Guitar References

Included on this page is a collection of guitar references.  As an amateur musician trying to continue learning, these layouts are often helpful to refer to.  Guitar learning never ends!

Guitar Fretboard

Here is a simple layout that illustrates notes on a guitar fretboard without the sharps/flats included to make it somewhat easier to read.  This example utilizes standard guitar tuning E-A-D-G-B-E.

Notes on a Guitar Fretboard

Guitar Chords

The following diagrams illustrate some (but not all) Guitar Chords along with the individual notes that make up each chord.  Included in each group are open string chords and some barre chords.  Here are links to open guitar chord groups in A, B, C, D, E, F and G.

Chords in A

Chord - A Chord - A Chord - A
Chord - Am Chord - Am Chord - Am
Chord - A6 Chord - A6 Chord - A6
Chord - A7 Chord - A7 Chord - A7
Chord - A9 Chord - A9 Chord - A9
Chord - Am6 Chord - Am6 Chord - Am6
Chord - Am7 Chord - Am7 Chord - Am7
Chord - Amaj6 Chord - Amaj6 Chord - Amaj6
Chord - Amaj7 Chord - Amaj7 Chord - Amaj7

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Chords in B

Chord - B Chord - B Chord - B
Chord - Bm Chord - Bm Chord - Bm
Chord - B6 Chord - B6 Chord - B6
Chord - B7 Chord - AB Chord - B7
Chord - B9 Chord - B9 Chord - B9
Chord - Bm6 Chord - Bm6 Chord - Bm6
Chord - Bm7 Chord - Bm7 Chord - Bm7
Chord - Bmaj6 Chord - Bmaj6 Chord - Bmaj6
Chord - Bmaj7 Chord - Bmaj7 Chord - Bmaj7

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Chords in C

Chord - C Chord - C Chord - C
Chord - Cm Chord - Cm Chord - Cm
Chord - C6 Chord - C6 Chord - C6
Chord - C7 Chord - C7 Chord - C7
Chord - C9 Chord - C9 Chord - C9
Chord - Cm6 Chord - Cm6 Chord - Cm6
Chord - Cm7 Chord - Cm7 Chord - Cm7
Chord - Cmaj6 Chord - Cmaj6 Chord - Cmaj6
Chord - Cmaj7 Chord - Cmaj7 Chord - Cmaj7

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Chords in D

Chord - D Chord - D Chord - D
Chord - Dm Chord - Dm Chord - Dm
Chord - D6 Chord - D6 Chord - D6
Chord - D7 Chord - D7 Chord - D7
Chord - D9 Chord - D9 Chord - D9
Chord - Dm6 Chord - Dm6 Chord - Dm6
Chord - Dm7 Chord - Dm7 Chord - Dm7
Chord - Dmaj6 Chord - Dmaj6 Chord - Dmaj6
Chord - Dmaj7 Chord - Dmaj7 Chord - Dmaj7

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Chords in E

Chord - E Chord - E Chord - E
Chord - Em Chord - Em Chord - Em
Chord - E6 Chord - E6 Chord - E6
Chord - E7 Chord - E7 Chord - E7
Chord - E9 Chord - E9 Chord - E9
Chord - Em6 Chord - Em6 Chord - Em6
Chord - Em7 Chord - Em7 Chord - Em7
Chord - Emaj6 Chord - Emaj6 Chord - Emaj6
Chord - Emaj7 Chord - Emaj7 Chord - Emaj7

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Chords in F

Chord - F Chord - F Chord - F
Chord - Fm Chord - Fm Chord - Fm
Chord - F6 Chord - F6 Chord - F6
Chord - F7 Chord - F7 Chord - F7
Chord - F9 Chord - F9 Chord - F9
Chord - Fm6 Chord - Fm6 Chord - Fm6
Chord - Fm7 Chord - Fm7 Chord - Fm7
Chord - Fmaj6 Chord - Fmaj6 Chord - Fmaj6
Chord - Fmaj7 Chord - Fmaj7 Chord - Fmaj7

