Chapter 14: The 7 Diatonic Chords - G String. 3 More Shapes to Continue the Conquest.

You are on an absolute roll! You've gotten comfortable with the E, A, and D strings, and you’ve seen how our simple system works wonders. So, let's keep that great momentum going and continue exploring the fretboard. We're not adding any new theory—we're just taking our proven approach to a new string. You’ll learn three more simple, movable shapes that will let you play every chord in the key of C with its root note on the G-string.

With every new set of shapes, your creative possibilities just keep growing. You're building an amazing vocabulary that will help you express yourself on the guitar.

12 Shapes → 7 Diatonic Chords × 12 Keys × 4 Voicings = 336 Chord Options

Ready to dive in? Let's get started.

Our System: Three New Shapes for the G-String

This is the next step in our journey. Three new shapes that give us those same three emotional colors, now built for the G-string.

• The G-String Major Shape: This is your "happy," "strong," and "resolved" chord for this position.
• The G-String Minor Shape: Your go-to for that "sad," "serious," or "melancholy" feeling.
• The G-String Diminished Shape: And this one is perfect for creating "tension" or "unstable" sounds.

The system is still the same simple idea: find the root note of the chord you want on the G-string, and then apply the shape that fits the mood. That's all there is to it!

Putting It Into Action: Finding C Major on the G-String

You know the pattern well by now: Major, minor, minor, Major, Major, minor, diminished. Now, let’s find where our three new shapes live on the G-string.

The Majors (I, IV, V): C, F, G

Let's find C (5th fret), F (10th fret), and G (which is the open string, or you can play it at the 12th fret). They're colored in red on the diagram.

Now, apply the G-String Major Shape to each one.

And just like that, you've discovered a fourth position for all the major chords in the key!

The Minors (ii, iii, vi): Dm, Em, Am