Guitar chord · Triads
A major chord on guitar
x02220 · Open position
All 6 shapes, tab & fingering ↓
6 ways to play A on guitar, with finger positions, tabs and step-by-step instructions.
Bright, stable and resolved — the foundation of most songs.
A is the I chord in A major, IV in E major and V in D major. In minor keys: III in F♯ minor, V in D minor, VI in C♯ minor and VII in B minor.
- Notes
- AC♯E
- Formula
- 135
- Built from
- root · major 3rd · perfect 5th
Guitar
Standard tuning (E A D G B E) · 6 voicings · E string on the left · Other tunings →
How to play it · Open position
- 6th string (low E): don’t play — mute it
- 5th string (A): play open A
- 4th string (D): 2nd fret, index finger (1) E
- 3rd string (G): 2nd fret, middle finger (2) A
- 2nd string (B): 2nd fret, ring finger (3) C♯
- 1st string (high E): play open E
Tablature
e|--0---| B|--2---| G|--2---| D|--2---| A|--0---| E|--x---|
Top line is the high E string. x = don’t play, 0 = open string.
Every A note on the guitar neck
Bright dots are the selected voicing — the rest are other places you can find the same chord tones.
Tips for playing A on guitar
Three fingers crowd into the 2nd fret of the D, G and B strings (x02220). If they don’t fit, try index-middle-ring in a slight diagonal, or a small barre with one finger. Don’t strum the low E.
You’ll find A in common progressions such as A–E–F♯m–D (the pop progression in A major), A–D–E–D (three-chord rock in A major) and A–F♯m–D–E (the ’50s progression in A major).
Learning guitar? A is part of stage 5 (“E major and A major”) of our first guitar chords path.
