```
     Frets (1-4)
       . . . .
       . . . .
       . . . .
       . . . .

```

Hey everybody. The four dots above are the four frets (vertical) and four strings (horizontal) of the imaginary guitar (sorry I'm not good at giving visual help). Here I'm wondering how many possible chord shapes I can possibly make within the range of 4 strings and four frets using four (always four) coordinates at a time. Here are the examples I'm looking for

```
            . . x .               x . . .
            . . x .               . x . .
            x . . .               . . x .
            . x . .               . . . x

```

The x's represent where I'm fretting on the fingerboard.

Now here are the restrictions (examples I don't want counted)

```
          . . X X                   x . . .
          . . X .                   . x x .
          . . . X                   . x . .
          . X . .                   . . . .

```

If there are two or more X's within the same string then it doesn't work due simply to the nature of the instrument. The second example is missing one string fretted so that's a no-no also in my book (I'm looking for all 4 strings to be fretted).

One more restriction!

```
                        X . . .        . X . .
                        . X . .        X . . .
                        . . . X        . . . X
                        X . . .        . X . .

```

This also I can't allow to be counted as well since the Bottom and Top String is fretted at the same fret. This is just a specific rule though thanks to the nature of my guitar tuning (just the Bottom and Top String). I don't want to count chord shapes that contain repeating notes.

So there you have it! Hopefully a Math Wizard would find out how many possible 4 note shapes I can form with these restrictions put in place.

Part 2: [Major Thirds Tuning Guitar Pattern Question Part 2](https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2467030/major-thirds-tuning-guitar-pattern-question-part-2)

Part 3: [Guitar Patterns Major Third Tuning Part 3](https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2472501/guitar-patterns-major-third-tuning-part-3)