{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T13:42:15+00:00","modifiedTime":"2016-03-26T13:42:15+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:06:15+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Music","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33730"},"slug":"music","categoryId":33730},{"name":"Instruments","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33731"},"slug":"instruments","categoryId":33731},{"name":"Banjo","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33732"},"slug":"banjo","categoryId":33732}],"title":"Reading Banjo Chord Diagrams","strippedTitle":"reading banjo chord diagrams","slug":"reading-banjo-chord-diagrams","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"The vertical lines on a banjo chord diagram represent the 4th through the 1st strings of your banjo, moving from left to right — as if you were looking down on ","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"<p>The vertical lines on a banjo chord diagram represent the 4th through the 1st strings of your banjo, moving from left to right — as if you were looking down on the fingerboard of your instrument from above. The horizontal lines are the frets on your banjo, with the top line corresponding to the banjo nut. The dark circles represent fretted positions, with left-hand fingering indicated at the bottom of the diagram.</p>\n<p>Check out the following chord diagram for the C chord, with parts labeled.</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/407390.image0.jpg\" width=\"228\" height=\"288\" alt=\"image0.jpg\"/></p>","description":"<p>The vertical lines on a banjo chord diagram represent the 4th through the 1st strings of your banjo, moving from left to right — as if you were looking down on the fingerboard of your instrument from above. The horizontal lines are the frets on your banjo, with the top line corresponding to the banjo nut. The dark circles represent fretted positions, with left-hand fingering indicated at the bottom of the diagram.</p>\n<p>Check out the following chord diagram for the C chord, with parts labeled.</p>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/407390.image0.jpg\" width=\"228\" height=\"288\" alt=\"image0.jpg\"/></p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9174,"name":"Bill Evans","slug":"bill-evans","description":" <p><b>Bill Evans</b> has helped thousands of people to play the five-string banjo through his instructional workshops, music camps, DVDs, books, and recordings. He has performed on stages all over the world, his recordings have topped folk and bluegrass charts, and he has mentored many of today's top young professional players. Bill shares the shortcuts and secrets he has developed in more than 35 years of teaching to help all banjo players sound their best. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9174"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33732,"title":"Banjo","slug":"banjo","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33732"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":207778,"title":"Banjo For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"banjo-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207778"}},{"articleId":158526,"title":"Fretting Essential Banjo Chords","slug":"fretting-essential-banjo-chords","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/158526"}},{"articleId":158525,"title":"Essential Right-Hand Patterns for Bluegrass and Clawhammer Banjo","slug":"essential-right-hand-patterns-for-bluegrass-and-clawhammer-banjo","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/158525"}},{"articleId":158494,"title":"Understanding Banjo Tablature","slug":"understanding-banjo-tablature","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/158494"}},{"articleId":158455,"title":"10 Essential Jam Session Tips for Banjo Players","slug":"10-essential-jam-session-tips-for-banjo-players","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/158455"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":207778,"title":"Banjo For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"banjo-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207778"}},{"articleId":207528,"title":"Bluegrass Banjo For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"bluegrass-banjo-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207528"}},{"articleId":203251,"title":"10 Essential D Licks on the Bluegrass Banjo","slug":"10-essential-d-licks-on-the-bluegrass-banjo","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/203251"}},{"articleId":203250,"title":"12 Essential Fill-In Licks on the Bluegrass Banjo","slug":"12-essential-fill-in-licks-on-the-bluegrass-banjo","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/203250"}},{"articleId":203249,"title":"10 Essential G Licks for the Bluegrass