Left Handed Guitar Chords for Beginners: 14 Easy Chords

Learning guitar chords as a left handed beginner can be confusing when most chord diagrams are made for right handed players. This guide gives you 14 easy left handed guitar chords using lefty-friendly diagrams, audio examples, and simple tips to help each chord ring clearly.

Each chord diagram is shown the way a left handed guitarist needs to see it, so you do not have to mentally flip regular chord charts around. You can also listen to every chord to check that yours sounds right.

Start with the 14 beginner chords below, then use the printable chart and playing tips further down the page to practice them until they feel natural.

14 Easy Left Handed Guitar Chords

Use the left handed guitar chord diagrams below to learn each shape one at a Below are 14 beginner left handed guitar chords, shown in a lefty-friendly format. Use the audio under each diagram to check how each chord should sound.

These chords include the seven major chords and seven minor chords: A, Am, B, Bm, C, Cm, D, Dm, E, Em, F, Fm, G, and Gm. These are for a six-string left-handed guitar in standard tuning: E, A, D, G, B, E.

A Major

A Minor

B Major

B Minor

C Major

C Minor

D Major

D Minor

E Major

E Minor

F Major

F Minor

G Major

G Minor

Try Your First Three-Chord Song

A simple way to start using these chords is to learn a song that only needs three shapes. For example, you can play Happy Birthday using G, D, and C major. Here’s a video to follow.

Practice each chord on its own first, then work on changing between A, D, and E slowly. Once those changes feel comfortable, try playing along with the song. This gives you a real musical goal instead of just memorizing random chord shapes.

Free Printable Left Handed Guitar Chord Chart

Below you will find a printable version of the beginner chord diagrams from this guide. Save it to your device or print it out so you can keep it nearby while you practice.

This is especially useful when you are working on chord changes and do not want to keep scrolling back through the page.

Click here to download a printable version of these lefty guitar chords!

How to Read Left Handed Guitar Chord Diagrams

Left handed guitar chord diagrams show you where to place your fingers on the fretboard. They are designed to match the way a left handed guitarist holds the guitar, so you do not have to flip a regular chord chart around in your head.

Imagine your guitar standing upright in front of you, with the fretboard facing you. The vertical lines represent the strings, and the horizontal lines represent the frets.

The thick line at the top of the diagram represents the nut. This is the thin strip near the headstock that holds the strings in place.

The dots show where to place your fingers. The numbers inside the dots tell you which finger to use:

A 0 above a string means you play that string open. An X above a string means you do not play that string.

For the chords in this guide, each diagram only shows the first few frets so you can focus on the shapes beginners use most often.

Are Left Handed Guitar Chords Different?

The chords themselves are not different. An A major chord still uses the same notes whether you play right handed or left handed.

The difference is in how the chord diagram is shown. Left handed guitar chord charts are mirrored so they match the way a left handed guitarist sees the fretboard.

For example, a left handed E minor chord uses the same notes as a right handed E minor chord, but the diagram is flipped to make it easier to read on a left handed guitar.

Tips for Playing Left Handed Guitar Chords

Place your fingers close to the fret wire

Try to place each finger close to the fret wire without sitting directly on top of it. If your finger is too far back in the fret, the string is more likely to buzz or sound muted.

Use just enough pressure

You do not need to squeeze the neck as hard as possible. Use the lightest pressure you can while still getting a clear note. Pressing too hard can make the chord sound slightly sharp.

Check every string before strumming

Before you strum the full chord, pick each string one at a time. This helps you spot muted strings, buzzing notes, or fingers accidentally touching nearby strings.

Adjust your hand position

If a note sounds dead, make a small adjustment to your wrist, thumb, or fingertip angle. Tiny changes can make a big difference when you are learning new chord shapes.

Tune your guitar before practicing

Always tune your guitar before you start. If the guitar is out of tune, even a perfectly fretted chord will sound wrong. Learn how to tune a left-handed guitar.

Give your fingers time to adjust

Your fingertips may feel sore when you first start learning chords. This is normal, but do not push through sharp pain. Take short breaks, practice regularly, and your fingers will toughen up over the coming days.

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You Might Also Like

Now that you know a good number of lefty guitar chords, you’ll probably be wanting to put them to good use, right? Here are some guides you’ll probably love!

• 150+ Easy Guitar Songs For Beginners
• Forbidden Riffs – 21 Songs Every Guitarist Should Learn
• 50 Romantic Guitar Songs To Learn

You can also check out the rest of my left-handed guitar lessons.

Left Handed Guitar Chords FAQ