Shape characteristics
Barre chord
Your first finger flattens across multiple strings at the same fret. Movable up and down the neck to any key without changing the shape.
First position · fret 3-6
Sits near the nut where frets are widest. Lower string tension makes it easier to fret cleanly, a comfortable choice for singer-songwriter strumming and beginner-friendly progressions.
Full six-string voicing
All six strings ring, giving you the biggest, most resonant version of this chord, ideal for strumming and solo acoustic contexts.
Bass: G · Top: B♭
The 5th is in the bass, giving an open, unresolved feel that often precedes a strong resolution back to root position.
Compared to Shape 332320 , this voicing uses an open chord and sits lower on the neck (starting at fret 2).
How to play this shape
- 1 Place the 1st finger on the 3rd fret of the 6th string
- 2 Place the 2nd finger on the 4th fret of the 5th string
- 3 Place the 3rd finger on the 5th fret of the 2nd string, 3rd string, and 4th string in barre position
- 4 Place the 4th finger on the 6th fret of the 1st string
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "345556" mean?
The sequence 345556 is a highly compact guitar chord notation. It represents the fret played on each of the 6 strings, reading left-to-right from the thickest (lowest pitch) string to the thinnest (highest pitch) string: E, A, D, G, B, e.
- x means the string is muted or skipped entirely.
- 0 means the string is played "open" (without pressing over a fret).
- 1-9 represent standard fret numbers 1 to 9.
- a, b, c... represent frets 10, 11, 12, and higher (where a=10, b=11, c=12).
Can I play this C7♭9/G shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a C7♭9/G chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for C7♭9/G. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
Other shapes
Showing 8 of 13 playable shapes