The lines are strings, not frets
The six vertical lines represent the six strings. Reading left to right, they run from the thickest, lowest-sounding string (low E) to the thinnest (high E). The horizontal lines are the metal frets.
This is the opposite of tablature, where the top line is the thinnest string. It trips up almost everyone once, so check the orientation before you place a finger.
Dots, numbers, O and X
A filled dot marks where to press. The number inside it tells you which finger to use: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. A number beside a barre means one finger holds several strings down at once.
- O above a string โ play it open, no finger
- X above a string โ do not play that string
- No O and no X โ the string is usually muted
The number beside the diagram
If the chart is not at the top of the neck, a small number to the left tells you which fret the top horizontal line represents. A box labelled โ5โ means the dot on the first drawn fret is actually fret 5, not fret 1.
Check yourself in the simulator
The fastest way to trust your reading is to play the shape. Open a chord, look at its diagram, then reproduce it on the virtual fretboard and listen to whether the strings ring cleanly.
Compare what you played with the chordโs own playback โ the difference between a buzzing string and a clean one is instantly audible.