Banjo Chord Finder
Every chord on the 5-string banjo, mapped across the whole neck in open G tuning. Pick a root and a chord type, see where the notes live, hear the chord, and start playing songs. Available for free on any device, anytime.
Tip: click any note on the neck to hear it. Notes with a white ring are one easy way to fret the chord. Frets 0 to 12 shown. Open G tuning (gDGBD), short 5th string starts at fret 5.
What are the basic banjo chords?
Most banjo songs are built on just three chords: G, C and D (or the easy D7). In standard open G tuning the banjo is tuned to a G major chord, so strumming the open strings with no fingers down already plays a G. That head start is why the banjo is one of the friendliest instruments for learning chords. Add C and D7, both two- and three-finger shapes, and you can play hundreds of bluegrass, folk and country songs. The finder above maps every major, minor and 7th chord across the whole neck so you can see where each chord tone lives and hear it.
The chords every banjo player learns first
G Major
The freebie. Open G tuning means all open strings are a G chord. Strum without fretting anything and you are already playing.
C Major
The first real shape to learn, and the IV chord in the key of G. Three fingers, and it appears in almost every song you will play.
D7
The easy two-finger D7 (it leans on the root and 7th and skips the 3rd). The V chord that pulls every song home to G.
D Major
The full D chord for when you want a brighter, stronger V. Work up to it after the easy D7 feels comfortable.
E minor
The most common minor chord in the key of G. Two fingers, and it adds the lonesome color you hear in countless bluegrass songs.
Movable shapes
The F, D and barre shapes contain no open strings, so you can slide them anywhere. Move the F-shape up two frets and it becomes G. That is how players chord up the neck.
How to use them
Start with the three-chord trick: G, C and D7 cover most bluegrass, folk and country songs in the key of G. Practice switching between them slowly with a simple strum or pinch pattern until your fingers land together, then add rolls once the changes feel automatic. Chords come before rolls: a clean G to C change will carry you further in a jam than a fast roll over the wrong chord.
Next, learn the movable shapes. The F-shape, D-shape and barre each contain the full chord with no open strings, so each shape becomes a different chord at every fret. One F-shape gives you all twelve major chords. The finder above shows why: pick any root and watch the same cluster of chord tones repeat up the neck.
The short 5th string is your drone. It rings a high G, which fits beautifully over G, C and E minor, and banjo players often just let it ring even when it is not in the chord. When a song moves to a distant key, players use a capo plus 5th-string spikes or a 5th-string capo to bring the drone along.
Banjo chord questions
What are the three basic banjo chords?
G, C and D (or the easy two-finger D7). In open G tuning, G is played with all open strings, and C and D7 need only two or three fingers. Those three chords cover most bluegrass, folk and country songs in the key of G.
What is the easiest chord to play on banjo?
G major. In standard open G tuning the banjo's open strings already form a G chord, so you play it without fretting anything at all.
How is a 5-string banjo tuned?
Standard tuning is open G: gDGBD. The 4th through 1st strings are D, G, B, D, and the short 5th string is a high G drone that starts at the 5th fret.
Do you strum chords on a banjo?
You can, and beginners often start that way. Bluegrass players usually play chords through fingerpicking rolls and backup vamping instead of strumming, while clawhammer players brush chords as part of the bum-ditty stroke. Either way, knowing the chord shapes comes first.
What is a movable chord shape on banjo?
A shape with no open strings, like the F-shape, D-shape or full barre. Because nothing is open, sliding the whole shape up one fret raises the chord one half step, so a single shape gives you every major chord on the neck.
Do banjo players use a capo?
Yes, very often. A capo lets you keep familiar open G shapes while playing in keys like A or B. Because the short 5th string starts at the 5th fret, players raise it separately with railroad spikes or a small 5th-string capo.
Are banjo chords the same as guitar chords?
The chords are the same musically, but the shapes are different because the banjo is tuned to an open G chord. Banjo shapes are generally easier: G is all open strings, and most first-position chords use only two or three fingers.
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