Irish bouzouki C chord (ADAD)C major: 3 2 3 5, and 1 more shape
Frets, low course to high: 3 2 3 5 (from the 2nd fret)
- Low A course: 3rd fret, middle finger, C
- Low D course: 2nd fret, index finger, E
- High A course: 3rd fret, ring finger, C
- High D course: 5th fret, little finger, G
Sounds: C E C G · C is C, E, G (1 · 3 · 5)
Found in: G major (IV), D mixolydian (♭VII), G mixolydian (IV), D dorian (♭VII), G dorian (IV), A dorian (♭III)
No 3rd: C5 (3 5 3 5) leaves the 3rd out, so it backs C major, mixolydian, dorian and minor tunes alike.
With a capo: on the 3rd fret it’s 0 2 4 2 (frets counted from the capo), an open A shape.
Tuning ADAD: A D A D, low to high.
The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts on the Irish bouzouki in GDAD. Choose ADAD once in its Settings and it remembers.
More C shapes
- 7 10 10 10
7fr · C/E
C in session keys
- G major (IV, a main chord): G – C – G – D (a plain backing for many reels and jigs)
- D mixolydian (♭VII, a main chord): D – C – D (the mixolydian sound: D-C-D)
- G mixolydian (IV, a main chord): G – C – G – F (reels in D or A mix)
- D dorian (♭VII, a main chord): Dm – C – Dm
- G dorian (IV, a main chord): Gm – F – C – Gm (the major IV is the dorian colour)
- D minor (♭VII, a main chord): Dm – C – B♭ – C
Other C chords, Irish bouzouki ADAD
Other major chords
C in other tunings
All Irish bouzouki ADAD chords · Printable chart (PDF) · Tuning · The app