G/B Chord
Open PositionOpen G with the low E left out, so the B on the A string becomes the bass. Index on the A string at fret 2, ring on the high e at fret 3, and the D, G and B strings open. From a normal G, just lift the finger off the low E and let the index tip rest against it to mute it.
G/B Chord
Open Position · With D on TopThe same idea from the four-finger G, the one with D on the B string: index on the A string at fret 2, ring on the B string at fret 3, pinky on the high e at fret 3. The extra D fills out the top of the chord. Keep the low E muted.
G/B Chord
5th Fret · E-String BassA four-note closed shape with B on the low E at fret 7. Middle finger on the low E at fret 7, index on the D string at fret 5 (G), ring on the G string at fret 7 (D), pinky on the B string at fret 8 (G). The underside of the middle finger mutes the A string; keep the high e out.
G/B Chord
7th Fret · D-String BassThe four-string first-inversion grip: index flat across the G, B and high e strings at fret 7, middle on the B string at fret 8, ring on the D string at fret 9 for B in the bass. The same grip as D/F# at fret 2, moved up five frets.
Lift one finger
From open G, take the finger off the low E and mute that string. The index on the A string at fret 2 is now the bass note, B.
Walk down from C
C – G/B – Am – F is the classic use. Listen to the bass: C, B, A, F.
Mute the low E
The open low E is not in a G chord — let it ring and the chord turns into something closer to Em. Rest the index tip against it.
Not Bm
Bm has F# where G/B has G. If the chart says G/B, keep the G on top — it is still a G chord.
Moveable shapes
The fret-5 and fret-7 shapes use no open strings. Two frets up, both become A/C#.
About the G/B Chord on Guitar
The G/B chord — said "G over B" — is a G major chord with B as its lowest note. It has the same three notes as G (G, B and D); B, the 3rd, is moved to the bottom, which makes it G in first inversion. On guitar it could hardly be easier: play an open G, lift the finger off the low E and mute that string, and the B on the A string becomes the bass. Its classic job is the walk-down in the key of C — C – G/B – Am moves the bass C–B–A one step at a time, the same move D/F# makes in G. It is not Bm: Bm has F# where G/B has G. This page covers four voicings: two open shapes, a four-note shape with B on the low E at fret 7, and a four-string shape at fret 7. Every diagram is interactive and playable with acoustic guitar sound.
- 014 G/B chord shapes from beginner to intermediate
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Built from 3 notes: G, B and D, with B in the bass
- 05Two open voicings, plus E-string bass and D-string bass shapes
- 06Difficulty rating on every shape
- 07Free — no sign-up or download needed
ANATOMY
Chord Tones
The 3 notes that form the G/B chord and their role in the major scale.
G/B is a G major triad — root, major third, perfect fifth — with its 3rd, B, as the lowest note. That is G in first inversion: the notes of G, with B on the bottom.
Frequently Asked Questions
x-2-0-0-0-3 — open G with the low E muted, so the B on the A string at fret 2 is the bass.
G over B: a G major chord with B as the lowest note.
No. G/B is B, D and G; Bm is B, D and F#.
In the key of C, between C and Am — C – G/B – Am walks the bass down C–B–A.