Open G Chords — Complete Guide to Every Shape

Table of Contents

Open G tuning (D–G–D–G–B–D) reorganises the guitar so that every chord type follows a logical, repeatable pattern. Once you understand how the open strings interact with fretted notes, you can build chords in any key with minimal finger movement. This guide covers every category of chord you’ll need — major, minor, dominant 7th, maj7, min7, and suspended — with shapes, diagrams, and the theory behind why they work.

Major Chords in Open G #

The defining feature of Open G chords is the one-finger barre. Because all six open strings form a G major chord, barring any fret gives you the major chord whose root falls on the G string (string 5) at that fret.

Open and First-Position Major Chords #

G major
G major open chord diagram — all open strings

All open strings

C major
C major chord diagram — x x 2 0 1 2

x · x · 2 · 0 · 1 · 2

D major
D major chord diagram — x x 0 2 3 4

x · x · 0 · 2 · 3 · 4

Moveable Major Barre Chords #

A barre across all six strings at fret n gives you the major chord whose name is the note on string 5 at that fret. This is the most important shape in Open G — it works in every key with one finger.

A major
A major barre chord diagram — barre fret 2

Barre fret 2

C major
C major barre chord diagram — barre fret 5

Barre fret 5

D major
D major barre chord diagram — barre fret 7

Barre fret 7

E major
E major barre chord diagram — barre fret 9

Barre fret 9

Major chord quick reference — all keys:

Key	Barre fret
G	0 (open)
G♯ / A♭	1
A	2
B♭	3
B	4
C	5
C♯ / D♭	6
D	7
E♭	8
E	9
F	10
F♯ / G♭	11

Minor Chords in Open G #

Minor chords in Open G use a two-finger moveable shape. The root falls on string 3 (G string). Index finger barres strings 5–3 at fret n, middle finger adds string 2 at fret n+1.

x · x · 7 · 5 · 5 · x

x · x · 9 · 7 · 7 · x

x · x · 5 · 5 · 4 · x

x · 7 · 7 · 7 · 6 · x

x · x · 2 · 0 · 0 · 0

x · x · 3 · 1 · 1 · x

Minor chord quick reference:

Chord	String 4 fret	String 3 fret	String 2 fret
Am	7	5	5
Bbm	8	6	6
Bm	9	7	7
Cm	—	5	5+1=6 — use x·x·5·5·4·x voicing
Dm	7	7	6
Em	2	0	0
Fm	3	1	1
Gm	—	3	4 — use x·x·3·3·3·2 voicing

Dominant 7th Chords in Open G #

Dominant 7th chords are essential for blues progressions. Each adds a flat 7th above the root.

0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 3

x · 2 · 2 · 0 · 2 · x

5 · 5 · 5 · 3 · 5 · x

x · x · 0 · 2 · 1 · 4

G7 is particularly useful — the open strings already give you a G major chord; adding your pinky at the 3rd fret on string 1 drops in the F note (flat 7th) with a single finger.

Maj7 and Min7 Chords in Open G #

These add colour and sophistication. The maj7 shape is based on the moveable major barre with one note dropped by a fret.

Gmaj7

x · x · 0 · 0 · 0 · 4

Cmaj7

x · 4 · 5 · 5 · 5 · x

Dmaj7

x · 6 · 7 · 7 · 7 · x

Em7

x · x · 2 · 0 · 0 · 0

Am7

x · 2 · 5 · 2 · 1 · x

Dm7

x · x · 0 · 5 · 6 · x

The moveable maj7 rule: for any major barre at fret n, place your index at fret n–1 on string 5 and barre strings 4–2 at fret n. This gives you maj7 in any key.

Suspended Chords in Open G #

Suspended chords replace the 3rd with a 2nd (sus2) or 4th (sus4) for an unresolved, floating quality.

Gsus2 — lift everything and let string 1 (open D) ring alongside the G chord:

String	6	5	4	3	2	1
Gsus2	0	0	0	0	0	0

This is just the open chord — in Open G, the open strings already include D, G, and B. The D on string 1 acts as the sus2 tone (the 2nd of G) if you treat it that way.

Dsus4 (at 7th position):

String	6	5	4	3	2	1
Dsus4	7	7	7	7	8	7

Barre fret 7, add pinky on string 2 at fret 8.

Common Chord Progressions in Open G #

These are the progressions you’ll see most frequently in Open G repertoire:

I–IV–V (blues/rock): G (open) → C (fret 5 barre) → D (fret 7 barre)

I–V–vi–IV (pop): G (open) → D (fret 7) → Em (x·x·2·0·0·0) → C (fret 5)

i–iv–V (minor blues): Am (x·x·7·5·5·x) → Dm (x·7·7·7·6·x) → E (fret 9 barre)

I–IIIm–IV–V (country/folk): G (open) → Bm (x·x·9·7·7·x) → C (fret 5) → D (fret 7)

Jazz ii–V–I in G: Am7 (x·2·5·2·1·x) → D7 (x·x·0·2·1·4) → Gmaj7 (x·x·0·0·0·4)

How Open G Chords Work — The Theory #

Every chord in Open G follows the same logic: the open strings (D–G–D–G–B–D) are always present as a harmonic foundation. Fretted notes either add to that foundation (creating new chord tones) or replace open notes (creating a fully fretted chord).

This is why a full barre always produces a major chord: you’re raising all six strings equally, preserving the major chord intervals. A partial barre on just strings 5–3 gives a three-note voicing using the middle strings, which stay identical to standard tuning — any chord shape you already know on the D, G, B strings works the same way here.

The minor and 7th shapes require one or two extra fingers because they need to alter specific intervals. The 3rd (the note that makes a chord major vs minor) sits on string 2 (B string), so modifying that string changes the chord quality.