Guitar For Kids -- The Am Chord

Hi gang!

Hi gang!

Let's talk a bit about the Am chord. This is a "minor" chord, not a "major" chord. How do I know it's a minor chord?

I know because of the little "m" after the "A". That little "m" stands for --- wait for it -- minor!

Alright, chords have formulas right?

Say yes.

The formula for a minor chord is R + m3 + M3. A m3 being 3 half-steps, and a M3 being 4 half-steps.

So, what's the root? Well, it's gonna be the A, of course. Let's build the rest of it.

What's a m3 up from the A?

Answer: C

Now we gotta go up a major 3rd up from C to get the 5th of the chord. So what is it. Hint: See the chromatic scale below.

Answer: E

So the Am chord is A C E. No other notes -- just A, C, and E.

Let's look at the fingering for the Am chord. The high E string is on the right.

[ 0 0 2 2 1 0 ]

The 1st open string just happens to be an E. That was easy.

The 2nd string has the 1st finger on the 1st fret. That note is a C.

The 3rd string has the 3rd finger on the 2nd fret. That's an A.

The 4th string has the 2nd finger on the 2nd fret. THat note is an E.

The 5th string is the open A, and the 6th string is the open E.

So... The notes in this Am chord from high to low are:

E C A E A E

It don't matter a whit that some notes are repeated, just as long as the only notes are A, C, and E. No other notes allowed. There are other ways to play an Am chord, but still, the only notes are A C E.

Got it?

Okay... Memorize this. Understand this. Amaze your family and friends. Well.... maybe not, but memorize it anyway.

Okay?

Professor Bruno Noteworthy

by: Professor Bruno Noteworthy: Toon Music Professor

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