Chord guide

Banjo Chords for Beginners

Most folk and bluegrass banjo players use open G tuning, where strumming the open strings already gives you a G chord. With the eight shapes on this page you can play hundreds of traditional songs.

Tuning: Open G: g D G B D (5th string to 1st)
Strings shown: 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st (the short 5th string is left open)
First three chords: G, C and D
Read the numbers: Fret to hold down; 0 means open

Open G tuning

A five-string banjo in open G is tuned, from the short 5th string to the 1st string, to g, D, G, B, D. The 5th string is a high drone that is usually played open, so the chord shapes below show only the four long strings, written 4th string first.

Chord chart

Each diagram shows the strings as vertical lines (4th string on the left) and the frets as horizontal lines; a dot is where a finger goes and an open circle means play the string open.

0-0-0-0

2-0-1-2

4-2-3-4

0-0-0-3

2-0-0-2

2-2-1-2

3-2-1-3

2-2-2-2

Chord	4th	3rd	2nd	1st	Notes
G	0	0	0	0	All four strings open: the home chord of open G
C	2	0	1	2	E, G, C, E
D	4	2	3	4	F#, A, D, F#
G7	0	0	0	3	Open strings with F on the 1st string
Em	2	0	0	2	E, G, B, E
Am	2	2	1	2	E, A, C, E
F	3	2	1	3	F, A, C, F
A	2	2	2	2	One finger across all four strings

Tips

Start with G, C and D. These three chords cover a huge number of folk songs in the key of G, from Wildwood Flower to This Land Is Your Land.
Watch the 5th string. The open g fits G, C, Em and G7. Over chords without a G note, such as D, F, A and Am, it can clash, so many players simply leave it out on those chords.
The D shape moves. Slide the D shape (4-2-3-4) two frets down and you get C; two frets up and you get E.
Clawhammer or three-finger? The same chord shapes work for both old-time clawhammer and bluegrass three-finger rolls.

Songs to practise

Three chords (G, C, D): Cripple Creek · Keep on the Sunny Side · Can the Circle Be Unbroken · Red River Valley.

Also see our mandolin chord chart.