A minor chord

A minor chord for guitar in different forms, both open and barre chords.

Diagram with fingerings

Am / Amin / Ami / A- / A minor

Diagram with notes

Am / Amin / Ami / A- / A minor

Alternative shapes

Am

Am

Am barre 1st

Am barre 2nd

Learn from video

Try in a chord progression

Am – F – G – C

Chords that sound good together with A minor

The primary chords that sound good to combine with Am in chord progressions are: C, Dm, Em, F, G.
Secondary chords are among many others: Cmaj7, Dm7, E, F6, G11, Bm7b5.

Follow-up chords

Chords that are likely to follow A minor in progressions:
› C
› Dm
› E
› G

Finger position (Am chord)

Index (1st) finger on 2nd (thinnest) string, 1st fret.
Middle (2nd) finger on 4th (thinnest) string, 2nd fret.
Ring (3rd) finger on 3rd (thinnest) string, 2nd fret.

Chord names

Am is an abbreviation for A minor (a less common abbreviation is Amin).

Theory of the Am chord

The notes that the Am chord consists of are A, C, E.
To get Am7 add G.
To get Am6 add F#.

Inversions

The notes that the Am chord consists of are A, C, E.To get Am7 add G.To get Am6 add F#.

1st inversion: Am/C (means that C is the bass note).
2nd inversion: Am/E (means that E is the bass note).

Diagrams of these inversions

Assorted slash chords

Versions with alternate bass notes in short notation:

Am/B: X22210 / X2X210
Am/D: XX0210
Am/F: 102210
Am/G: 302010

For pdf, see The Chord Reference ebook with over 800 chord charts.

Alternative chord names

Am/B is theoretically identical with Amadd9/B.
Am/D is theoretically identical with Amadd11/D.
Am/F is theoretically identical with Fmaj7.

Alternative shapes and voicings

Other ways to play A minor, in short notation:

XX7555 – could be combined with XX6557 (Am9 voicing) and XX5558 (Am7 voicing)

Omissions (dyads)

Am (no3) is a A minor with no third (C).
Am (no5) is a A minor with no fifth (E).

Written in tab format

– 0 –
– 1 –
– 2 –
– 2 –
– 0 –
– – –

For pdf, see The Chord Reference ebook with over 800 chord charts.

Back to minor chords