Am: A Minor Piano Chord

Root position: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	A, C, E	1-3-5
Left	A, C, E	5-3-1

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	A	Perfect unison	0
♭3	C	Minor third	3
5	E	Perfect fifth	7

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

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
A	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
C	white	middle finger (3)	middle finger (3)
E	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on A, middle finger (3) on C, little finger (5) on E.

Left hand: little finger (5) on A, middle finger (3) on C, thumb (1) on E.

A Minor Inversions

Root position
A – C – E
1st inversion (Am/C)
C – E – A
2nd inversion (Am/E)
E – A – C

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the A Minor is the tonic (i) chord of A Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, C Major: no sharps or flats.

Chords in the Key of A Minor

These are the triads built on each degree of A Minor:

i — A Minor (minor)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	i	A Minor	Minor
2	ii°	B Diminished	Diminished
3	III	C Major	Major
4	iv	D Minor	Minor
5	v	E Minor	Minor
6	VI	F Major	Major
7	VII	G Major	Major

How A Minor functions in a key

The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where A Minor sits diatonically across the common keys:

In C major, A Minor is the vi chord — the tonic.
In A minor, A Minor is the i chord — the tonic.
In G major, A Minor is the ii chord — a predominant.
In E minor, A Minor is the iv chord — a predominant.
In F major, A Minor is the iii chord — a mediant / color chord.
In D minor, A Minor is the v chord.

Scales That Include the A Minor

C Major (vi)
G Major (ii)
F Major (iii)
A Minor (i)
E Minor (iv)
D Minor (v)
D Dorian (v)
E Phrygian (iv)

A Minor : Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in Am?

Am contains A, C and E. The formula is 1, ♭3, 5.

How do you play Am on piano?

Play A, C and E together. Right hand fingers 1, 3, 5; left hand 5, 3, 1. Every note is a white key.

What are the inversions of Am?

3 positions: root position A C E, Am/C, Am/E.

What keys contain Am?

6: vi in C major, v in D minor, iv in E minor, iii in F major, ii in G major, i in A minor.

What is the difference between Am and Am7?

Adds G. 3 of the notes are shared.

What is an easy Am for small hands?

The root and third only voicing, A3 C4, spans 3 semitones or about 41 mm.

What are the frequencies of Am?

From A3 at A440 in 12-TET: 220.00, 261.63, 329.63 Hz.

What is the set class of Am?

Prime form (037), Forte 3-11, interval vector <001110>.

How do I transpose Am to another key?

Keep the 1, ♭3, 5 formula on the new root. Cm is C, E♭, G; C♯m is C♯, E, G♯.

A Minor in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	A3 C4 E4	7	96 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	C4 E4 A4	9	124 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	E4 A4 C5	8	110 mm	none	identical
Open, fifth on top	A2 E3 C4	15	206 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation	Fit
Root and third only	A3 C4	3	41 mm	omits E	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

Position	Bass note	Notes in order	Figured bass	Semitones	Span
Root position	A	A3, C4, E4	5/3	7	96 mm
First inversion: Am/C	C	C4, E4, A4	6/3	9	124 mm
Second inversion: Am/E	E	E4, A4, C5	6/4	8	110 mm

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

Progression	Key	Role	Sequence	Voice leading
vi, IV, I, V	C major	vi	Am to F to C to G	Am opens the phrase
I, vi	C major	vi	C to Am	2 tones held from C
v, i	D minor	v	Am to Dm	Am opens the phrase
ii°, v, i	D minor	v	Edim to Am to Dm	1 tone held from Edim
iv, v, i	E minor	iv	Am to Bm to Em	Am opens the phrase
i, iv	E minor	iv	Em to Am	1 tone held from Em
iii, vi, ii, V	F major	iii	Am to Dm to Gm to C	Am opens the phrase
I, iii	F major	iii	F to Am	2 tones held from F

Root motion, common tones and voice displacement are computed from pitch class sets. Roman numerals follow common practice functional harmony.

Which keys it belongs to

Key	Roman numeral	Function
C major	vi	Tonic substitute
D minor	v	Minor dominant
E minor	iv	Subdominant
F major	iii	Tonic substitute
G major	ii	Predominant
A minor	i	Tonic, home

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

Chord	Change	Formula	Common tones
Am7	adds G	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	3
AmMaj7	adds G♯	1 ♭3 5 7	3
Am6	adds F♯	1 ♭3 5 6	3
A	C becomes C♯	1 3 5	2
Adim	E becomes E♭	1 ♭3 ♭5	2
Asus2	C becomes B	1 2 5	2
Asus4	C becomes D	1 4 5	2
Amaj7	C becomes C♯, G♯	1 3 5 7	2
A7	C becomes C♯, G	1 3 5 ♭7	2
Am7♭5	E becomes E♭, G	1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭7	2
Adim7	E becomes E♭, G♭	1 ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7	2
A7sus4	C becomes D, G	1 4 5 ♭7	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
A3	57	220.00 Hz
C4	60	261.63 Hz
E4	64	329.63 Hz

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {9, 0, 4}
Normal order: [9, 0, 4]
Prime form: (037)
Forte number: 3-11
Interval vector: <001110>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
A to C	Minor third	3	3
A to E	Perfect fifth	7	5
C to E	Major third	4	4

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a minor applied to the root A, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

A Minor

Fingerings

A Minor: notes and degrees