5-String Banjo Chord Chart
5-string banjo, open-G tuning (g D G B D) · tap a chord to see & hear it
How to play
- Tap a chord to load its shape and hear it rolled. The diagram is the neck upright: the top bar is the nut, the four lines are strings 4 3 2 1 (open notes D G B D, left to right).
- Gold dots show where to press, with the note name inside; o above the nut means play that string open. The short 5th string (g) is a high drone shown on the far left — it rings open on every chord.
- Open G tuning means the open strings already form a G chord, so many shapes need only one or two fingers. The g drone is part of every G, C and Em; elsewhere it adds the classic banjo ring.
- Pick a roll pattern and hit Roll to hear the chord fingerpicked Scruggs-style — a continuous stream of eighth notes. Forward and backward rolls are the foundation of bluegrass banjo.
- Roll plays a bluegrass-style forward roll across the strings. Vol sets volume. Keyboard — Tab + Enter/Space.
These are the essential five-string banjo chords for open G tuning.
Here is an interactive chord chart that allows you to browse key five string banjo chord shapes in open G tuning. To use the chart, simply click on the relevant chord button(s) with your mouse or press them directly if you prefer a faster way of navigating. A combination of visual chord diagrams plus audio feedback enables you to hear and feel what they sounds like.
How to Use the Banjo Chord Chart
Chords available are shown on the buttons in the top row. Just click the one you want to play and listen as it is performed. By default, the widget starts with open G (the home chord for most folk and bluegrass styles) but you can easily switch to C, D, Em and a few more besides.
To move around the set of chord buttons, use the Tab key followed by the Space or Enter key to ‘click’ the selected button.
The main part of the screen contain a drawing of the banjo neck below the chord buttons. The four vertical lines represent strings 4, 3, 2, and 1. You can see the nut (thick bar) which divides the fretboard from the headstock. The gold dots shows where you press the string down. Each dot contains a note. If there is an o over a string then this indicates you don’t fret that string but instead play it open.
You’ll notice in the diagram on the extreme left-hand side that there’s a high G drone (fifth string), which is open on each chord in the chart. This drone form part of the distinctive five string banjo sound. Below the neck picture are the individual notes of the chord to help you visualize the harmony.
There are two ways to hear the chosen chord. The first option is via the Roll button that will sound out a bluegrass style fingerpicking pattern across the strings. It is a constant stream of eighth notes and captures the driving rhythm often found in this genre. Alternatively, there’s the Strum button that sounds all the notes simultaneously to check if you’re getting the ring and basic voicing right of the chord.
The Roll pattern section allows you to select from four options of rolling patterns that control the order of string selection when performing a roll. There’s Forward, Backward, Forward Back and Alternate Thumb. Try each one out, as they all produce distinct rhythms based on the chord played.
To change the volume, there’s a volume slider on the lower-right-hand side of the widget. Simply drag it to adjust audio level to your preference. It’s useful for when the sound is too loud for where you’re listening (headphones, anyone?), or if you want to control it differently from pattern-to-pattern. It will remember your settings each time.
Use the Fullscreen button to expand the widget and see chord diagrams more clearly. This fills your screen, which provides more space and less clutter if you are using a phone, a tablet, or just want more room. Click the button once more for normal view.
If this is your first time looking at a chord chart or banjo tablature, clicking on the How to play button will display a brief description of the drone string notation as well as an explanation of the other symbols in the diagram. It is a handy reference that will give you a general overview of the layout for beginners. Feel free to hide it once you’re comfortabley with reading it.
Keyboard navigation is helpful for cycling through chords without ever picking up your mouse. When focused on a chord button you can use Tab to jump to the next chord down the list. You can press Space or Enter to play the chord with a strum. It’s a pretty smooth workflow that facilitates practicing the transition between chords in a more naturaly way.
Instead, use the C and G chords that form the basis for so much folk music as a starting point. You can hear the drone string working alongside the harmony in both these examples. Next go to the D chord. This will change your hand’s place on the neck. Notice that the diagram changes to show the notes available at the new frets.
Try rolling the pattern back and forth on that chord. You will find that although the harmony remains the same, a backwards roll sounds different than a forward roll. This is how you will begin to develop an ear for texture and rhythm, which are just as important as being able to play chord shapes.
You get an audio context that’s ready for your practice session, and when you’re finished, take a break and then pick up where you left off without any delays. Because it’s built to be responsive, the widget will let you jump from pattern to chord effortlessly.
This is a concise way of listening to and learning five string banjo chords that works like this. It fills the gap between sheet music on paper and something audible in real time. The combination of visual aids and the playing back of each pattern makes for a quicker learning experience as you get under the fingering and rhythm.
Choose one you are comfortable with and then roll out the patterns to warm up your ear and finger.