G major chord

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

All chords More G chords

Related chords: Gmaj7, Gmaj9, G6

Alternative fingerings

Relevant chords

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Description and theory

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

Chords that sound good together with G major

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

Follow-up chords

Chords that are likely to follow G major in progressions:
› C
› D
› Em
› Bm

Chord progressions

Examples of progressions featuring G.

Progression 1: Standard I - V - vi - IV progression.
G 320003	D XX0232	Em 022000	C X32010

Progression 2: Standard I - IV - vi - V progression.
G 320003	C X32010	Em 022000	D XX0232

Progression 3: I - ii - I - IV progression with ascending bass.
G 320003	Am X02210	G/B X20003	C X32010

Progression 4: I - V - IV progression with bass line.
G 320003	G/F# 220003	C/E 032010	D XX0232	G 320003

Progression 5: I - V - ii progression.
G 320003	D XX0232	Am X02210

Progression 6: Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan.
G 320003	D XX0232	Am X02210	G 320003	D XX0232	C X32010

Progression 7: Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison.
G 320003	C X32010	G 320003	D7 XX0212

Finger position (G chord)

Index (1st) finger or middle (2nd) finger on 5th string, 2nd fret.
Middle (2nd) finger or ring (3rd) finger on 6th string, 3rd fret.
Little (4th) finger on 1st string, 3rd fret.

Theory of G chord

The notes that the G chord consists of are G, B, D. The main presented version (320003) includes a tripled root, a doubled third and a fifth. The main alternative version (320033) includes a tripled root, a third and a doubled fifth.
To get G7 add F.
To get Gmaj7 add F#.
To get G6 add E.

Comments

G (no3): this is a G major without the third (B).
The 320033 fingering is sometimes referred to as G with added D.

Go to Lesson for this chord.

Inversions

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

Assorted slash chords

Versions with alternate bass notes in short notation:

G/A: X00003
G/C: X30003
G/E: 020003
G/F: 120003
G/F#: 220003

Alternative chord names

G/F is identical with G7/F.
G/F# is identical with Gmaj7/F#.
G/E is identical with G6/E and Em7.
G/A is identical with Gmaj9/A.

Omissions (dyads)

G (no3) is a G major with no third (B).
G (no5) is a G major with no fifth (D).

Written in tab format

- 3 -
- 0 -
- 0 -
- 0 -
- 2 -
- 3 -

See The Chord Reference ebook (over 800 chord charts), for a PDF.

Chord lick

A typical figure in bluegrass and country styles.

Alternative shapes and voicings

Here are other ways to play G major:



XX000X is most suitable for fingerpicking, use D as root note. Another open chord variant is 32003X.

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