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.

Am piano chord diagram, root position, A C E

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.

Am in major keys

Every note of Am sits inside these keys. See how it works alongside the other chords in each one.

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