A major chord
A major chord for guitar with diagrams, fingerings and notes.
All chords More A chordsAlternative fingerings
A
A
A
A
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Description and theory
A major is usually played as an open chord, but it's common to play it as a barre chord as well.
Try it in a chord progression
A - D - E - A
Progressions with diagrams (PDF)
Chords that sound good together with A major
The primary chords to combine with A in chord progressions are: Bm, C#m, D, E and F#m.
Follow-up chords
Chords that are likely to follow A major in progressions:
› D
› E
› F#m
› Asus2
Finger position (A chord)
Index (1st) finger on 4th string, 2nd fret or on 4th, 3rd and 2nd string, 2nd fret.
Middle (2nd) finger on 3rd string, 2nd fret.
Ring (3rd) finger on 2nd string, 2nd fret.
There are more options for fingerings, see diagrams above.
Theory of A chord
The notes that the A chord consists of are A, C#, E. The main presented version (X02220) includes a doubled root, a third and a doubled fifth.
To get A7 add G.
To get Amaj7 add G#.
To get A6 add F#.
Inversions
1st inversion: A/C# (means that C# is the bass note).
2nd inversion: A/E (means that E is the bass note).
Diagrams of these inversions
Assorted slash chords
Versions with alternate bass notes in short notation:
A/B: X22225 / X2222X
A/C: X32220
A/D: XX0220
A/D#: XX1220
A/F: 102220
A/F#: 202220
A/G: 302220
A/G#: 402220
Alternative chord names
A/B is theoretically identical with Aadd2/B.
A/F# is theoretically identical with A6/F#.
A/G is theoretically identical with A7/G.
A(no3) is theoretically identical with A5.
Written in tab format
- 0 -
- 2 -
- 2 -
- 2 -
- 0 -
- - -
See The Chord Reference ebook (over 800 chord charts), for a PDF.
Alternative shapes and voicings
Other ways to play A major:
In both cases, the open A-string can be included. Additional versions are X02225 and X 0 12 12 12 17, which can be great as final chords (i.e. outro chords) since both the highest and lowest notes are an A.
These versions are sometimes written AVII and AV, respectively, marking the positions by frets in Roman numerals. A chord on the 7th fret and on the 5th fret, there is.
Another relatively common alternative voicing is X02225, sometimes referred to as A with A at the top.
Go to Lesson for this chord.