C major (C) chord on mandolin

Major triad on C: the notes of the C chord are C – E – G.

Dots show:

Basic shapeeasy

Position 5easy

Position 8medium

Position 10easy

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

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What the C chord sounds like

A major triad sounds stable and bright: root, major third and perfect fifth. Most songs are built on major chords – in a major key, chords I, IV and V are all major.

Notes of the C chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C	root
3	E	major third (4 semitones)
5	G	perfect fifth (7 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (E): open (E5)
String 2 (A): fret 3, middle finger (C5)
String 3 (D): fret 2, index finger (E4)
String 4 (G): open (G3)

Position 5, barre at fret 5

String 1 (E): open (E5)
String 2 (A): fret 7, ring finger (E5)
String 3 (D): fret 5, index finger (G4)
String 4 (G): fret 5, index finger (C4)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 5; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Position 8

String 1 (E): fret 8, index finger (C6)
String 2 (A): fret 10, little finger (G5)
String 3 (D): fret 10, ring finger (C5)
String 4 (G): fret 9, middle finger (E4)

Tuning: G D A E, like a violin; every note is a pair of strings that you fret together. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The C chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

C major: I (tonic)
F major: V (dominant)
G major: IV (subdominant)
F minor: V (dominant)
D minor: VII
A minor: III
E minor: VI

Similar chords and substitutes

If C is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

Am – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
Em – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Cmaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Csus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Richer versions

C7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Cmaj7 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
C6 – the same chord plus 1 colour note
Cadd9 – the same chord plus 1 colour note

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C chord?

C, E, G. The root is C; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth.

What is the easiest way to play C on mandolin?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”, rated easy. We show 4 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

How is the C chord written?

The chord symbol is C, and its full name is C major.