Beginners Lute and Viol Chords D tuning (bass viol)

open position chords (first three frets plus nut or open strings)
Open strings tuning: D G C E A D
Black diamonds are root tones.
Grayed tones are optional.
White filled tones behind the nut are open string tones (to be included in chord).
X ed strings at the nut are muted or not played.

Large numbers inside chord dots are fingering numbers:

1 = index finger
2 = middle finger
Standard 6 string Lute and Viol tuning pattern
3 = ring finger
4th 4th 3rd 4th 4th
4 = little finger
T = thumb

D
Major

D
minor

D
Dom 7

D
minor 7

1
2 1 3

D
Major 7
1

1
1

2 3

2 3

D
Major 6

1 2 3 4

R 5 R 3 5 R

R 5 R 3 5 R

R 5 7 3 7 R

R 5 R 3 7 R

R 5 7 3 5 R

R 5 R 3 6 R

G
Major

G
minor

G
Dom 7

G
minor 7

G
Major 7

G
Major 6

1
1

2 1

1
3

2 1 3

1 1
2

5 R 5 R 3 5

5 R 5 R 3 5

5 R 5 7 3 5

5 R 5 7 3 5

5 R 5 7 3 5

5 R 5 R 3 6

C
Major

C
minor

C
Dom 7

C
minor 7

C
Major 7

C
Major 6

X
1

1
T

1 1
2

2
3 4

3 5 R 5 R 3

3 4

5 R 5 R 3

Basic Viol and Lute Chords

1 1

5 R 5 7 3

5 R 5 7 3

5 R 5 7 3

5 R 5 6 3

TheCipher.com

2003 Roger Edward Blumberg 1

Beginners Lute and Viol Chords (D tuning continued)

open position chords (first three frets plus nut or open strings)

F
Major

F
minor

F
Dom 7

F
minor 7

F
Major 7
X

X
1

see barre chord

2
4

1
see barre chord

4 4

F
Major 6

1
3

2
3

3 3
4

R 3 5 R 3 R
5

R 3 5 R 5 R

R 3 5 R 5 7

A/B
Major

A/B
minor

A/B
Dom 7

1 1

1 1

1 1

see barre chord

5 R 3 5 R

A
Major

R 3 5 7 3

R 3 6 R 3

D/E
Major 7

D/E
Major 6
X

1 1

5 7 3 5 R

A
minor

2 3 4

see barre chord

see barre chord

5 R 3 5 R

3 4

A
Dom 7

5 7 3 5 R

3 R 3 5 7

3 R 3 6 R

A
minor 7

A
Major 7

A
Major 6

1
2 3

2 3

3 4

see barre chord

2
2 3 4

7 3 5

D/E
minor 7

1 1

2
2

D/E
Dom 7

3 4

R 3 7 R 3

D/E
minor

R 3 5 R 5

D/E
Major

A/B
Major 6

see barre chord

5 R 3 5 R 5

A/B
Major 7
1

2
4

R 3 5 R 3 6

1 1 1

2
3

R 3 5 R 3 7

A/B
minor 7

7 3 5 R

1
4

3 3 3

5 R 3 5 R 5

5 R 3 5 R 5

5 7 3 5 R 5

Basic Viol and Lute Chords TheCipher.com

5 7 3 5 R 5

R 5 7 3 5

R 3 6 R 5

2003 Roger Edward Blumberg 2

Beginners Lute and Viol Chords (D tuning continued)

Movable Barre chords

Root on String One (low D)

Major
1

minor
1 1

Dom 7

1 1

minor 7

1 1

3 4

R 5 R 3 5 R

1 1

R 5 R 3 5 R

R 5 7 3 5 R

Dom 7/6

1 1

2
3 3 3

Major 7

R 5 7 3 5 R

3 4

R 5 7 3 5 R

R 5 7 3 6 R

Major 7

Major 6

* Root on String Two

Major

minor

Dom 7

1 1

X
1

1 1

1 1

2
3

minor 7

1 1

X
1

1 1

1 1

2 3

3 3 3

5 R 5 R 3 5

3 3

5 R 5 R 3 5

5 R 5 7 3 5

5 R 5 7 3 5

5 R 5 7 3 5

5 R 5 R 3 6

bonus movable voicing in Viol/Lute tuning more Root on String Two

Major

minor

Dom 7

minor 7

Major 9

1 1 1

1 1

1 1

1 1 1 1

2
3

5 R 3 5 R 5

Major 6/9
X

5 R 3 5 R 5

1 1
4

5 7 3 5 R 5

5 7 3 5 R 5

3 3 3

5 7 3 6 9 5

3 3 3

R 3 6 9 5

* Low 5th (grayed tone) is always optional. If used, simply barre across all 6 strings with your index finger.
The roots (lowest black diamonds) of these barre chord voicings can be aligned to any fretline to produce the desired letter named chord.
Memorize the letter names and locations (fret number) of the notes on strings one and two,
low D and G in this tuning (first twelve frets). Consult the Lute/Viol Fretboard Note

Basic Viol and Lute Chords

TheCipher.com

2003 Roger Edward Blumberg 3

Viola da Gamba or Lute

D tuning [4th, 4th, 3rd, 4th, 4th]
Fretboard Notes Spelled
Nut = open strings Fret 0

Nut

Fret # 0
1

D/E G/A C/D

F/G

6
7
8

A/B D/E

A/B D/E G/A

B

10

A/B

octave
fret 12

A/B D/E

F/G

G/A C/D F/G

A

G/A C/D F/G A/B D/E G/A

11

C/D F/G
D

Basic Viol and Lute Chords TheCipher.com

B
C

A/B

C/D F/G
D

B
C

D/E G/A C/D

E

2003 Roger Edward Blumberg 4