Am Guitar Chord

Am guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

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Standard

Arpeggio for this shape

P - i - m - a · Classic Ascending (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)

The thumb plays A on the 5th and the three top strings add up to 3 different notes. All 6 arpeggios

Steady bass with uniform ascending movement.

Speed:

What sets Am apart

Play Am one string at a time and you hear A, C and E. A is the root, C the minor third and E the fifth.

String by string, low to high, it plays A, E, A, C and E. Of the five strings you play, two give A, the note that names the chord. It runs from A on string 5 up to E on string 1.

The open strings add notes to Am too. String 5 gives A and string 1 gives E. String 6 is not played. Your hand covers two frets, from 1 to 2. There is one more position, starting at fret 5.

Change only string 2 in Am and you have A. Am and C have C and E in common. Moving to C, you keep two fingers down.

Am shows up in five keys. In C major it is the vi, in G major the ii and in F major the iii. The rest appear in the key list. Further down there are three songs that use it.

Chord Progressions

Harmonic circles featuring the Am chord:

Recommended practice sequences

01C C - Am - Dm - G7 02G G - Em - Am - D7 03Am Am - F - Dm - E7 04Em Em - C - Am - B7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (Am)

Formula: Minor Triad (1 - ♭3 - 5)

Constituent chord intervals:

A 1C ♭3E 5

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 0 (A)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for Am:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

Standard

Standard Position

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

○Open

ADegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 2Finger 2

EDegree 5

3rd String (G)

Fret 2Finger 3

ADegree 1

2nd String (B)

Fret 1Finger 1

CDegree ♭3

1st String (High E)

○Open

EDegree 5

Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 2 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 1 with your Index finger. Play open: 5th String (A), 1st String (High E). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Barre 5

Barre fret 5

6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

5th String (A)

Fret 7

EDegree 5

4th String (D)

Fret 7

ADegree 1

3rd String (G)

Fret 5Barre

CDegree ♭3

2nd String (B)

Fret 5Barre

EDegree 5

1st String (High E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 7, 4th String (D) at fret 7.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (Am)

Standard Position

Key Principle:

Same shape as E Major shifted down one string. Press with the direct tip of each finger.

Thumb Placement: Resting near fret 1 to allow comfortable wrist flexion.

Most Common Beginner Mistake:

Collapsing the fleshy base of finger 1 onto the open 1st string, or inadvertently raking across the low 6th string.

Immediate Solution: Pluck strings 5, 2, and 1 in sequence. If string 1 does not ring brightly, shift your wrist forward to restore a 90-degree knuckle curvature.

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	1 to 2
Fretting fingers	3
Open	5th and 1st
Muted	6th

What to check

The open 5th and 1st strings sit next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from Am

Listen: Am → C · F · Em

Am → C01

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 fingers stay

Stay in place

finger 2: string 4, fret 2
finger 1: string 2, fret 1

Move

finger 3: string 5, fret 3

Am → F02

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions

Stay in place

string 3, fret 2
string 2, fret 1

Move

string 6, fret 1
string 5, fret 3
string 4, fret 3
string 1, fret 1

Am → Em03

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 2: string 4, fret 2

Move

finger 1: string 5, fret 2

Am in every key

Am sits in the scale of 5 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty: 1/5
Highest fret: 2
Frets the hand covers: 2
Barre: No
Strings that ring: 5/6
Fretting fingers: 3

Major keys

Minor keys

Am on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.UkuleleAm on four strings, with sound.BassAm as a low-register arpeggio.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.

Songs with this chord

Famous songs featuring this chord (Am)

Well-known songs where this chord plays a clear role

01"Stairway to Heaven"Led Zeppelin • 1971Opens the intro (Am - Am/G# - C/G - D/F# - Fmaj7).

02"Losing My Religion"R.E.M. • 1991Opens the verse (Am - Em - Am - Em - Dm - G).

03"The House of the Rising Sun"The Animals • 1964Opens the verse (Am - C - D - F - Am - C - E).

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (Am)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the Am chord?

To play the Am chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the Am chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the Am chord is its root note: A. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the Am chord and what is its formula?

The Am chord is constructed using the 1 - ♭3 - 5 formula (Minor Triad). Its constituent pitches are A, C, E.

How do you prevent the Am chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the Am chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

What famous songs use the Am chord?

"Stairway to Heaven" (Led Zeppelin, 1971). Opens the intro (Am - Am/G# - C/G - D/F# - Fmaj7).

"Losing My Religion" (R.E.M., 1991). Opens the verse (Am - Em - Am - Em - Dm - G).

"The House of the Rising Sun" (The Animals, 1964). Opens the verse (Am - C - D - F - Am - C - E).

Study sheet · High resolution