Pick a chord and see every way to hold it, drawn as real chord boxes with finger numbers, each note coloured by what it is doing.
Reading the diagrams
Strings and fretsLow E is on the left, high E on the right, exactly as a chord chart in a songbook. Frets run downward. A thick line at the top is the nut; otherwise the number on the left tells you which fret the box starts at.
The number in a dotis the finger: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. A pale bar across several strings is a barre — one finger lying flat across all of them.
The colour of a dotis the note's job in the chord, not its name. Amber roots are your anchors. If a shape feels like a jumble, find the amber dot first and the rest falls into place around it.
Above the nuta red × is a string you don't play — mute it with the edge of a finger or just miss it. A ring is an open string that rings, coloured by its role like any other note.
Under the boxthe note each string sounds, then its interval — R for root, 3 or ♭3 for the third, and so on. Read those left to right and you can hear the chord before you play it.
Same chord, different soundEvery card is the same handful of notes in a different order and register. Press ▶ Hear it on two of them back to back: that difference in colour is the whole reason to learn more than one.
Why Learn Multiple Voicings?
Barre chords are exhausting. They're powerful, but if they're all you know, your hand fatigues fast and your playing stays locked in one area of the neck.
Learning multiple voicings for the same chord gives you:
- Physical relief — Easier fingerings that give your hand a break
- Tonal variety — Different voicings have different textures (bright, warm, thick, thin)
- Fretboard freedom — Play the same progression in multiple positions
- Voice leading — Smooth transitions between chords with minimal hand movement
The pattern: Most chord shapes can be moved up and down the neck. A shape learned at the 3rd fret works at the 7th fret too — just different notes. The neck map above shows you exactly why: the same coloured pattern repeats.
How to Actually Use This
Don't just memorize shapes. Train your ear and muscle memory together.
5-Minute Daily Practice Routine
- Pick one chord (start simple — C major, G major, D major)
- Play 3 different voicings of that chord up the neck — use the Low, Middle and High filters
- Listen to the difference — Which sounds brighter? Warmer? Fuller? Press ▶ on each card and then match it
- Connect them — Practice moving smoothly between voicings
- Use them in a song — Pick a key up top, tap through I – vi – IV – V, and play each chord from the same part of the neck
Voicing Families (The Practical System)
CAGED System — Five shapes that cover the entire fretboard:
- C shape — Open C major chord form, moveable
- A shape — Based on open A major, often barred; root on the 5th string
- G shape — Open G major form, trickier but useful
- E shape — The classic barre chord, root on the 6th string
- D shape — Based on open D major, root on the 4th string
Start here: Learn the E and A shapes first (they're the most common barre chords). Then add D shape voicings — they're easier on your hand and sound great for rhythm playing. Each card says which string its root sits on, which is how you tell the shapes apart.
Voice Leading: The Secret to Smooth Playing
Voice leading means choosing voicings where notes move as little as possible between chords.
Example: Playing C → Am → F → G
- Bad: Open C → 5th fret Am barre → 1st fret F barre → Open G (hand jumps all over)
- Good: 3rd fret C shape → 5th fret Am → 1st fret F → 3rd fret G (smooth movement, minimal jumping)
When you pick voicings that are close together on the neck, chord changes feel effortless and sound connected. Pick a key above and use the same neck filter for every chord in the progression.
Practical Tips for Learning
1. Start with triads (3-note chords)
They're easier to finger and you can move them around faster than full 6-string chords. The Small shapes filter is those.
2. Focus on string sets
Practice voicings on just the top 4 strings (D-G-B-E), or middle 4 strings (A-D-G-B). This makes chord changes cleaner in context.
3. Use them in songs immediately
Don't drill shapes in isolation. Take a song you know and experiment with different voicings for each chord.
4. Notice what sounds good
Some voicings are bright and jangly (open strings, high register). Others are thick and warm (low register, no open strings). Use this intentionally.
2-Week Challenge
- Week 1: Learn 3 voicings for C, G, and D major. Practice connecting them smoothly.
- Week 2: Take a simple song (e.g., "Let It Be", "Wonderwall", "Horse With No Name") and play it using voicings up the neck instead of open chords.
Result: You'll start hearing the fretboard as a landscape of possibilities instead of fixed shapes.
When to Use Each Voicing Type
Open voicings (with open strings):
Bright, ringing, great for acoustic and clean electric. Hard to move around.
Barre chords:
Moveable, full-sounding, but tiring. Use when you need power or need to move quickly.
Partial chords (3-4 strings):
Easier to finger, cleaner in a band mix, perfect for rhythm playing and funk.
High-register voicings (above 7th fret):
Bright, cutting, great for leads or when you want chords to sit above a bass line.
The real goal: You want to be able to see a chord symbol (e.g., "Dm7") and instantly have 3-5 places you could play it on the neck. Then you choose based on context — what came before, what's coming next, and what tone you want.