A Minor Guitar Chord (Am)

231

Am

NameA minor
NotesACE
IntervalsRrootb3minor 3rd55th

Root

Chord type

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Shape

Tone

Dots show

Am is one of the first chords most guitarists learn, and one of the most used. It's the same shape as E major, just moved over one string.

How to play the Am chord

  1. Don't play the low E string.
  2. Put your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the D string (E).
  3. Put your 3rd finger on the 2nd fret of the G string (A).
  4. Put your 1st finger on the 1st fret of the B string (C).
  5. Let the A and high E strings ring open (A, E).
  6. Strum from the A string down, skipping the string above it.

TipArch your 1st finger so it doesn't touch the high E string. If the top string sounds dead, that finger is lying flat.

4 ways to play Am

Every shape below is a real Am, checked note by note: A, C, E and nothing else. Easiest first, with the dark dot on the root.

Am chord diagram, open: x 0 2 2 1 0
Open EasyWith sound The one most players learn first. This is the shape you hear on the play button.
Am chord diagram, barre, 5th fret: 5 7 7 5 5 5
Barre, 5th fret Medium Root on the low E string. It's the open Em shape moved up with your 1st finger as the nut, so you can slide it to any minor chord.
Am chord diagram, 7th fret: x x 7 9 10 8
7th fret Medium 4 strings, root on the D string. Higher and lighter, great for a second guitar part.
Am chord diagram, barre, 12th fret: x 12 14 14 13 12
Barre, 12th fret Medium Root on the A string. The open Am shape moved up with a barre, a movable shape for any minor chord.

A vs Am: hear the difference

Only one note changes: Am has C (the minor 3rd), A has C# (the major 3rd). Play them back to back:

Am

ACE

Darker and sadder

A

AC#E

Bright and settled

Chord progressions with Am

Chords make sense once you move between them. Press play to hear each progression with the real recordings, one chord per bar, then play along. Tap any chord to open its page.

The pop progression, from the minor

vi - IV - I - V in C
Am F C G
Countless songs loop this.

The walk-down

i - bVII - bVI - V in A minor
Am G F E
Also called the Andalusian cadence.

Minor key loop

i - iv - V - i in A minor
Am Dm E Am
The V is major here, which pulls you home.

Practice changing to Am

Switching chords cleanly is what makes a new chord usable in a song. Start the timer, then go back and forth between Am and the chord you picked, strumming each one, and keep a count in your head. Your hands stay on the guitar the whole time. When it beeps, type in your count and try to beat it next time.

Am to F

60seconds

-last try

-your best

Practice Am with

Songs that use Am

  • House of the Rising Sun by The AnimalsHome chord, verse Am-C-D-F-Am-E
  • Losing My Religion by R.E.M.Verse Am-Em-Am-Em-Dm-G
  • Hit the Road Jack by Ray CharlesWhole song is Am-G-F-E7
  • Californication by Red Hot Chili PeppersVerse Am-F-Am-F

Learn it with a teacher

Diagrams show you where your fingers go. A teacher shows you how to make it sound good. Start with these video lessons from the Infinite Guitar library:

The Minor Chord Free with an account · Mike Edwin Introduction To Guitar - Chords Free with an account · Chris Feener Chord Changes for Beginners - Transitions Free with an account · Chris Feener Mastering Bar Chords - Introduction Free with an account · Chris Feener

Access these lessons with a free account. No payment needed. Sign up free

Chords that go with Am

FmajorCmajorGmajorEmajorDmminor

Other A chords

AmajorA7dominant 7Amaj7major 7Am7minor 7Asus4suspended 4A7sus47 suspended 4A5power chordA6major 6Am6minor 6A9dominant 9AaugaugmentedAdim7diminished 7

Other minor chords

CmC Eb GC#mC# E G#DmD F AEbmEb Gb BbEmE G BFmF Ab CF#mF# A C#GmG Bb DG#mG# B D#BbmBb Db FBmB D F#

See all 154 chords in the Guitar Chord Chart

Am chord FAQ

What notes are in an Am chord?

Am has 3 notes: A (the root), C (the minor 3rd) and E (the 5th). Every Am shape on the guitar is those notes in a different order.

What is the difference between A and Am?

Only one note changes: Am has C (the minor 3rd), A has C# (the major 3rd). Use the player above to hear both.

Is Am hard to play?

No, it's one of the easier ones: 3 fingers and no barre, and the open strings do some of the work. Practice switching to it from a chord you already know.

How do you play Am as a barre chord?

Barre the 5th fret with your 1st finger, using the E shape (5-7-7-5-5-5). That shape is movable: slide it up or down and it plays a minor chord on every fret.

What key is Am in?

It's the i chord in A minor, the vi chord in C major, the ii chord in G major and the iii chord in F major.