Piano chord

A Minor Piano Chord (Am)

The A Minor chord on piano is made of the notes A, C and E. Sad, dark, and melancholic. The second most common chord type.

A Minor chord on a piano keyboard: A, C, E C5C6 A C E

Am A – C – E

Tap any key to hear it.

Name any chord from its keys in the chord finder →

What notes are in A Minor?

3 notes, built 1 – ♭3 – 5 up from A.

Notes
A – C – E
Formula
1 – ♭3 – 5
Semitones from the root
0 – 3 – 7
Symbol
Am
Chord type
Minor, 3 notes

How to play A Minor on piano

  • Right hand: A (1), C (3), E (5). Fingers 1 – 3 – 5, thumb on A.
  • Left hand: A (5), C (3), E (1). Fingers 5 – 3 – 1, little finger on A.

Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) on both hands.

Advertisement

A Minor inversions

Each inversion puts a different note of the chord in the bass. Written as a slash chord: Am/C, Am/E.

A Minor root position on piano: A, C, E A C E
Root position Am A – C – E RH 1 – 3 – 5 · LH 5 – 3 – 1
A Minor 1st inversion on piano: C, E, A C E A
1st inversion Am/C C – E – A RH 1 – 2 – 5 · LH 5 – 3 – 1
A Minor 2nd inversion on piano: E, A, C E A C
2nd inversion Am/E E – A – C RH 1 – 3 – 5 · LH 5 – 2 – 1

Progressions with A Minor

Press play: the chords move across the keyboard as they sound, voiced so your hand barely moves.

Sad pop progression

in C major

  1. vi Am
  2. IV F
  3. I C
  4. V G
Sad pop progression in C major: Am, F, C, G C E A

ii–V–I

in G major

  1. ii Am
  2. V7 D7
  3. Imaj7 Gmaj7
ii–V–I in G major: Am, D7, Gmaj7 C E A

Can you find A Minor?

Tap the notes on the keyboard, then check. Six chords, starting with this one.

1 / 6 Tap the notes of A Minor (Am)

Score 0

Any octave, any order. Each key you tap plays.

Practice keyboard: tap the notes of the chord

What key is A Minor in?

The keys whose scale contains every note of Am, with the chord’s Roman numeral in each.

Major keys

  • G majorii
  • F majoriii
  • C majorvi

Minor keys

  • A minori
  • E minoriv
  • D minorv

A Minor chord FAQ

What notes are in the A Minor chord?

A Minor (Am) has 3 notes: A, C and E. Its formula is 1 – ♭3 – 5, counted up from A.

How do you play A Minor on the piano?

Put your right thumb on A and play A, C and E with fingers 1 – 3 – 5. With the left hand, use fingers 5 – 3 – 1, little finger on A.

What are the inversions of A Minor?

1st inversion: C, E, A (Am/C). 2nd inversion: E, A, C (Am/E).

What key is A Minor in?

Am belongs to G major (ii), F major (iii), C major (vi), A minor (i), E minor (iv) and D minor (v).

Other A chords

Minor chords on every root

Piano chord chart: all 264 chords Open Am in the chord finder Free PDF chord chart Play it on the virtual piano