Chord diagrams are a notation indicating the placement of the fretting hand fingers at particular strings and frets. There are two common ways to write a chord diagram. The most common way is to arrange the diagram so that the strings are represented by vertical lines. However, I use chord diagrams with a horizontal orientation to provide consistency with the tablature notation.
In horizontal chord diagrams, such as those used throughout this series, the line at the bottom of the chart is string 6, low E, the thickest string. The line at the top of the chart is string 1, high E, the thinnest string. The frets are represented as the columns in between two vertical lines. Unless otherwise indicated, the column to the left is fret 1, and the frets go up in number from left to right.
Dots on the grid indicate the placement of the fretting hand fingers. For example, a dot on the second line from the top in the second column represents string 2, fret 2. A 0 to the left of a horizontal line indicates an open (unfretted) string. An X to the left of a horizontal line indicates a string that is not played.
Chord diagrams indicate groups of notes that are played simultaneously.
The chord diagrams above are the same three chords shown above in stacked tablature.
