Need to learn how to play the Am chord on guitar? Check out the chord chart and photo below to see how to play the A minor chord with ease!
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- Video Lesson
- Chord Chart & Description
- Notes of the Am Chord
- Top 10 Guitar Songs Featuring the Am Chord
Am Chord Video Lesson
How to play the A minor guitar chord: Chart, Photo, and Description
To play the A minor chord, place your left hand fingers on the following strings and frets:
- Index (Finger 1): Fret 1, String 2 (C)
- Ring (Finger 3): Fret 2, String 3 (A)
- Middle (Finger 2): Fret 2, String 4 (E)
- You can play the following open strings:
- String 5 (open A)
- String 1 (open high E)
- Avoid playing the String 6 (low E), which has an “X” in the box diagram above. Although this note is technically part of the Am chord and won’t sound bad, more often you’ll want to play the open string 5 (A) as the lowest note. This is the root of the chord!
When you’re first learning this chord, you might find that your index finger mutes String 1 (the highest string). To help avoid this problem, try lowering your left hand thumb slightly. As a result, this position will create more vertical leverage for the other fingers.
Play each string individually with the right hand to ensure that each string is ringing clearly.
What are the notes in an A minor chord?
The notes in an Am chord are:
- A (Root)
- C (Third)
- E (Fifth)
Note that people also abbreviate the A minor chord by saying Am, or Amin.
Top 10 Most Popular Songs Featuring The A Minor Chord
- “House of the Rising Sun” – The Animals (Am, C, D, F, E)
- “Jolene” – Dolly Parton (Am, C, G)
- “Hallelujah” – Leonard Cohen (C, Am, F, G)
- “No Woman No Cry” – Bob Marley (C, G, Am, F)
- “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” – Bob Dylan (G, D, Am, C)
- “Californication” – Red Hot Chili Peppers (Am, F, C, G)
- “Let It Be” – The Beatles (C, G, Am, F)
- “Landslide” – Fleetwood Mac (C, G, Am)
- “California Dreamin‘” – The Mamas & The Papas (Am, E7, G, F, C)
- “All for You” – Sister Hazel (Am, D, Em, G, C)