Guitar Chords — Open C
6-string tuning: C-G-C-G-C-E — Massive sonic range for cinematic fingerstyle and heavy progressive music
About Open C Tuning on Guitar
Open C tuning (C-G-C-G-C-E) produces a C major chord when strummed open, with an enormous bass depth from the low C string (two whole steps below standard E). The tuning spans a vast tonal range that gives compositions an almost orchestral scope, making it a favorite for both delicate fingerstyle and crushing heavy music.
John Butler's 'Ocean' — one of the most famous modern fingerstyle compositions — is performed in Open C, showcasing the tuning's incredible dynamic range from thundering bass to shimmering harmonics. Devin Townsend uses Open C extensively across his catalog for its massive, wall-of-sound potential. Jimmy Page used it on Led Zeppelin's 'Friends' from Led Zeppelin III. Soundgarden also explored Open C. The three C strings and two G strings create powerful octave resonances that make even simple chord shapes sound huge.
Notable artists: John Butler, Devin Townsend, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Soundgarden, William Ackerman
Best for: Cinematic fingerstyle compositions, progressive metal walls of sound, post-rock textures, and any music that needs enormous tonal range from deep bass to bright treble
Browse 324 guitar chords in Open C tuning. Click any arpeggio below to view the interactive fretboard diagram.
C
- C Power Chord
- C Major
- C Minor
- C Dominant 7th
- C Major 7th
- C Minor 7th
- C Augmented
- C Diminished
- C Minor add9
- C Add4
- C Suspended 4th
- C Suspended 2nd
- C Add9
- C Minor 7 flat 5
- C 6th
- C Minor 6th
- C Minor flat 6
- C Minor 6/9
- C Major 6th
- C 6/9
- C Major 9th
- C Minor 9th
- C Minor 9 Major 7th
- C Minor 9 flat 5
- C Major 11th
- C Minor Major 7th
- C Major 13th
C#
- C# Power Chord
- C# Major
- C# Minor
- C# Dominant 7th
- C# Major 7th
- C# Minor 7th
- C# Augmented
- C# Diminished
- C# Minor add9
- C# Add4
- C# Suspended 4th
- C# Suspended 2nd
- C# Add9
- C# Minor 7 flat 5
- C# 6th
- C# Minor 6th
- C# Minor flat 6
- C# Minor 6/9
- C# Major 6th
- C# 6/9
- C# Major 9th
- C# Minor 9th
- C# Minor 9 Major 7th
- C# Minor 9 flat 5
- C# Major 11th
- C# Minor Major 7th
- C# Major 13th
D
- D Power Chord
- D Major
- D Minor
- D Dominant 7th
- D Major 7th
- D Minor 7th
- D Augmented
- D Diminished
- D Minor add9
- D Add4
- D Suspended 4th
- D Suspended 2nd
- D Add9
- D Minor 7 flat 5
- D 6th
- D Minor 6th
- D Minor flat 6
- D Minor 6/9
- D Major 6th
- D 6/9
- D Major 9th
- D Minor 9th
- D Minor 9 Major 7th
- D Minor 9 flat 5
- D Major 11th
- D Minor Major 7th
- D Major 13th
D#
- D# Power Chord
- D# Major
- D# Minor
- D# Dominant 7th
- D# Major 7th
- D# Minor 7th
- D# Augmented
- D# Diminished
- D# Minor add9
- D# Add4
- D# Suspended 4th
- D# Suspended 2nd
- D# Add9
- D# Minor 7 flat 5
- D# 6th
- D# Minor 6th
- D# Minor flat 6
- D# Minor 6/9
- D# Major 6th
- D# 6/9
- D# Major 9th
- D# Minor 9th
- D# Minor 9 Major 7th
- D# Minor 9 flat 5
- D# Major 11th
- D# Minor Major 7th
- D# Major 13th
E
- E Power Chord
- E Major
- E Minor
- E Dominant 7th
- E Major 7th
- E Minor 7th
- E Augmented
- E Diminished
- E Minor add9
- E Add4
- E Suspended 4th
- E Suspended 2nd
- E Add9
- E Minor 7 flat 5
- E 6th
- E Minor 6th
- E Minor flat 6
- E Minor 6/9
- E Major 6th
- E 6/9
- E Major 9th
- E Minor 9th
- E Minor 9 Major 7th
- E Minor 9 flat 5
- E Major 11th
- E Minor Major 7th
- E Major 13th
F
- F Power Chord
- F Major
- F Minor
- F Dominant 7th
- F Major 7th
- F Minor 7th
- F Augmented
- F Diminished
- F Minor add9