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Chords in G

Chord - G Chord - G Chord - G
Chord - Gm Chord - Gm Chord - Gm
Chord - G6 Chord - G6 Chord - G6
Chord - G7 Chord - G7 Chord - G7
Chord - G9 Chord - G9 Chord - G9
Chord - Gm6 Chord - Gm6 Chord - Gm6
Chord - Gm7 Chord - Gm7 Chord - Gm7
Chord - Gmaj6 Chord - Gmaj6 Chord - Gmaj6
Chord - Gmaj7 Chord - Gmaj7 Chord - Gmaj7

Minor Pentatonic Scale

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The following seven diagrams illustrate the Minor Pentatonic Scale on the fretboard in the key of "G".  The first five diagrams illustrate the five Minor Pentatonic Scale Positions and the last two show how all of the positions fit together on the fretboard.  The "R" represents the root note.

Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 1
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 2
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 3
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 4
Minor Pentatonic Scale - Position 5
Minor Pentatonic Scale - All Positions
Minor Pentatonic Scale - All Positions

Minor Scale

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The following seven diagrams illustrate the Minor Scale on the fretboard in the key of "F#".  The first five diagrams illustrate the five Minor Scale Positions and the last two show how all of the positions fit together on the fretboard.  The "R" represents the root note.

Minor Scale - Position 1
Minor Scale - Position 2
Minor Scale - Position 3
Minor Scale - Position 4
Minor Scale - Position 5
Minor Scale - All Positions
Minor Scale - All Positions

Major Pentatonic Scale

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The following seven diagrams illustrate the Major Pentatonic Scale on the fretboard in the key of "G".  The first five diagrams illustrate five Major Pentatonic Scale Positions and the last two show how all the positions fit together on the fretboard.  The "R" represents the root note.

Major Pentatonic Scale - Position 1
Major Pentatonic Scale - Position 2
Major Pentatonic Scale - Position 3
Major Pentatonic Scale - Position 4
Major Pentatonic Scale - Position 5
Major Pentatonic Scale - All Positions
Major Pentatonic Scale - All Positions

Major Scale

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The following seven diagrams illustrate the Major Scale on the fretboard in the key of "G".  The first five diagrams illustrate five Major Scale Positions and the last two show how all the positions fit together on the fretboard.  The "R" represents the root note.

Major Scale - Position 1
Major Scale - Position 2
Major Scale - Position 3
Major Scale - Position 4
Major Scale - Position 5
Major Scale - All Positions
Major Scale - All Positions

Circle of Fifths and More

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The following is a Circle of Fifths diagram along with a collection of tables with information about scales and much more.

Circle of Fifths

Major Scales and Notes

A Major

A

B

C♯

D

E

F♯

G♯

B Major

B

C♯

D♯

E

F♯

G♯

A♯

C Major

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

D Major

D

E

F♯

G

A

B

C♯

E Major

E

F♯

G♯

A

B

C♯

D♯

F Major

F

G

A

B♯

C

D

E

G Major

G

A

B

C

D

E

F♯

A♯ Major

A♯

B♯

C♯♯

D♯

E♯

F♯♯

G♯♯

C♯ Major

C♯

D♯

E♯

F♯

G♯

A♯

B♯

D♯ Major

D♯

E♯

F♯♯

G♯

A♯

B♯

C♯♯

F♯ Major

F♯

G♯

A♯

B

C♯

D♯

E♯

G♯ Major

G♯

A♯

B♯

C♯

D♯

E♯

F♯♯

A♭ Major

A♭

B♭

C

D♭

E♭

F

G

B♭ Major

B♭

C

D

E♭

F

G

A

D♭ Major

D♭

E♭

F

G♭

A♭

B♭

C

E♭ Major

E♭

F

G

A♭

B♭

C

D

G♭ Major

G♭

A♭

B♭

C♭

D♭

E♭

F

1 4 5 Chords in Major Keys

A Major

A

D

E

A♯ Major

A♯

D♯

E♯ (F)

