C Guitar Chord
in Special Tunings
Learn to find C major by hand in standard tuning, Open C, and All Fourths tuning. Then check any shape against an interactive chord diagram.
Any shape that sounds only these notes is a C major chord.
The three notes behind every C major chord
A C major chord is built from three notes: C, E, and G. The chord name tells you the root (C), and the chord quality tells you the rest. Major means the third sits four half steps above the root, which is the E.
Because the notes are the same in every tuning, you do not need to memorize a new shape for each tuning. You need to find the C, E, and G that each tuning gives you.
Step 1: Name the open string notes in your tuning
Start with the notes your open strings produce. Write them from the lowest string to the highest string.
| Tuning | Open string notes, lowest to highest | Notes that make C major |
|---|---|---|
| Standard EADGBE | E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4 | E, G, C |
| Open C | C2, G2, C3, G3, C4, E4 | C, G, E |
| All Fourths | C2, F2, Bb2, Eb3, Ab3, Db4 | C, E, G |
Step 2: Find C, E, and G on the fretboard
Each fret raises a string by one half step. Count the frets from an open string to find the other notes. For example, on a standard E string, the C is at fret 8.
Name the open string note on each string.
Find the nearest C, E, and G on the strings you plan to play.
Choose at least three strings that include all three note names.
Mute the strings you do not want to sound.
Step 3: Play C major in each tuning
Standard EADGBE
Use the common open C shape. Mute the low E string. A string fret 3 (C), D string fret 2 (E), G string open (G), B string fret 1 (C), high E string open (E).
Open C
Strum all six open strings. In Open C tuning, the open strings already sound a C major chord, so no fretting is needed to play the full chord. Notes: C, G, C, G, C, E.
All Fourths
Play the four lowest strings and mute the two highest. Index finger across fret 2 of the F and Bb strings. Middle finger on fret 1 of the Eb string. Notes: C (open), G (F string fret 2), C (Bb string fret 2), E (Eb string fret 1).
What changes from one tuning to the next
The note names stay the same, but their string locations move. In standard tuning, the shape is fretted and uses the low E string muted. In Open C, the same three notes are already sitting on the open strings.
In All Fourths, the notes are spread across different strings, so the shape you know from standard tuning will not sound right. The lesson is the same in each case: name the notes first, then choose the shape.
A practical order for learning open chords
Learn the open chords C, G, D, E minor, and A minor first. They are the most common starting shapes, and they make barre chords easier to understand later.
Tune the strings before you check the shape
A chord only sounds right when each string is tuned to the note you planned. Use the free browser tuner to check each string against its target note.
Tune your guitar with the tunerFree, browser-based. No account or app download required.
Check your shape against an interactive chord diagram
Confirm the finger positions for each variation and hear the notes before you play them. Use it to confirm the notes you found by hand.