A Major
Open PositionThe classic open A chord — bright and punchy. Three fingers cluster on the 2nd fret of the D, G, and B strings. The open A and high e strings ring freely as the root and fifth.
A Power Chord
Open PositionThe open A5 power chord — root on the open A string, fifth on D string at fret 2, octave on G string at fret 2. Just three strings, no barre. A staple of rock and metal. Palm-mute the upper strings for a tight sound.
A Major
5th FretE-shape barre chord with the root on the low E string at the 5th fret. Full six-string voicing and a key movable barre chord shape — the same fingering pattern as the open E chord moved up five frets.
A Major
7th Fret (Top)Compact D-shape triad on the top three strings at the 7th fret. Bright and articulate — great for triadic playing, high-register chord stabs, and layering over other instruments.
A Major
12th FretA-shape barre chord rooted on A at the 12th fret of the A string — one full octave above the open A string. A rich upper-register voicing, great for chord melody and upper-neck rhythm playing.
Tips for Playing the A Chord
Cluster your fingers tightly
In the open A chord, all three fingers sit on the 2nd fret across a narrow span. Practice placing all three down simultaneously rather than one at a time to build speed.
Try the ring-finger barre
An alternative open A voicing uses the ring finger to barre across the D, G, and B strings at fret 2. This leaves fingers 1 and 2 free and makes transitions to certain chords faster.
Avoid muting the high e string
In the open A shape, the high e string is played open. Make sure no fretting finger is accidentally touching it — arch your fingers on their tips.
E-shape barre at fret 5
The E-shape barre at the 5th fret is the most important movable A voicing. It is the same fingering as the open E chord moved up five frets — mastering it unlocks the most versatile barre chord shape on the neck.
Open power chord is fast
The open A5 power chord (A string open, D and G strings at fret 2) is extremely quick to play and works great in rock. Add distortion and palm-mute for a tight, driving rhythm feel.
Common progressions
A → D → E is a foundational rock and blues sequence. A → D → A → E is another classic. In the key of A, you will also use F#m, Bm, and C#m frequently. A resolves naturally to E7 as its dominant chord.
About the A Chord on Guitar
The A major chord is built from three notes: A, C#, and E. It is one of the most important chords in rock, blues, country, and pop guitar — the open A string provides a deep, resonant bass root, and the three clustered fingers on the 2nd fret give the chord a bright, punchy character. The open A shape is also the foundation of the A-shape barre chord family, one of the two most important movable chord shapes on guitar alongside the E-shape family. This page covers five essential voicings: the open position, a power chord, the E-shape barre at the 5th fret, a compact high-register triad, and an upper-octave A-shape barre. Every diagram is interactive with real acoustic guitar sound.
- 015 A major chord shapes from beginner to advanced
- 02Interactive diagrams — click Play to hear each chord
- 03Real acoustic guitar sound via audio engine
- 04Open position, power chord, E-shape barre, and high voicings
- 05Difficulty rating on every shape
- 06Free — no sign-up or download needed
Anatomy
Chord Tones
The 3 notes that form the A Major chord and their role in the major scale.
Every major chord follows this same formula — root, major third, perfect fifth.