A Guitar Chord
A Major · A–C#–E
A is the A major chord: A–C#–E. Its sound is bright and resolved — the foundational happy sound of pop, rock, country, and folk.
You'll meet A constantly because it lives in several common keys: it's the I chord in A major, the IV chord in E major, and the V chord in D major. That makes it a building block of I–IV–V and I–V–vi–IV progressions in those keys.
The easiest way to play A is the open-position shape (x 0 2 2 2 0, low E string to high E string), which uses open strings and stays in the first few frets. Below you'll find 6 ways to play it across the neck, from open position to barre and shell voicings, with the theory behind the chord and the progressions it lives in.
How to Play A: 6 Voicings
Frets are listed from the low E string to the high E string. x = don't play that string, 0 = open string.
A Chord Theory
| Interval | R | 3 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | A | C# | E |
A is built from the A major scale.
A Chord FAQ
What notes are in the A chord?
A contains 3 notes: A (R), C# (3), E (5). The interval formula for a major chord is R–3–5.
What is the easiest way to play A on guitar?
Use the open-position shape: x 0 2 2 2 0 (frets listed from the low E string to the high E string, x = don't play that string). It uses open strings, so it needs the least finger strength.
What is the difference between A and Am?
One note: the 3rd. A major uses the major 3rd (Db) while A minor flattens it to C. That half-step is the entire difference between the bright major sound and the darker minor sound.
What keys use the A chord?
A appears diatonically in A major (as I), E major (as IV), and D major (as V) — plus F# minor, its relative minor key.
Related Chords
Hear yourself play A
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