Mandolin Chord Chart (Beginner Chords)
The first mandolin chords to learn are G (0 0 2 3), C (0 2 3 0) and D (2 0 0 2), written as frets on the G, D, A and E strings. Add Em, Am and the 7th chords D7 and G7 and you can play most folk songs in G. This chart shows 16 chords with diagrams, fingers and notes you can hear.
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses US music words (measure, quarter note, eighth note, staff); the UK version uses bar, crotchet, quaver and stave. · UK version of this page
Updated · By the Classfern Music Department
Key facts
- Chord shapes are written as four frets, from the G string (lowest) to the E string (highest): G = 0 0 2 3.
- Fret both strings of a pair with one fingertip, and strum all four pairs unless the chart says otherwise.
- Mandolin chords often have only three different notes; one note is doubled, sometimes in another octave.
- G, C and D are the I, IV and V chords in G major; D, G and A7 do the same job in D major.
- A 2 2 4 5 has no open strings, so it is a movable “chop” shape: slide it up one fret for B♭, two for B, three for C.
- The fingers in the chart: 1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, 4 = little finger.
Hear every mandolin chord
Classfern’s free mandolin chord chart on lessonplanner.info: press Strum to hear a chord from the G string to the E string, or Tremolo to hear it with fast picking. Self-assessed Play each chord on your mandolin and compare: do all eight strings ring clearly?
Major chords
- 0 0 2 3 (G D A E)
- 0 2 3 0 (G D A E)
- 2 0 0 2 (G D A E)
- 2 2 4 5 (G D A E)
- 1 2 2 0 (G D A E)
- 5 3 0 1 (G D A E)
Minor chords
- 0 2 2 0 (G D A E)
- 2 2 3 0 (G D A E)
- 2 0 0 1 (G D A E)
- 4 4 5 2 (G D A E)
7th chords
- 0 0 2 1 (G D A E)
- 3 2 3 0 (G D A E)
- 2 0 3 2 (G D A E)
- 2 2 4 3 (G D A E)
- 1 0 2 0 (G D A E)
- 2 1 2 2 (G D A E)
Chord changes
Sounds are made in your browser. This page never uses the microphone, and nothing is recorded or sent.
What are the basic mandolin chords?
The basic mandolin chords are G, C, D, A, E and F (major), Em, Am, Dm and Bm (minor), and the 7th chords G7, C7, D7, A7, E7 and B7. Begin with G, C and D, the three chords of the key of G.
| Chord | Frets (G D A E) | Fingers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | 0 0 2 3 | – – 1 2 | G3 D4 B4 G5 |
| C | 0 2 3 0 | – 1 2 – | G3 E4 C5 E5 |
| D | 2 0 0 2 | 1 – – 2 | A3 D4 A4 F♯5 |
| A | 2 2 4 5 | 1 2 3 4 | A3 E4 C♯5 A5 |
| E | 1 2 2 0 | 1 2 3 – | G♯3 E4 B4 E5 |
| F | 5 3 0 1 | 4 2 – 1 | C4 F4 A4 F5 |
| Em | 0 2 2 0 | – 1 2 – | G3 E4 B4 E5 |
| Am | 2 2 3 0 | 1 2 3 – | A3 E4 C5 E5 |
| Dm | 2 0 0 1 | 2 – – 1 | A3 D4 A4 F5 |
| Bm | 4 4 5 2 | 2 3 4 1 | B3 F♯4 D5 F♯5 |
| G7 | 0 0 2 1 | – – 2 1 | G3 D4 B4 F5 |
| C7 | 3 2 3 0 | 2 1 3 – | B♭3 E4 C5 E5 |
| D7 | 2 0 3 2 | 1 – 3 2 | A3 D4 C5 F♯5 |
| A7 | 2 2 4 3 | 1 2 4 3 | A3 E4 C♯5 G5 |
| E7 | 1 0 2 0 | 1 – 2 – | G♯3 D4 B4 E5 |
| B7 | 2 1 2 2 | 2 1 3 4 | A3 D♯4 B4 F♯5 |
In the fingers column, – means an open string. Each pair of strings is fretted with one finger.
How do you read a mandolin chord chart?
A mandolin chord diagram shows the neck upright: four vertical lines are the string pairs (G, D, A, E from left to right), the thick top line is the nut, and each dot shows where to press. The number in a dot is the finger, and an open circle means play the string open.
Written in text, a chord is four fret numbers from the G string to the E string: G is 0 0 2 3. In tab, the same chord is stacked in one column, with E on the top line: 3, 2, 0, 0 from the top down. The “2fr” next to a diagram means the top line is the 2nd fret, not the nut.
What is a chop chord on the mandolin?
A chop chord is a closed shape with no open strings, played as a short, muted off-beat in bluegrass. Strum it on beats 2 and 4 and lift the fingers slightly straight after, so the chord stops at once.
The A shape (2 2 4 5) is the easiest to start with. Because every string is fretted, sliding the whole shape up the neck gives every other major chord: 3 3 5 6 is B♭, 4 4 6 7 is B and 5 5 7 8 is C. The little-finger stretch takes practice, so start higher up the neck, where the frets are closer.
What chords do you need for songs in G?
For songs in G you need G, C and D (or D7), and often Em. These four chords play most folk songs, hymns and bluegrass tunes in G, including Amazing Grace and Auld Lang Syne.
Use the Chord changes buttons above to hear G, C, G, D7, G and other sequences, four strums each. Then play them yourself with a slow down strum on every beat. Practice the change from C to D, the hardest one for most beginners.
Practice plan for mandolin chords
- One minute per chord: G, C, D, Em. Strum four times and check every pair rings.
- Change G → C → G → D7 → G with four strums each, slowly.
- Add tremolo on each chord for four beats.
- Learn one new shape a week from the chart.
Self-assessed For tuning, tab and tremolo, go back to the free mandolin lessons.
Mandolin chords for each key
| Key | I | IV | V7 | Relative minor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G major | G | C | D7 | Em |
| D major | D | G | A7 | Bm |
| C major | C | F | G7 | Am |
| A major | A | D | E7 | – |
| E minor | Em | Am | B7 | (relative major: G) |
Quick quiz: mandolin chords
Six questions on shapes, notes and keys. Marked by Classfern Your score stays in this browser.
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