Banjo","slug":"10-essential-g-licks-for-the-bluegrass-banjo","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/203249"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":281975,"slug":"banjo-for-dummies-book-online-video-and-audio-instruction-2nd-edition","isbn":"9781119731382","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119731380/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119731380/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119731380-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119731380/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119731380/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/banjo-for-dummies-book-2nd-edition-cover-9781119731382-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Banjo For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b><b data-author-id=\"9174\">Bill Evans</b></b> has helped thousands of people to play the five-string banjo through his instructional workshops, music camps, DVDs, books, and recordings. He has performed on stages all over the world, his recordings have topped folk and bluegrass charts, and he has mentored many of today's top young professional players. Bill shares the shortcuts and secrets he has developed in more than 35 years of teaching to help all banjo players sound their best.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9174,"name":"Bill Evans","slug":"bill-evans","description":" <p><b>Bill Evans</b> has helped thousands of people to play the five-string banjo through his instructional workshops, music camps, DVDs, books, and recordings. He has performed on stages all over the world, his recordings have topped folk and bluegrass charts, and he has mentored many of today's top young professional players. Bill shares the shortcuts and secrets he has developed in more than 35 years of teaching to help all banjo players sound their best. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9174"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{"key":"cat","values":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"]},{"key":"isbn","values":["9781119731382"]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221817b0dbb\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{"key":"cat","values":["academics-the-arts","music","instruments","banjo"]},{"key":"isbn","values":["9781119731382"]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63221817be876\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":null,"lifeExpectancySetFrom":null,"dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":158492},"articleLoadedStatus":"success"},"listState":{"list":{},"objectTitle":"","status":"initial","pageType":null,"objectId":null,"page":1,"sortField":"time","sortOrder":1,"categoriesIds":[],"articleTypes":[],"filterData":{},"filterDataLoadedStatus":"initial","pageSize":10},"adsState":{"pageScripts":{"headers":{"timestamp":"2023-02-01T15:50:01+00:00"},"adsId":0,"data":{"scripts":[{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script src=\"https://cdn.optimizely.com/js/10563184655.js\"></script>","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script>var _comscore = _comscore || [];_comscore.push({ c1: \"2\", c2: \"15097263\" });(function() {var s = document.createElement(\"script\"), el = document.getElementsByTagName(\"script\")[0]; s.async = true;s.src = (document.location.protocol == \"https:\" ? \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();</script><noscript><img src=\"https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=15097263&cv=2.0&cj=1\" /></noscript>\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n<script type='text/javascript'>\r\n(function(){var g=function(e,h,f,g){\r\nthis.get=function(a){for(var a=a+\"=\",c=document.cookie.split(\";\"),b=0,e=c.length;b<e;b++){for(var d=c[b];\" \"==d.charAt(0);)d=d.substring(1,d.length);if(0==d.indexOf(a))return d.substring(a.length,d.length)}return null};\r\nthis.set=function(a,c){var b=\"\",b=new Date;b.setTime(b.getTime()+6048E5);b=\"; expires=\"+b.toGMTString();document.cookie=a+\"=\"+c+b+\"; path=/; \"};\r\nthis.check=function(){var a=this.get(f);if(a)a=a.split(\":\");else if(100!=e)\"v\"==h&&(e=Math.random()>=e/100?0:100),a=[h,e,0],this.set(f,a.join(\":\"));else return!0;var c=a[1];if(100==c)return!0;switch(a[0]){case \"v\":return!1;case \"r\":return c=a[2]%Math.floor(100/c),a[2]++,this.set(f,a.join(\":\")),!c}return!0};\r\nthis.go=function(){if(this.check()){var a=document.createElement(\"script\");a.type=\"text/javascript\";a.src=g;document.body&&document.body.appendChild(a)}};\r\nthis.start=function(){var t=this;\"complete\"!==document.readyState?window.addEventListener?window.addEventListener(\"load\",function(){t.go()},!1):window.attachEvent&&window.attachEvent(\"onload\",function(){t.go()}):t.go()};};\r\ntry{(new g(100,\"r\",\"QSI_S_ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN\",\"https://zn5o5yqpvmvjgdoun-wiley.siteintercept.qualtrics.com/SIE/?Q_ZID=ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN\")).start()}catch(i){}})();\r\n</script><div id='ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN'></div>\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script>\r\n (function(h,o,t,j,a,r){\r\n h.hj=h.hj||function(){(h.hj.q=h.hj.q||[]).push(arguments)};\r\n h._hjSettings={hjid:257151,hjsv:6};\r\n a=o.