Printable

One-page reference sheet

Print this page or save it as a PDF to keep beside your guitar — essential chords, the pentatonic box, tuning, and the progressions worth memorizing, all on one sheet. Use your browser's print dialog and choose "Save as PDF."

Guitar quick reference

Learn Guitar Hub · essentials on one page

Essential open chords

Minor pentatonic (box 1)

Shown at fret 5 = A minor pentatonic. Slide the whole shape to change key. Roots in red.

Standard tuning

StringNote
6 (thick)E
5A
4D
3G
2B
1 (thin)e

"Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie."

Progressions to know

NameIn C
I–IV–VC F G
I–V–vi–IVC G Am F
ii–V–IDm G C
I–vi–IV–VC Am F G
12-bar blues (E)E–A–E / B7–A–E

Chords in a major key

NumeralQuality
Imajor
iiminor
iiiminor
IVmajor
Vmajor
viminor
vii°diminished

Strumming & count

Classic pattern: D  D U  U D U — count "1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &", keep the hand moving even when not striking. Eighth notes: "1&2&3&4&". Sixteenths: "1 e & a".

Tip: in the print dialog, set margins to "Default" and enable "Background graphics" so the chord diagrams print clearly.