Article
How to Read Guitar Chord Diagrams
Learn how to read guitar chord diagrams quickly. Understand dots, numbers, Xs, Os, and finger positions so you can play any chord chart at sight.
A/E guitar shapes
Popular fretboard positions with fingering suggestions
Showing 8 of 188 playable shapes
About the chord
A major / E (2nd inversion)
The A major major chord, built from the root (A major), major third C♯, and perfect fifth E, delivers a bright, harmonious sound that feels resolved and complete. Its balanced structure makes it the foundation of Western harmony, widely used across all genres to convey joy, strength, and stability. With E in the bass, this voicing functions as the 2nd inversion of A major.
Root note: A
Bass note: E
Chord tones: 3
Playable shapes: 188
Chord tones
AC♯E
Notes & Intervals
Each note below shows how the chord is built from its root. This is the theory layer underneath the fretboard shapes.
A Unison (Root) 1
The root anchors the chord and defines its tonal center.
C♯ Major Third 3
This note defines the chord's major quality and brings brightness to the sound.
E Perfect Fifth 5
The fifth reinforces stability and gives the chord its strong harmonic frame.
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