Construction
A Minor = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th = A, C, E
| Note | Interval | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| A | Root | 1 |
| C | Minor 3rd | ♭3 |
| E | Perfect 5th | 5 |
How to Play the A Minor
Right Hand (RH)
Place your right hand over the keys with the thumb on the root. Use the fingering: 1 – 3 – 5
Left Hand (LH)
For the left hand, start with your pinky on the root. Use the fingering: 5 – 3 – 1
A Minor Inversions
- Root positionA – C – E
- 1st inversion (Am/C)C – E – A
- 2nd inversion (Am/E)E – A – C
A Minor : Frequently Asked Questions
What is the A Minor chord on piano?
The A Minor chord contains the notes A – C – E. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes make up the A Minor chord?
A Minor contains three notes: A (root), C (minor third), and E (perfect fifth). All three are white keys, A Minor is the simplest minor chord on the piano and the relative minor of C Major.
What fingering do I use for A Minor?
Right hand: finger 1 on A, finger 3 on C, finger 5 on E. Left hand: finger 5 on A, finger 3 on C, finger 1 on E. The all-white-key layout makes Am as easy as C Major, and both share two notes (C and E).
What are the inversions of A Minor?
First inversion (Am/C): C–E–A. Second inversion (Am/E): E–A–C. Am/C is particularly versatile, with C in the bass, this inversion blurs the boundary between Am and C Major, creating ambiguity that composers use expressively.
What songs use the A Minor chord?
A Minor is one of the most used chords in music. It appears in Stairway to Heaven, The House of the Rising Sun, and is part of the iconic Am–F–C–G progression heard in Let Her Go (Passenger), Counting Stars (OneRepublic), and hundreds more.
What chords pair well with A Minor?
Am pairs naturally with F Major (VI), C Major (III), G Major (VII), and E Major (V). Am–F–C–G and Am–G–F–E are two of the most common progressions in pop. In classical music, Am resolves powerfully to E Major or E7 (dominant).
What is the relationship between A Minor and C Major?
A Minor is the relative minor of C Major: they share the same key signature (no sharps or flats) and the same seven notes. This is why songs can shift between Am and C Major feeling without a key change: they are two sides of the same tonal coin.