | 1–3–5–7–9 | C–E–G–B–D |
| Minor ninth | Cm9 | 1–♭3–5–♭7–9 | C–E♭–G–B♭–D |
| Dominant eleventh | C11 | 1–3–5–♭7–9–11 | C–E–G–B♭–D–F |
| Dominant thirteenth | C13 | 1–3–5–♭7–9–11–13 | C–E–G–B♭–D–F–A |
These formulas describe chord content, not mandatory guitar fingerings. A practical guitar voicing may omit selected tones when the complete formula cannot be played clearly or comfortably.
Major Chords
A major triad contains:
1–3–5
In C major, those notes are:
C–E–G
The major third determines the chord’s major quality. Moving or removing that third can change the chord into minor, suspended, or another quality.
| Chord | Notes |
|---|---|
| C | C–E–G |
| D | D–F♯–A |
| E | E–G♯–B |
| F | F–A–C |
| G | G–B–D |
| A | A–C♯–E |
| B | B–D♯–F♯ |
A guitar voicing may repeat one or more of these notes. The standard open C chord, for example, contains several Cs and Es, but it remains a C major chord because its essential pitch collection is C–E–G.
The full guide to major chords on guitar explains common open and movable forms.
Minor Chords
A minor triad contains:
1–♭3–5
The difference between a major and minor triad is the third. Lowering a major chord’s third by one semitone produces a minor triad.
For example:
- C major: C–E–G
- C minor: C–E♭–G
- A major: A–C♯–E
- A minor: A–C–E
| Chord | Notes |
|---|---|
| Cm | C–E♭–G |
| Dm | D–F–A |
| Em | E–G–B |
| Fm | F–A♭–C |
| Gm | G–B♭–D |
| Am | A–C–E |
| Bm | B–D–F♯ |
Major chords use scale degrees 1, 3, and 5, while minor chords use 1, ♭3, and 5. (Fender)
See the guide to minor guitar chords for open shapes, barre forms, and practical fingering options.
Power Chords
A power chord normally contains only the root and perfect fifth:
1–5
It may also repeat the root an octave higher:
1–5–1
Common symbols include:
- C5
- D5
- E5
- F♯5
- B♭5
Because a power chord omits the third, it is neither major nor minor by itself. Its harmonic character depends heavily on the progression, melody, and surrounding instruments.
Power chords are especially practical on guitar because the same root–fifth shape can be moved along the fretboard.
Diminished Chords
A diminished triad contains:
1–♭3–♭5
It can be understood as a minor triad with a lowered fifth.
For example:
Cdim = C–E♭–G♭
Diminished chords create instability because both intervals above the root are compressed compared with a major triad.
Common symbols include:
- Cdim
- C°
- Cdim7
- C°7
- Cm7♭5
- Cø7
A diminished seventh and a half-diminished seventh are not the same chord:
| Chord | Formula |
|---|---|
| Cm7♭5 | 1–♭3–♭5–♭7 |
| Cdim7 | 1–♭3–♭5–♭♭7 |
The detailed guide to diminished guitar chords explains their shapes and common harmonic uses.
Augmented Chords
An augmented triad contains:
1–3–♯5
For example:
Caug = C–E–G♯
It can be understood as a major triad with a raised fifth. Common symbols include:
- Caug
- C+
- C+5
- C♯5, depending on notation context
Do not confuse C+ with C5. C+ means C augmented and contains a major third, while C5 is a root–fifth power chord without a third.
Augmented triads can connect two chords through smooth chromatic movement. Explore their construction and movable forms in the guide to augmented guitar chords.
Suspended Chords
A suspended chord replaces the third with either the second or fourth.
Suspended second
1–2–5
Example:
Csus2 = C–D–G
Suspended fourth
1–4–5
Example:
Csus4 = C–F–G
Because the third is absent, a suspended triad is not clearly major or minor.
Suspended chords often move into a major or minor chord sharing the same root:
- Dsus4 → D
- Asus2 → A
- Esus4 → E
- Dsus2 → Dm
The word “suspended” refers to the replaced third, not simply to a chord that sounds unresolved. The guide to suspended chords on guitar covers common sus2 and sus4 shapes.
Added-Note Chords
An added-note chord keeps its basic triad and adds another tone without automatically adding a seventh.
Add9 chord
1–3–5–9
Example:
Cadd9 = C–E–G–D
This is different from C9:
| Chord | Formula |
|---|---|
| Cadd9 | 1–3–5–9 |
| C9 | 1–3–5–♭7–9 |
The presence of the minor seventh is the key distinction.