- F Add4
- F Suspended 4th
- F Suspended 2nd
- F Add9
- F Minor 7 flat 5
- F 6th
- F Minor 6th
- F Minor flat 6
- F Minor 6/9
- F Major 6th
- F 6/9
- F Major 9th
- F Minor 9th
- F Minor 9 Major 7th
- F Minor 9 flat 5
- F Major 11th
- F Minor Major 7th
- F Major 13th
F#
- F# Power Chord
- F# Major
- F# Minor
- F# Dominant 7th
- F# Major 7th
- F# Minor 7th
- F# Augmented
- F# Diminished
- F# Minor add9
- F# Add4
- F# Suspended 4th
- F# Suspended 2nd
- F# Add9
- F# Minor 7 flat 5
- F# 6th
- F# Minor 6th
- F# Minor flat 6
- F# Minor 6/9
- F# Major 6th
- F# 6/9
- F# Major 9th
- F# Minor 9th
- F# Minor 9 Major 7th
- F# Minor 9 flat 5
- F# Major 11th
- F# Minor Major 7th
- F# Major 13th
G
- G Power Chord
- G Major
- G Minor
- G Dominant 7th
- G Major 7th
- G Minor 7th
- G Augmented
- G Diminished
- G Minor add9
- G Add4
- G Suspended 4th
- G Suspended 2nd
- G Add9
- G Minor 7 flat 5
- G 6th
- G Minor 6th
- G Minor flat 6
- G Minor 6/9
- G Major 6th
- G 6/9
- G Major 9th
- G Minor 9th
- G Minor 9 Major 7th
- G Minor 9 flat 5
- G Major 11th
- G Minor Major 7th
- G Major 13th
G#
- G# Power Chord
- G# Major
- G# Minor
- G# Dominant 7th
- G# Major 7th
- G# Minor 7th
- G# Augmented
- G# Diminished
- G# Minor add9
- G# Add4
- G# Suspended 4th
- G# Suspended 2nd
- G# Add9
- G# Minor 7 flat 5
- G# 6th
- G# Minor 6th
- G# Minor flat 6
- G# Minor 6/9
- G# Major 6th
- G# 6/9
- G# Major 9th
- G# Minor 9th
- G# Minor 9 Major 7th
- G# Minor 9 flat 5
- G# Major 11th
- G# Minor Major 7th
- G# Major 13th
A
- A Power Chord
- A Major
- A Minor
- A Dominant 7th
- A Major 7th
- A Minor 7th
- A Augmented
- A Diminished
- A Minor add9
- A Add4
- A Suspended 4th
- A Suspended 2nd
- A Add9
- A Minor 7 flat 5
- A 6th
- A Minor 6th
- A Minor flat 6
- A Minor 6/9
- A Major 6th
- A 6/9
- A Major 9th
- A Minor 9th
- A Minor 9 Major 7th
- A Minor 9 flat 5
- A Major 11th
- A Minor Major 7th
- A Major 13th
A#
- A# Power Chord
- A# Major
- A# Minor
- A# Dominant 7th
- A# Major 7th
- A# Minor 7th
- A# Augmented
- A# Diminished
- A# Minor add9
- A# Add4
- A# Suspended 4th
- A# Suspended 2nd
- A# Add9
- A# Minor 7 flat 5
- A# 6th
- A# Minor 6th
- A# Minor flat 6
- A# Minor 6/9
- A# Major 6th
- A# 6/9
- A# Major 9th
- A# Minor 9th
- A# Minor 9 Major 7th
- A# Minor 9 flat 5
- A# Major 11th
- A# Minor Major 7th
- A# Major 13th
B
- B Power Chord
- B Major
- B Minor
- B Dominant 7th
- B Major 7th
- B Minor 7th
- B Augmented
- B Diminished
- B Minor add9
- B Add4
- B Suspended 4th
- B Suspended 2nd
- B Add9
- B Minor 7 flat 5
- B 6th
- B Minor 6th
- B Minor flat 6
- B Minor 6/9
- B Major 6th
- B 6/9
- B Major 9th
- B Minor 9th
- B Minor 9 Major 7th
- B Minor 9 flat 5
- B Major 11th
- B Minor Major 7th
- B Major 13th
Explore Guitar Chords in Other Tunings
- Guitar Chords in Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-E)
- Guitar Chords in DADGAD (D-A-D-G-A-D)
- Guitar Chords in Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D)
- Guitar Chords in Baritone (B Standard) (B-E-A-D-F#-B)
- Guitar Chords in 7-string (B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
- Guitar Chords in 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
- Guitar Chords in Drop C (C-G-C-F-A-D)
- Guitar Chords in Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
- Guitar Chords in Open D (D-A-D-F#-A-D)
- Guitar Chords in Half Step Down (Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb)
- Guitar Chords in Open E (E-B-E-G#-B-E)
- Guitar Chords in Open A (E-A-E-A-C#-E)
- Guitar Chords in Double Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-D)