
This will usually be a chord in the same region of the fretboard that you’re already playing in.įor example, if you need to change to Am from Em, and you’re playing the E minor chord at the 7 th fret, then in most situations the Am bar chord at the 5 th fret would be the logical choice, because it’s only 2 frets away and you’re already playing a barre chord. When choosing an A minor chord shape to play, you’ll usually want to select the chord that you can fret the fastest and most comfortably. Which Am Guitar Chord Shape Should I Use?Īs is the case with most chords, there is more than one way of playing an Am chord on guitar.

This would help you change quickly to other barre chords at the second fret, such as D or B minor. You can play the chord with a barre, by extending the index finger all the way over the top four strings. In this chord, you’re essentially playing the standard open D minor chord two frets higher, making it an A minor chord. Try not to play the bottom two strings when you strum this chord. It’s not often used, but can be useful in some circumstances. The diagram below shows a way of playing A minor on guitar at the 7th fret. It uses the open Em chord shape, but played as a bar chord with the index finger positioned at the 5 th fret. The diagram below shows the second most common way of playing A minor on guitar. In all of the A m guitar chords on this page, one or more of these notes is repeated at a different octave in order to give the chord a “bigger” sound (see the A minor Guitar Chord Notes section, further down the page). Once you’ve mastered the open Am guitar chord, try either of the other Am guitar chords on this page.Īn A minor chord contains three notes: A, C and E. When you’re learning the chord, try playing each of the notes individually to make sure that the notes are fretted correctly and that your fingers aren’t preventing any of the notes from ringing. You can see this chord being played in the photo below: However, in general, chords sound best if the bottom note is the root note (in this case an A). It won’t sound terrible if you do accidentally play the open string, because the E note is part of an A minor chord. The “X” above the low E string on the chord diagram tells you that the string should not be played, so try to avoid it when you strum the chord. Position your fingers as shown on the diagram below. The open Am chord shown below is relatively easy to play.
A minor chord how to#
Learn how to read guitar chord diagrams on this page: How To Play Chords On Guitar.Learn and master barre / bar chords: Guitar Bar Chords.See more open position guitar chords: Open Chords For Guitar.
A minor chord download#


The symbol for an A minor chord is Am, so if you see that symbol written on sheet music, any of the A minor guitar chords on this page can be used. Everything you need to know to play an A minor chord on your guitar.Īn Am guitar chord can be played either as an open chord or as a barre chord – examples of both are provided on this page. Am chord guitar diagrams, chord charts and photos.