Add11 chord
1–3–5–11
Add13 chord
1–3–5–13
The exact order of the notes may change in a guitar voicing. The chord name describes the pitch content rather than the physical order of the strings.
Sixth Chords
A major sixth chord contains:
1–3–5–6
Example:
C6 = C–E–G–A
A minor sixth chord contains:
1–♭3–5–6
Example:
Cm6 = C–E♭–G–A
Do not assume that Cm6 contains A♭ simply because the chord is minor. The “minor” label changes the third, while the unmodified 6 normally remains a major sixth above the root.
Context can make a sixth chord share the same notes as another chord. C6 and Am7, for example, both contain C, E, G, and A, but their roots and harmonic functions differ.
Seventh Chords
Seventh chords expand a triad by adding a seventh above the root.
MusicTheory.net identifies five common seventh-chord categories: major seventh, dominant seventh, minor seventh, half-diminished seventh, and diminished seventh. (musictheory.net)
Dominant seventh
1–3–5–♭7
Example:
G7 = G–B–D–F
A dominant seventh often creates strong tension toward a tonic chord.
Major seventh
1–3–5–7
Example:
Cmaj7 = C–E–G–B
Do not confuse Cmaj7 with C7. The first contains B, while the second contains B♭.
Minor seventh
1–♭3–5–♭7
Example:
Dm7 = D–F–A–C
Minor-major seventh
1–♭3–5–7
Example:
Cm(maj7) = C–E♭–G–B
This chord combines a minor triad with a major seventh.
The guide to seventh chords on guitar provides practical shapes for the most common seventh qualities.
Ninth, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Chords
Extended chords continue beyond the seventh by adding scale tones in thirds.
Ninth chords
A dominant ninth contains:
1–3–5–♭7–9
Example:
C9 = C–E–G–B♭–D
A major ninth replaces the minor seventh with a major seventh:
Cmaj9 = C–E–G–B–D
A minor ninth lowers both the third and seventh:
Cm9 = C–E♭–G–B♭–D
Eleventh chords
A theoretical dominant eleventh contains:
1–3–5–♭7–9–11
On guitar, one or more tones may be omitted to create a playable, clear voicing.
Thirteenth chords
A theoretical dominant thirteenth contains:
1–3–5–♭7–9–11–13
It is not usually practical to include every note of a complete thirteenth formula on a six-string guitar. Players prioritize tones that communicate the chord’s quality and function, particularly the root, third, seventh, and named extension.
Berklee notes that the third and seventh are especially important for defining the sound and function of many seventh-based harmonies. (Berklee Online)
The guide to extended guitar chords explains ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth voicings in greater detail.
Altered Chords
An altered chord changes one or more chord tones, usually with a sharp or flat symbol.
Common alterations include:
- ♭5
- ♯5
- ♭9
- ♯9
- ♯11
- ♭13
Examples:
- C7♭5
- C7♯5
- C7♭9
- C7♯9
- C9♯11
- C13♭9
Read the symbols from left to right:
G7♯5♭9
- Root: G
- Quality: dominant seventh
- Altered fifth: D becomes D♯
- Altered ninth: A becomes A♭
Altered chords are often voiced selectively. The guitarist may omit the perfect fifth or root when another instrument already supplies the bass.
Slash Chords and Inversions
A slash chord places a specified note in the bass:
Chord / bass note
Examples:
- C/E
- G/B
- D/F♯
- Am/C
- F/G
C/E is still a C major chord, but E is its lowest note. Because E is the third of C major, C/E is a first-inversion C chord.
Not every slash chord is a simple inversion. F/G contains the notes of an F chord above a G bass, producing a different harmonic effect from a standard F inversion.
Slash chords are useful for:
- Creating smoother bass lines
- Connecting two chords
- Reducing large hand movements
- Changing the harmonic weight of a familiar shape
- Supporting voice leading
Why One Chord Has Many Guitar Shapes
A chord symbol identifies notes and harmonic function, not one compulsory fingering.
The notes of C major—C, E, and G—appear repeatedly across the fretboard. As a result, C major can be played with open strings, barre shapes, triads, inversions, or higher-register voicings.
Different voicings may change:
- The lowest note
- The highest note
- The octave of each chord tone
- Which notes are doubled
- The distance between notes
- The ease of moving to the next chord
- The amount of open-string resonance
Research into guitar chord-diagram selection also emphasizes that musical context matters because the same chord label can have many valid diagrams and voicings. (arXiv)
A good chord choice therefore depends on more than whether the name is technically correct.
