G

G1B3D5

A major third and a perfect fifth over the root.

on guitar on piano the scale

Every fingering that fits a hand

Fig. 2

0232

open

Fig. 3

x775

easy

Fig. 4

cbaa

hard

Fig. 5

cbax

easy

Fig. 6

x77a

moderate · barre · no 5

What is true of it

G is G, B and D — 1, 3 and 5 counted from G.

On an instrument that cannot reach all 3, the 5 goes first, in that order.

The easiest of the 5 fingerings below is 0232: 3 fingers, held at the 2nd fret.

1 of them use open strings, which is what makes a shape quiet to change to.

1 of the 5 need a barre.

Where its notes are on the neck

Fig. 7 — first 12 frets

The brass dots are G, the root. Everything else is a chord tone with its degree printed in it.

With a different note underneath

first inversion

G/B

4232

second inversion

G/D

777x

An inversion is the same chord with a different note lowest. The name changes to a slash name because the bass is what a listener hears as the foundation.

G in other shapes

Gmminor Gdimdiminished Gaugaugmented G5power chord Gsus2suspended second Gsus4suspended fourth

C C♯D♭D D♯E♭E F all 374