Am Piano Chord

A minor is the Am piano chord. It has three notes: A, C and E. All three are white keys, which makes it the minor chord almost everybody learns first.

1A3C5EC3C4

A at the bottom, then C and E. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. Every key here is white.

How to play Am on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the A below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): A
  3. Middle finger (3): C
  4. Little finger (5): E
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just A on its own as a bass note.

A minor and C major share two notes, C and E, so they sit next to each other under the hand. Moving between them is one of the first things worth practising.

Inversions of Am

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Am; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionC E A
Am piano chord diagram, first inversion, C E A
Lighter than root position and less final. A flat third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionE A C
Am piano chord diagram, second inversion, E A C
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.

If it sounds wrong

It sounds bright instead of sad
The middle note must be C, not C sharp. C sharp is the black key to the right, and it turns the chord into A major.
The little finger is quiet
E is under the weakest finger. Lean the hand very slightly outward so the arm's weight reaches it, rather than pressing harder.
The notes arrive one at a time
Shape the hand above the keys first, then drop all three fingers together. A chord is one movement.

What makes it an Am

A · C · E 1 ♭3 5

A minor is the first, flat third and fifth of the A scale: A, C and E. Three half steps from A to C make it a minor third, and that one interval is the whole difference between sad and bright.

It is the relative minor of C major, which means the two share a key signature and every note. That is why A minor is the vi chord of C, the ii of G and the iii of F, and why so much music in C leans on it.

Am vs A

The middle note. A minor uses C; A major uses C sharp, the black key just above it. Nothing else changes.

A minor is the easier of the two on piano, since all three notes are white. Rocking the middle finger between C and C sharp while the outer fingers stay put is the clearest way to hear what minor means.

Questions about Am

Which notes are in an Am chord on piano?

A, C and E. All three are white keys. From A, skip B for C, then skip D for E.

What fingers do you use for Am?

Right hand: thumb on A, middle finger on C, little finger on E. Left hand: little finger on A, middle on C, thumb on E.

Is Am the easiest minor chord?

It is one of them. A minor, D minor and E minor all use white keys only, which makes them the three minor chords to learn first.

What is the difference between Am and C?

They share C and E and differ in the third note: A minor adds A below, C major adds G above. That closeness is why they follow each other so naturally in songs.

Where is the Am chord used?

As the vi chord in C, the ii in G and the iii in F. It is the most used minor chord in pop music, because C and G are the most used keys.

Chords to learn next

Other A chords