Which strings do I strum for A minor?

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

What notes are in a A minor chord?

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

What chords go with Am?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Dm and Em, and its relative major, C. Songs move between these because they share notes.

minor chord

A minor chord on guitar

The easiest full sound on the guitar: three fingers close together, five strings ringing.

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Where the fingers go

1
middle finger, D string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D.
2
ring finger, G string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
3
index finger, B string, fret 1
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 Am

A chord is three or four notes played together. A minor 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	minor third	B string, fret 1
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 sad or thoughtful.

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.

Dm and Em are Am’s neighbours. Most songs in Am use one or both.
C is its relative major: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

The thick E gets strummed

Start on the A string. The chord is named after it.

Tip

It is E major moved down a string

Same triangle of fingers, one string lower. Learn one and you have both.

Songs that use it

Greensleeves and In the Hall of the Mountain King are built on it. It pairs with C, G and E.

In those songs, Am is followed by C E Em D Em7 F . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

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