Clickable Beginner Mandolin Chords (with Songs)
The beginner mandolin chords below are interactive.
Click the 1st chord for 1-chord songs.
Click the 2nd chord for 2-chord songs.
Click the 3rd chord for 3-chord songs.
(rinse and repeat)
1-Chord Songs with G Major
Click any song below to play along with the video.
- Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley - 1955
- My Jack Don't Drink No Water - Shortstuff Macon - 1964
- Dance to the Music - Sly & the Family Stone - 1968
- Everyday People - Sly & the Family Stone - 1969 - (Slightly out of tune.)
- It's a Rainy Day Sunshine Girl - Faust - 1972
- Low Rider - War - 1975
- Bad to The Bone - George Thorogood - 1982
- One Chord Song - Keith Urban - 2000
- U.S. 41 - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - 2010
- Pretty Polly - Traditional - NA
- Row, Row, Row Your Boat - Traditional - NA
- The Farmer in the Dell - Traditional - NA
- Make New Friends - Traditional - NA
- Frère Jacques - Traditional - NA
To see chord diagrams for guitar, ukulele, mandolin, or banjo, click here.
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2-Chord Songs with D & G
Click any title to see the chords and notation.
Click any artist for a video.
- Take Me Back To Tulsa - Bob Wills - 1940
- How Much Is That Doggie in the Window - Patti Page - 1952 - This song modulates.
- Hot Corn, Cold Corn - Flatt and Scruggs - 1962
- Lively Up Yourself - Bob Marley - 1971
- Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company - 1975 - Not sure if this counts or not. There's an extra C in the notation.
- Waymore Blues - Waylon Jennings - 1975
- Copperhead Road - Steve Earle - 1988 - The G5 in the notation is optional.
- Snowstorm - Galaxie 500 - 1989
- The Cowboy Song - Joe vs. the Volcano - 1990
- Sweet Potato - Cracker - 1993
- Stop Whispering - Radiohead - 1993
- Three Is a Magic Number - Blind Melon - 1996
- What I Got - Sublime - 1996
- Gimme That Girl - Joe Nichols - 2009
- Best Day of My Life - American Authors - 2013 - The notation includes a Bm, but this song still works with D & G.
- Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke - 2013
There are also lots of folk tunes & nursery rhymes with these 2 chords.
To see chord diagrams for guitar, ukulele, mandolin, or banjo, click here.
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Find Songs Using Your Own Mandolin Chords
The chord paths above start with G major. But you don’t have to begin your journey there. Use Search Songs by Chord tool map out your own path. Just type in the mandolin chords you already know, and it’ll show you what songs you can play with those chords (and only those chords).
Try it yourself.
Why These Mandolin Chords (and Why This Order)?
As a beginner, you can learn new mandolin chords in any order you want. But using the exact sequence above lets you play the most music every time you add a new mandolin chord to your practice.
I know this thanks to the Next Best Chord feature.
The order above also has the added benefit of starting you off with easy mandolin chords like G, C, D, and Em. You only need 1 or 2 fingers to play them, which is another reason why so many students and teachers start with these beginner mandolin chords first.
Want to See Other Mandolin Diagrams?
If you'd like to see a more complete collection of beginner chords for the mandolin, check out the directories below:
- Major Mandolin Chords (e.g. C)
- Minor Mandolin Chords (e.g. Cm)
- Dominant 7th Mandolin Chords (e.g. C7)
- Minor 7th Mandolin Chords (e.g. Cm7)
Still Struggling with Beginner Chords on the Mandolin?
I don’t personally play the mandolin (yet). But I do play guitar and ukulele. And I know how frustrating it is when just starting out. If you’re still having trouble getting a clear sound from the mandolin, here are some resources that might help:
It’s also important you understand what "enharmonics" are. In music notation, the same mandolin chord may go by 2 different spellings. For example, A# and Bb are both ways of writing the same chord sound and fingering. To learn more, check out this great guide to enharmonics.
Finally, there are many different ways to finger the same mandolin chord. The beginner diagrams above are simply suggestions. And I created them as someone who plays guitar and ukulele - but not the mandolin (yet). If you prefer using different chord fingerings, go for it.
If you don’t know any mandolin chords yet (or you don’t want to start with G major), no problem. For a complete list of different starting points, check out the dictionaries of:
If you ever get stuck, use the Next Best Chord tool to see what new chord to add to your practice.
Thanks for Reading
Did you find this guide helpful? If so, please share it with other aspiring mandolinists.
Thanks so much for reading. And happy strumming.
-Austin