Introduction to the A minor chord on guitar
Learning to play the A minor chord on guitar is a common first step in a guitarist’s journey. This lesson will help you learn it with ease.
It’s 1 of the 3 foundational open minor guitar chords, the other 2 chords being D minor and E minor.
How to play the open A minor chord on guitar
The most commonly seen version of the A minor chord on guitar is the 3 finger, open position shape. This is called the “A minor shape”.
Here’s how to play the A minor chord, step-by-step:
- Place your index finger on fret 1 of the B string
- Place your ring finger on fret 2 of the G string
- Place your middle finger on fret 2 of the D string
- Strum all strings starting from the A string. Make sure you don’t play the low E string.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Don’t know how to read chord charts? Learn here.
Don’t know the guitar string names and order? Learn here.
Understanding the A minor chord on guitar
Writing the A minor chord
You might see minor chord names abbreviated differently as you learn guitar. The three most common ways to write the A minor chord are:
A minor – Amin – Am
Notes in the A minor chord
The notes in the A minor chord are A,C, and E.
Am chord intervals
| A | C | E |
| 1 (root) | b3 ( minor third) | 5 (fifth) |
Learn about intervals from pudgetsound.
Questions about the C chord on guitar
What is the difference between A major and A minor on guitar?
There are 8 total foundational guitar chords, A major and A minor being two of them. The difference between A major and A minor is the 3rd.
A major has a major 3rd (3), and A minor has a minor 3rd (b3). Relative to the A root note, changing the third makes a dramatic difference in the chord’s sound.
What’s next?
Now that you’ve learned the A minor chord on guitar you can move onto new things!
Here are some recommended lessons.
Guitar Chords In The Key Of A Minor (Am)