B Major

B

E

F♯

C Major

C

F

G

C♯ Major

C♯

F♯

G♯

D Major

D

G

A

D♯ Major

D♯

G♯

A♯

E Major

E

A

B

F Major

F

B♭

C

F♯ Major

F♯

B

C♯

G Major

G

C

D

G♯ Major

G♯

C♯

D♯

Scale Formulas

Major scale

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Natural minor scale

1

2

♭3

4

5

♭6

♭7

Melodic minor scale

1

2

♭3

4

5

6

7

Harmonic minor scale

1

2

♭3

4

5

♭6

7

Minor pentatonic scale

1

♭3

4

5

♭6

Major pentatonic scale

1

2

3

4

5

Blues scale

1

♭3

4

♭5

5

♭7

Scale Formula Example in the Key of C

C Major scale

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

C Natural minor scale

C

D

E♭

F

G

A♭

B♭

C Melodic minor scale

C

D

E♭

F

G

A

B

C Harmonic minor scale

C

D

E♭

F

G

A♭

B

C Minor pentatonic scale

C

E♭

F

G

B♭

C Major pentatonic scale

C

D

E

G

A

C Blues scale

C

E♭

F

G♭

G

B♭

Relative Major and Minor Examples

Scale Degree

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

A Major

A

B

C♯

D

E

F♯

G♯

A Natural Minor

A

B

C (♭3)

D

E

F (♭6)

G (♭7)

Scale Degree

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

A Major

A

B

C♯

D

E

F♯

G♯

F♯ Minor

F♯

G♯

A

B

C♯

D

E

Scale Degree

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

C Major

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

A Minor

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Scale Degree

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

F Major

F

G

A

B♭

C

D

F

D Minor

D

E

F

G

A

B♭

C

Scale Degree

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

G Major

G

A

B

C

D

E

F♯

E Minor

E

F♯

G

A

B

C

D

Relative Keys

Major

A

B♭

B

C

D♭

D

E♭

E

F

F♯

G

A♭

Minor

F♯m

Gm

G♯m

Am

B♭m

Bm

Cm

C♯m

Dm

D♯m

Em

Fm

Intervals Example

Scale Degree

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Interval

Unison

Major 2nd

Major 3rd

Perfect 4th

Perfect 5th

Major 6th

Major 7th

C Major Notes

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

Modes

Example in the key of C major

C major scale notes:  C  D  E  F  G  A  B

1:  C Ionian

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

2:  D Dorian

D

E

F

G

A

B

C

3:  E Phrygian

E

F

G

A

B

C

D

4:  F Lydian

F

G

A

B

C

D

E

5:  G Mixolydian

G

A

B

C

D

E

F

6:  A Aeolian

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

7:  B Locrian

B

C

D

E

F

G

A

Example in the key of A major

A major scale notes:  A  B  C♯  D  E  F♯  G♯

1:  A Ionian

A

B

C♯

D

E

F♯

G♯

2:  B Dorian

B

C♯

D

E

F♯

G♯

A

3:  C Phrygian

C♯

D

E

F♯

G♯

A

B

4:  D Lydian

D

E

F♯

G♯

A

B

C♯

5:  E Mixolydian

E

F♯

G♯

A

B

C♯

D

6:  F Aeolian

F♯

G♯

A

B

C♯

D

E

7:  G Locrian

G♯

A

B

C♯

D

E

F♯

7th Chords Formulas

Major 7

1

3

5

7

Dominant 7

1

3

5

♭7

Minor 7

1

♭3

5

♭7

Half-diminished 7

1

♭3

♭5

♭7

Fully Diminished 7

1

♭3

♭5

♭♭7

Minor-Major 7

1

♭3

5

7

7th Chords Examples

Cmaj7

C

E

G

B

G7

G

B

D

F

Cm7

C

E♭

G

B♭

Gm7♭5

G

B♭

D♭

F

Co7

C

E♭

G♭

B♭♭

Gm(△7)

G

B♭

D

F♯


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