C/G Chord
Open PositionThe open C chord with G added on the low E. The ring finger moves from the A string to the low E at fret 3 (G), the pinky takes over the A string at fret 3 (C), the middle stays on the D string at fret 2 (E) and the index on the B string at fret 1 (C). All six strings ring.
C/G Chord
3rd Fret · D-String BassThe top four strings of the A-shape C barre, with the A string left out so that G is the lowest note. Ring finger flat across the D, G and B strings at fret 5 (G, C and E), index on the high e at fret 3 (G). Keep the low E and A silent — open, the A string sounds an A, which is not in the chord.
C/G Chord
3rd Fret · Six-String BarreThe A-shape C barre at fret 3 with the index laid across all six strings, so the low E sounds G under the chord. Index across fret 3, ring finger flat across the D, G and B strings at fret 5. The full, heavy version — the low G gives it weight.
Move one finger
From open C, move the ring finger from the A string to the low E at fret 3 and add the pinky on the A string at fret 3. Some players skip the pinky and play 3-x-2-0-1-0, muting the A string — also C/G.
Alternate the bass
Pick the A string (C) on beat 1 and the low E (G) on beat 3, strumming in between. That is the standard folk and country accompaniment for C, and the G beats are C/G.
Hear the cadence
Play F – C/G – G7 – C. The C/G is a C chord that behaves like a G: it leans forward instead of settling, and G7 – C finishes the move.
Second inversion
C/G has the 5th of the chord in the bass. That is second inversion — the least settled of the three positions, which is exactly why it pulls toward the next chord.
Keep the A string quiet
In the four-string shape the A string must not ring: open it is an A, which is not in the chord, and fretted at 3 it is C, which puts the root back in the bass and turns C/G into plain C.
About the C/G Chord on Guitar
The C/G chord — said "C over G" — is a C major chord with G as its lowest note. The notes are the same as C (C, E and G); G, the 5th, is simply moved to the bottom, which makes it C in second inversion. On guitar the open version is one finger away from a normal C: move the ring finger to the low E at fret 3 and cover the A string with the pinky. Because the bass is on the 5th, C/G sounds like it is going somewhere. Classical harmony uses exactly that in the cadence C/G – G7 – C, and folk and country guitarists play it every time they alternate the bass between C and G under a C chord. This page covers three voicings: the open shape, a four-string shape at fret 3, and the six-string barre at fret 3. Every diagram is interactive and playable with acoustic guitar sound.
- 013 C/G chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Built from 3 notes: C, E and G, with G in the bass
- 05Open, four-string, and six-string barre voicings
- 06Difficulty rating on every shape
- 07Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 3 notes that form the C/G chord and their role in the major scale.
C/G is a C major triad — root, major third, perfect fifth — with its 5th, G, as the lowest note. That is C in second inversion: the same notes as C, in the position that sounds least settled.
Frequently Asked Questions
3-3-2-0-1-0 — the open C with the ring finger moved to the low E at fret 3 and the pinky on the A string at fret 3.
C over G: a C major chord with G as the lowest note.
Yes — second inversion. G is the 5th of C, and it is in the bass.
Leading into G or G7 (F – C/G – G7 – C), and on the G beats when you alternate the bass under a C chord.