Chords in the key of C major on guitar

The key of C major has seven diatonic chords: C, Dm Dm Dm Dm, Em Em Em Em, F, G, Am and B°. As sevenths: Cmaj7 Cmaj7 Cmaj7 Cmaj7, Dm7 Dm7 Dm7 Dm7, Em7 Em7 Em7 Em7, Fmaj7 Fmaj7 Fmaj7 Fmaj7, G7 G7 G7 G7, Am7 Am7 Am7 Am7 and Bm7b5. They come from the C major scale, C, D, E, F, G, A and B, one on each note. On guitar, the shapes below are the seventh chords of every degree, and the tonic one has C in the bass.

On the guitar, six strings give the chord room to breathe — some positions use them all, others ask you to mute the lowest ones. Its hollow wooden body gives every chord a warm, natural ring that blooms and fades on its own.

Seventh chords in C major on guitar

I · tonic× 3 2 0 0 0

ii · subdominant× × 0 2 1 1

iii · tonic0 2 0 0 0 0

IV · subdominant1 3 2 2 1 1

V · dominant3 2 0 0 0 1

vi · tonic× 0 2 0 1 0

vii° · dominant× 2 3 2 3 ×

Chords in the key of C major on guitar

Seventh chords in C major on guitar

See also