A is one of the first chords you learn, and its notes are A, C# and E. The shape looks easy: three fingers at the same fret, side by side. The hard part is fitting them into a space barely wider than two fingers, without choking the open high E. Here is how to make it ring, then how to play A higher up the neck.
A chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: A major
- Symbol: A
- Notes: A, C#, E
- Where it belongs: V in D major, IV in E major, I in A major, VI in C# minor, V in D minor, III in F# minor, VII in B minor
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A, open | x02220 | A E A C# E | The standard A: three fingers side by side at fret 2, open A in the bass, open high E on top. |
| A, one finger | x0222x | A E A C# | The first finger flattened across three strings. Fast and solid, but the high E has to stay muted. |
| A, barre at the fifth fret | 577655 | A E A C# E A | The open E shape barred at fret 5: all six strings, A in the bass, a fuller sound. |
| A, twelfth fret | x 12 14 14 14 12 | A E A C# E | The open A shape one octave up: first finger across fret 12, third finger flat over three strings at fret 14. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
A on the neck: every A, C#, E
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of A: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still A.
How to play A, step by step
1. Place the fingers: x02220
First finger on the D string at fret 2. Second finger on the G string at fret 2. Third finger on the B string at fret 2. All three sit in the same fret, so they cannot all be right behind the fret wire: let them form a slight diagonal, with the third finger closest to the wire.
2. Strum the right strings
Start on the open A string. The low E is not part of the shape; struck by mistake, it adds an E under the chord and muddies the bass.
3. Check string by string
Pick each string from the A down. The open high E is the one that dies most often, smothered by the underside of the third finger. Arch that finger and press with its tip.
Changes to practice
A lives with D and E: in the key of A, the three of them are the I, IV and V chords, enough for hundreds of songs. Practice each change slowly, four beats per chord.
| Change | Shapes | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| A to D | x02220 to xx0232 | Start the strum on the D string: the A string sits out. |
| A to E | x02220 to 022100 | The whole shape shifts toward the bass strings. Move the hand as a block. |
| A, D, E | x02220, xx0232, 022100 | Three different lowest strings: A, D, low E. Aim the first stroke each time. |
Bob Marley's Three Little Birds uses exactly A, D and E. Creedence Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising turns on D, A and G, with A as the V chord of D. The D chord and the E chord have their own pages.
One finger away: A7, Asus2, Am
The open A shape is the starting point for a whole family. Each of these changes one note, so you hear exactly what that note does:
- A7, x02020: the G string goes open. G is the seventh, and the chord turns bluesy. See the A7 chord.
- Asus2, x02200: the B string goes open. B replaces C#, and the chord floats. See the Asus2 chord.
- Am, x02210: the B string drops to fret 1. C replaces C#, and the chord turns minor. See the A minor chord.
None of these is an A major chord, even if a chart sometimes lets you use them in its place. When the song says A, play the three notes A, C# and E.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play an A chord on guitar?
What notes are in an A major chord?
How do I fit three fingers on the second fret?
Why does the high E not ring on my A chord?
What is the difference between A and A7 or Asus2?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.