A guitar chord chart is a visual representation of where to put your fingers to play a guitar chord. Chord charts are essential for guitarists of all levels because they’re a quick reference guide. Printable chord charts are convenient and accessible, and they allow you to create personalized chord libraries and song sheets.
Types of Printable Guitar Chord Charts
If you’re looking for a guitar chord chart you can print, you’ll find that they come in a couple of different varieties:
Blank chord charts
A blank chord chart is essentially a blank canvas you can use to customize chords and take notes. If you’re writing your own songs or transcribing songs you’ve heard, blank charts can be a great tool.
Blank charts come in different grid layouts, such as 2×3, 3×3, 3×4, 4×5, 5×5, or 5×6. Choose the layout that gives you the number of chords you need on a single page.
Pre-filled chord charts
Pre-filled charts typically show common chords such as major, minor, and seventh chords. These are especially helpful for beginners who are building their basic chord vocabulary.
You can also find specialized charts that focus on a specific genre or tuning, such as charts that feature barre chords, power chords, or chords in alternate tunings.
How to use guitar chord charts
Printable chord charts are a great tool for guitarists of all skill levels. Here are some things you can do with them:
- Learning new songs: Create individual chord charts for each song you want to learn. Write the chord names above the lyrics in your song sheets so you can easily reference the chords.
- Testing your knowledge: Fill in blank chord charts to test your understanding of chord shapes. Teachers can use these to evaluate their students, too.
- Recording musical ideas: Quickly jot down chord progressions and song ideas as they come to you. Use different colored pens to differentiate between sections of a song.
- Creating chord progression charts: Visualize common chord progressions for songwriting or improvisation. Experiment with different chord combinations and voicings.
Additional resources and considerations
Left-handed guitar chord charts
If you’re a southpaw, you’ll need a chart that’s designed for left-handed players. Fortunately, there are resources available, including left-handed guitar lessons and chord books.
Bass guitar chord charts
If you’re looking for bass guitar chord charts, you’ll find plenty of those too. Keep in mind that chord shapes and fingerings on a bass guitar are different from those on a standard guitar.
File format and printing
For best results, print your guitar chord charts as PDF files. You may also want to check your printer settings to make sure they’re optimized for a clear, easy-to-read printout.
In conclusion
Printable guitar chord charts are a free and easy way to learn guitar chords. They can be customized to your needs, and they’re useful for learning, practicing, and even writing songs.
So, explore the resources available, and find the charts that work best for you. Experiment with different layouts and types of charts, and update your chord library as you learn new songs and techniques.