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];\r\n r=o.createElement('script');r.async=1;\r\n r.src=t+h._hjSettings.hjid+j+h._hjSettings.hjsv;\r\n a.appendChild(r);\r\n })(window,document,'https://static.hotjar.com/c/hotjar-','.js?sv=');\r\n</script>","enabled":false},{"pages":["article"],"location":"header","script":" <script src=\"//get.s-onetag.com/bffe21a1-6bb8-4928-9449-7beadb468dae/tag.min.js\" async defer></script>","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage"],"location":"header","script":"<meta name=\"facebook-domain-verification\" content=\"irk8y0irxf718trg3uwwuexg6xpva0\" />","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage","article","category","search"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n<noscript>\r\n<img height=\"1\" width=\"1\" src=\"https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=256338321977984&ev=PageView&noscript=1\"/>\r\n</noscript>\r\n","enabled":true}]}},"pageScriptsLoadedStatus":"success"},"navigationState":{"navigationCollections":[{"collectionId":287568,"title":"BYOB (Be Your Own Boss)","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-entry-level-entrepreneur-287568"},{"collectionId":293237,"title":"Be a Rad Dad","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/be-the-best-dad-293237"},{"collectionId":295890,"title":"Career Shifting","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/career-shifting-295890"},{"collectionId":294090,"title":"Contemplating the Cosmos","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/theres-something-about-space-294090"},{"collectionId":287563,"title":"For Those Seeking Peace of Mind","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-those-seeking-peace-of-mind-287563"},{"collectionId":287570,"title":"For the Aspiring Aficionado","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-bougielicious-287570"},{"collectionId":291903,"title":"For the Budding Cannabis Enthusiast","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-budding-cannabis-enthusiast-291903"},{"collectionId":291934,"title":"For the Exam-Season Crammer","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-exam-season-crammer-291934"},{"collectionId":287569,"title":"For the Hopeless Romantic","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-hopeless-romantic-287569"},{"collectionId":296450,"title":"For the Spring Term Learner","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-spring-term-student-296450"}],"navigationCollectionsLoadedStatus":"success","navigationCategories":{"books":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/books/level-0-category-0"}},"articles":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/articles/level-0-category-0"}}},"navigationCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"searchState":{"searchList":[],"searchStatus":"initial","relatedArticlesList":[],"relatedArticlesStatus":"initial"},"routeState":{"name":"Article4","path":"/article/academics-the-arts/music/instruments/banjo/reading-banjo-chord-diagrams-158492/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{"category1":"academics-the-arts","category2":"music","category3":"instruments","category4":"banjo","article":"reading-banjo-chord-diagrams-158492"},"fullPath":"/article/academics-the-arts/music/instruments/banjo/reading-banjo-chord-diagrams-158492/","meta":{"routeType":"article","breadcrumbInfo":{"suffix":"Articles","baseRoute":"/category/articles"},"prerenderWithAsyncData":true},"from":{"name":null,"path":"/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{},"fullPath":"/","meta":{}}},"dropsState":{"submitEmailResponse":false,"status":"initial"},"sfmcState":{"status":"initial"},"profileState":{"auth":{},"userOptions":{},"status":"success"}}

Reading Banjo Chord Diagrams

By: Bill Evans and

Updated: 03-26-2016

From The Book: Banjo For Dummies

Banjo For Dummies

Explore Book Buy On Amazon

The vertical lines on a banjo chord diagram represent the 4th through the 1st strings of your banjo, moving from left to right — as if you were looking down on the fingerboard of your instrument from above. The horizontal lines are the frets on your banjo, with the top line corresponding to the banjo nut. The dark circles represent fretted positions, with left-hand fingering indicated at the bottom of the diagram.

Check out the following chord diagram for the C chord, with parts labeled.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

Banjo For Dummies ,

About the book author:

Bill Evans has helped thousands of people to play the five-string banjo through his instructional workshops, music camps, DVDs, books, and recordings. He has performed on stages all over the world, his recordings have topped folk and bluegrass charts, and he has mentored many of today's top young professional players. Bill shares the shortcuts and secrets he has developed in more than 35 years of teaching to help all banjo players sound their best.

This article can be found in the category:

Banjo ,

Article Categories

Book Categories

Collections