Chord Types 

What chords types do you really need to know to play most of your favorite songs?

The following tables contain the thirty chord types and examples of the chords you will most often encounter in popular music. These are the chord types you need to know to play most of your favorite songs. The first nine columns contain chords types that you will encounter often. The last column, Misc., you will not see too often and you can learn them later. Columns 1-9 contain chord types that have multiple functions so when you learn the fingering for the first chord type in the group you also know the fingering for the other chord types. For example, when you know the fingering for the major sixth chord you also know the minor seventh, major ninth and eleventh chords by just changing the bass note on the left hand. So by fingering the first chord in the first nine types you know the fingering for twenty-five of the thirty chord types that you need to learn.

 The following is an analysis of the nine chord types that have multiple functions. 

Chord Types Summary 

Learn the fingering for all the 7th chords (7th, Maj7, m7th, m7-5, mM7, dim7, 7sus4, 7+5, 7-5.)

Then,

When you see a 9th chord remember it has the same fingering as a 7th chord that you already know a 3rd up.

When you see an 11th chord remember it has the same fingering as a 7th chord that you already know a 5th up.

When you see an 13th chord remember it has the same fingering as a 7th chord that you already know a 7th up.

When you see a 6th chord remember it has the same fingering as a 7th chord that you already know a 3rd down.