C major chord

C major chord for guitar with diagrams, fingerings and notes.

Description and theory

C major is usually played as an open chord, but it's common to play it as a barre chord as well.

The primary chords to combine with C in chord progressions are: Dm, Em, F, G, Am.

Chords that are likely to follow C major in progressions:
› G
› Am
› Em
› F

C - Em - Am - F - G - C

Progressions with diagrams (PDF)

Examples of progressions featuring C.

Progression 1: Standard I - vi - IV - V progression.
C X32010	Am X02210	F 133211	G 320003

Progression 2: I - ii - I - IV progression with ascending bass.
C X32010	Dm XX0231	C/E 032010	F 133211

Progression 3: I - V - IV progression with bass line.
C X32010	G/B X20033	F X03211	G 320033	C X32010

Progression 4: I - V - vi - IV progression with bass line.
C X32010	G/B X20033	Am X02210	Am/G 302210	F 133211	C/E 032010	D XX0232	G 320033

Progression 5: I - iii - IV progression.
C X32010	Em 022000	Am X02210	F XX3211

C (no3) is a C major without the third (E).
C/D is a C major with D as bass note.

Index (1st) finger on 2nd string, 1st fret.
Middle (2nd) finger on 4th string, 2nd fret.
Ring (3rd) finger on 5th string, 3rd fret.

The notes that the C chord consists of are C, E, G.
To get C7 add Bb.
To get Cmaj7 add B.
To get C6 add A.

1st inversion: C/E (means that E is the bass note).
2nd inversion: C/G (means that G is the bass note).
Diagrams of these inversions

Versions with alternate bass notes in short notation:

C/D: XX0010
C/F: 132010

C/A is theoretically identical with Am7.
C/B is theoretically identical with the 3rd inversion of Cmaj7.
C/D is theoretically identical with Cadd9/D.

The chord can also be fingered as X32013, sometimes referred to as C with G at the top.