A-shape Minor Chord

The core A minor shape

The A minor shape is the A major shape with the third lowered by one fret, turning the major third into a minor third (♭3) on the second string. It's commonly played as a barre chord, fingered x13421.

Like the major version, the root is on the fifth string (and the third string), and the tip of the first finger keeps the sixth string quiet.

Alternate A minor grips

There are other grips that can be more comfortable than the barre chord.

Without the first string

One comfortable grip is x1342x, like the barre chord without the first string.

Treble triad with bass

An interesting grip for this shape is x1x432. This voicing focuses on the treble triad on the three highest-pitched strings, a root-position closed-voice triad, and then adds the root note in the bass.

Treble triads

The treble triads can also be played by themselves: xxx321 on the three highest-pitched strings, or xx231x on the upper-middle strings.

Study and practice

Learn the chord grips

Master the A-shape minor chord using the exercises described in How to Master New Chord Grips.

Play minor primary chords

The minor primary chords (i-iv-v) are the same as the relative major secondary chords (vi-ii-iii).

Alternate between major and minor

Practice switching between the A-shape major and minor chords, listening for the third changing under the second finger.

Play the minor pentatonic over the chord

See the A-shape minor pentatonic lesson for more about playing this scale over the A-shape minor chord.