Mandolin Chord & Key Chart
The 5 chords you need to play songs in any of 6 keys.
How to read a chord diagram
- ●
- Press the string here. Number inside is the finger (1 = index, 4 = pinky).
- ○
- Play this string open (no fingers).
- ×
- Don’t play this string (mute it).
- G D A E
- The four courses of the mandolin, low to high.
- Nfr
- For chords higher up the neck, shows which fret the top of the diagram sits at.
Key of G
I · IV · V · V7 · vi
Click any chord to hear it strummed.
I: tonic, home
IV: subdominant, away
V: dominant, tension
V7: stronger pull home
vi: relative minor