Which strings do I strum for A major?

5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.

What notes are in a A major chord?

A, C#, E. The A is the root, the note the chord is named after. The C# makes it major.

What chords go with A?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, D and E, and its relative minor, F#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.

major chord

A major chord on guitar

Three fingers in a row on fret 2. The shape is easy; fitting three fingertips in one fret is the work.

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Where the fingers go

1
index finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
2
middle finger, G string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
3
ring finger, B string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G B.
4
Leave the A, thin e strings open
They ring without any finger. They are part of the chord.
5
Strum 5 strings, from the A string down
Skip the thick E. It would add a note that does not belong.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in A

A chord is three or four notes played together. A major is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
A	root	A string, open; G string, fret 2
C#	major third	B string, fret 2
E	fifth	D string, fret 2; thin e string, open

The root, A, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds bright and settled.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

D and E are A’s neighbours. Most songs in A use one or both.
F#m is its relative minor: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

Fingers crowd and mute each other

Try index, middle, ring on D, G, B. If they will not fit, use the middle finger flat across the three strings.

Tip

Leave the thin e open

It is part of the chord. Do not let the ring finger touch it.

Songs that use it

Songs in A, D and E. With D and E it makes the basic blues.

None of the songs on the site use A yet. It is coming with the next batch.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for A major?: 5 strings, from the A string down to the thin e. Skip the thick E string.
What notes are in a A major chord?: A, C#, E. The A is the root, the note the chord is named after. The C# makes it major.
What chords go with A?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, D and E, and its relative minor, F#m. Songs move between these because they share notes.