How to Build C Major Chords on the Guitar

The C major is a common chord partly because of the appeal of "middle C" in piano theory. It's also a strange chord on the guitar because it does not use all of the strings. As a major chord, it uses three notes: the first or "base" note C, the third note, E, and the fifth, G. Here is how to build the most common form of "open" C major.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Do not use the bottom E string. We don't use the bottom string for a C major chord because we want to start with the C "base" note.

2. Put your ring finger on the third fret of the A string (second string from bottom). Here you have your base note, a C.

3. Add your middle finger on the second fret of the string above A, the D string. This gives you an E, your third.

4. Leave the G string (fourth string from bottom) open. This is your fifth scale note.

5. Finish the chord structure with your index finger on the first fret of the B string (second string from top) to give another C note.

6. Leave the top E string open. That's your E, your third scale note, again.

Tips & Warnings

• Be creative with the bottom string. As noted before, guitar players generally don't strike the bottom open E, not because it's dissonant (remember, E is the third, included in the chord) but because it would undermine the low C on the A string. What you can do, though is use a low G (third fret of E string) in your fingering and alternate between striking the C and G to create an "alternating bass line" handily included in your C major chord. This happens in country music a lot.