Guitar Chord Reference + Pentatonic Patterns

1 = root, chord name note

3 = major colour, ♭3 = minor colour

5 = stable support note

7 = dreamy major7, ♭7 = bluesy/minor7

All chords

No chord found. Try searching just the root, like “A”, “C”, or “G”.

What do 1, 3, 5, 7 mean?

They are note positions from the chord’s scale. For C major scale: C D E F G A B. So 1 = C, 3 = E, 5 = G, 7 = B. That is why Cmaj7 = C + E + G + B.

If the number has a flat sign, like ♭3 or ♭7, it means lower that note by one fret.

How to read the diagrams

Chord shape: vertical lines are strings from low E A D G B e. A dot means press that fret.

Pentatonic box: play the dots from low string to high string. Gold dots are root notes.

O openX muteR root8fr starts around fret 8

Which pentatonic should I use?

For major, maj7, sus/add: use matching major pentatonic.
For minor and min7: use matching minor pentatonic.
For 7 chords: major pentatonic is safe. Minor pentatonic gives a blues sound.

Useful progressions

Simple popG → D → Em → C

Smooth pop / lo-fiCmaj7 → Gmaj7 → Am7 → Fmaj7

R&B / neo-soul starterAm7 → Dm7 → G7 → Cmaj7