Mandolin Chords: the Complete Chart
Mandolin chords in standard GDAE tuning — the same tuning family as violin and Irish tenor banjo. Double courses mean each shape rings in octaves.
Chop chords
Bluegrass rhythm relies on the "chop": a closed-position chord voiced on the middle strings, muted right after the strum so the mandolin clicks like a snare drum. The G and C shapes above (frets 2–3 on the D and A courses) are the classic chop voicings — squeeze and release with the fretting hand as you strum.
Two-finger starter set
Beginners: learn G, D and A first. With those three and a capo you can follow most fiddle tunes in G, D and A major — the three keys bluegrass lives in.