A guitar chord

How to play A on guitar

The most common way, the first shape above: your index finger on the D string at the 2nd fret, your middle finger on the G string at the 2nd fret and your ring finger on the B string at the 2nd fret. Let the A and high E strings ring open. Don’t play the low E string.

From the low E string x 0 2 2 2 0 (x: not played, 0: open)

What notes are in A?

A, A major, is A, C♯ and E: the root (A), the major third (C♯) and the perfect fifth (E). Its formula is 1 3 5.

What is the difference between A and Am?

One note. A has the major third, C♯; Am lowers it a half step to C. That one note turns the bright sound of a major chord into the darker sound of a minor one.

Can I play A5 instead?

A5, the power chord, is A and E with no third, so it is neither major nor minor. It stands in for A in rock, especially with distortion, where a full chord can sound muddy.

Keys with A

A is the V chord in D major, the IV chord in E major, the I chord in A major, the VI chord in C♯ minor, the III chord in F♯ minor and the VII chord in B minor, and the V of D minor, the major fifth chord from its harmonic minor scale.