G Major Chord on Guitar
G G B D 3 shapes Open chord
Chord diagrams
How to play G Major on guitar
The G Major chord (G) is made of G, B, D - 1 3 5. On a guitar in standard tuning the easiest way to play it is the open shape 320003, with no barre. Below are 3 shapes in all, from the lowest on the neck to the highest; the same chord sounds brighter the higher you play it.
E-shape barre, fret 3 355433
A-shape barre, fret 10 x(10)(12)(12)(12)(10)
Strings from the low E (left) to the high E (right). Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little. x = do not play the string, o = open string, a bar = one finger across several strings.
Notes
What notes are in G Major?
The G Major chord has 3 different notes: G, B, D. Root, major third (4 half steps up), perfect fifth (7). A guitar chord rarely has as many strings as notes, so shapes double some of them: the open chord sounds all six strings.
| Note | Interval from the root | Half steps |
|---|---|---|
| G | Root | 0 |
| B | Major 3rd | 4 |
| D | Perfect 5th | 7 |
Chords that go with it
Chords in the key of G major
The seven chords built on the G major scale, with the easiest shape of each. I, IV and V are the three major chords that carry most songs in this key; vi is its relative minor.
A progression to strum
- I - V - vi - IVG - D - Em - C
Songs
Songs with the G chord
Easy songs on this site that use G, with the chords over the lyrics and a guitar that plays along.
- Amazing Grace
- When the Saints Go Marching In
- Oh! Susanna
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
- Red River Valley
- Auld Lang Syne
- Silent Night
- Jingle Bells
- Happy Birthday
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
- Down in the Valley
- Oh My Darling, Clementine
- Danny Boy
- Scarborough Fair
- Greensleeves
- Michael, Row the Boat Ashore
- Yankee Doodle
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm
- London Bridge Is Falling Down
- This Old Man
- Hush, Little Baby
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas
- Away in a Manger
- Up on the Housetop
Questions
Frequently asked
How do you play G on guitar?
The open shape 320003: low E string fret 3 (finger 2), A string fret 2 (finger 1), high E string fret 3 (finger 3); let D and G and B ring open.
What notes are in the G Major chord?
The G Major chord (G) is made of G, B, D. Its formula is 1 3 5. On the guitar, some of those notes are played twice on different strings.
Is there a barre version of G?
Yes: e-shape barre, fret 3 (355433), and a-shape barre, fret 10 (x(10)(12)(12)(12)(10)). Barre shapes have no open strings, so you can cut the sound short with your fretting hand.
Keep playing
Strum G, then build a song around it
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