How to play C (C Major) on Guitar
Diagram, notes, and audio for the C chord on guitar. Free in your browser.
About C on guitar
C major on guitar is the canonical open chord — C, E, G — fingered with the third finger on the 3rd fret of the A string, second finger on the 2nd fret of the D string, and first finger on the 1st fret of the B string, leaving the G and high E strings open. The low E is muted or skipped. It is the first chord most teachers introduce because every note maps to a piano-friendly white-key voicing.
C is the I chord in the key of C major (no sharps, no flats), the IV chord in G major, and the V chord in F major. Almost every beginner songbook lives somewhere in this triangle, so learning to switch cleanly between C, F, and G unlocks hundreds of songs. Common C-rooted progressions include I-V-vi-IV (C-G-Am-F) and 50s doo-wop (C-Am-F-G), both staples of pop and folk.
The open C voicing is also a building block of the CAGED system. By moving this shape up the neck and adding a barre with the index finger, you can play any major chord — D, E, F, G, A, B and all the sharps in between — using the same finger pattern. Internalising the open C is therefore an investment that pays off across the entire fretboard.
Frequently asked questions
- Which strings do I play for an open C major?
- Strum the bottom five strings — A, D, G, B, and high E — and skip the low E. The open G and open high E strings ring as part of the chord.
- Why does my C major sound muddy?
- Press your fingertips close to the frets and arch them so they don't deaden adjacent strings. The 1st-fret B note in particular needs a clean pressure angle.
- What's the difference between C major and Cadd9?
- Cadd9 adds a D note (the 9th) on top of the C-E-G triad. On guitar Cadd9 is often played by moving the third finger from the 3rd fret of the A string to the 3rd fret of the B string.
Switch instruments
See C on a different instrument — same chord, new diagram.