How to Build Any Guitar Chord
Use this process when a chord is not already familiar.
1. Identify the root
For B♭maj7, the root is B♭.
2. Identify the quality
“maj7” means a major triad with a major seventh.
3. Write the formula
1–3–5–7
4. Apply the formula to the root scale
The B♭ major scale is:
B♭–C–D–E♭–F–G–A
Select degrees 1, 3, 5, and 7:
B♭–D–F–A
5. Locate those notes on the fretboard
You do not need to include every possible occurrence. Choose a set that fits the hand and musical register.
6. Decide which note belongs in the bass
Use B♭ for root position unless an inversion or slash chord is required.
7. Remove unnecessary doubling
If the shape is crowded, keep the notes most responsible for the chord’s identity.
Understanding how guitar chords are constructed makes this method faster and prevents chord symbols from becoming isolated facts.
How to Identify an Unknown Guitar Chord
When you discover a shape but do not know its name:
- Write down every sounding note.
- Ignore duplicate notes temporarily.
- Look for a likely root.
- Measure each note’s interval from that root.
- Find the matching chord formula.
- Check the lowest note for a possible inversion.
- Compare alternative names in the surrounding key.
- Choose the name that best explains the chord’s function.
A shape containing A, C, E, and G could be named Am7. The same pitch collection could also be interpreted differently in an unusual harmonic context, but Am7 is normally the clearest name when A functions as the root.
The guide to identifying guitar chords walks through this process in more detail. You can also use the guitar chord finder when you need to explore a specific shape or chord.
How to Read Guitar Chord Diagrams
A chord diagram represents a section of the fretboard:
- Vertical lines represent strings.
- Horizontal lines represent frets.
- Dots indicate fretted positions.
- O means play the string open.
- X means do not play the string.
- Finger numbers commonly run from 1 for the index finger to 4 for the little finger.
- A bar across several strings represents a barre.
Fender and Berklee both describe these standard diagram conventions, including the use of fret indicators and bar markings for shapes located higher on the neck. (Fender)
A diagram tells you one way to produce a chord, but the symbol tells you what the chord is. Understanding both systems prevents you from depending on memorized shapes alone.
When you need to document an original voicing, use the custom chord diagram generator to represent the fingering clearly.
Choosing the Best Chord Voicing
The most suitable voicing depends on the music around it.
Consider:
- Which chord comes before it
- Which chord comes next
- The desired bass movement
- Whether another instrument plays the root
- The melody note above the chord
- Available open strings
- Register and tonal density
- Hand comfort
- Genre
- Rhythmic clarity
For example, a full six-string barre chord may overpower a quiet arrangement, while a three-note triad may sound too thin for a solo acoustic performance.
Choose a shape that supports the progression rather than automatically selecting the largest possible chord.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a guitar chord dictionary?
A guitar chord dictionary is a reference that organizes chord names, symbols, formulas, notes, and playable voicings. It helps guitarists understand and locate unfamiliar chords.
What does a plain chord letter mean?
A plain letter such as C, G, or A normally indicates a major chord.
What does “m” mean in a chord name?
The lowercase m means minor. Cm is C minor, while C without the m means C major.
What is the difference between C7 and Cmaj7?
C7 contains C–E–G–B♭. Cmaj7 contains C–E–G–B. The difference is the type of seventh.
What does “add9” mean?
Add9 means the ninth is added to a major or minor triad without automatically including a seventh. Cadd9 contains C–E–G–D.
What does “sus” mean?
Sus means suspended. The third is replaced by the second in sus2 or by the fourth in sus4.
What does a slash mean in a chord name?
The note after the slash is the bass note. C/E means a C major chord with E in the bass.
Are C♯ and D♭ chords the same?
They can use the same sounding pitches and guitar shapes in equal temperament, but the correct name depends on the key and harmonic context.
Why are some notes missing from extended guitar chords?
Complete ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth formulas can contain more notes than a guitarist can play conveniently. Voicings often omit less essential or duplicated tones.
How do I know which chord shape to use?
Choose a voicing that fits the surrounding chords, bass movement, melody, register, genre, and physical comfort.
Can the same guitar shape have more than one chord name?
Yes. The best name depends on the assumed root, bass note, musical key, and function of the chord in the progression.
Do I need to memorize every guitar chord?
No. Learn how chord symbols and formulas work. That knowledge allows you to understand, construct, and recognize unfamiliar chords without memorizing every possible voicing.