- This article shows how you can use your knowledge of power chords on the cigar box guitar to play major, minor, 7th, minor 7th and major 7th chords with one or two fingers moved.
- In the table and chord charts below, you will find movable chord shapes that you can use all over the fretboard:
I have used the C chords on a G D G tuned 3 string guitar as an example since the power chord is on the 5th fret which is a convenient fret to learn all these shapes, but these shapes can be moved up and down the fret board. There may be easier shapes available, especially for certain chords where there is quite a stretch involved.
Here is a downloadable pdf of the chart, the chord shapes and how to use this information up and down the fret board:
Some of these shapes are quite a stretch, particularly on a long scaled guitar where the fret spacing is larger, but remember that the fret spacing becomes closer together further up the fretboard and this makes some of the stretches easier.
If you are not sure about power chords on the cigar box guitar read my articles here:
Power Chords On A Guitar With 3 Strings
How To Play A Cigar Box Guitar With 1 finger chords which includes tips for getting a better sound on barre chords
How To Play Just About Any Chord On The Cigar Box Guitar In E B E Tuning
Not wanting to leave out those of you that would like the info for E B E tuning, here is your download:
More Detailed Information On Chord Shapes For The Cigar Box Guitar
I have written several articles which explain in more detail how to play several of these chords with helpful hints:
How Do I Play Major Chords On A Cigar Box Guitar?
How Do I Play Minor Chords On A Cigar Box Guitar?
How Do I Play The 7th Chord On A Cigar Box Guitar?
More Movable Shapes For Chords On The Cigar Box Guitar
Let’s have a quick look at some other movable shapes. We can play a 7th chord with the 1st note of the scale (root) on the bass string
C7 is played 5 2 3:
The first shape can be moved up and down the fretboard. Although we cant move it down low enough to get down to a G7 but we can play that as shown above. these are my preferred fingers to use, but you use any that work for you. The reason I have put to use 3 and 4 for the G7 is because then I can move it up the fret board and use my forefinger to play the barre, but I’d usually play G7 using my 1st and 2nd fingers.
There are so many ways of playing chords but I have tried to give you an overview of some of the movable chord shapes that I find useful. Don’t forget to look for more chord articles on the top menu. There are more chord sheet downloads coming soon.
