Guitar Chord Reference > Voicings of the A Major Chord

1. A Major (A)

NOTE: The smallest string is at the top, the largest at the bottom.
E ||-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String played open.
B ||-----|--4--|-----|-----|-----| 4th finger on 2nd fret.
G ||-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----| 3rd finger on 2nd fret.
D ||-----|--2--|-----|-----|-----| 2nd finger on 2nd fret.
A ||-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String played open.
E ||-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String not played.
\ Nut    1     2     3     4     5 <-- Fret number.
 Note of string When played "open"

Note: I have described this chord using the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers to facilitate changing to Am. Many people use fingers 1, 2 and 3. I also use fingers 1, 2 and 3 but in the following formation:


2. A Major (A) Alternate fingering

NOTE: The smallest string is at the top, the largest at the bottom.
E ||-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String played open.
B ||-----|--3--|-----|-----|-----| 3rd finger on 2nd fret.
G ||-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 2nd fret.
D ||-----|--2--|-----|-----|-----| 2nd finger on 2nd fret.
A ||-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String played open.
E ||-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String not played.
\ Nut    1     2     3     4     5 <-- Fret number.
 Note of string When played "open"

This alternate fingering makes it easier to change to and from the chord of D.


3. A Major at the fifth fret (E Form)

NOTE: The smallest string is at the top, the largest at the bottom.
E -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 5th fret.
B -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 5th fret.
G -|-----|--1--|--2--|-----|-----| 2nd finger on 6th fret.
D -|-----|--1--|-----|--4--|-----| 4th finger on 7th fret.
A -|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----| 3rd finger on 7th fret.
E -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 5th fret.
\  3     4     5     6     7     8 <-- Fret number.
 Note of string When played "open"



4. A Major at the 12th fret (A Form)

NOTE: The smallest string is at the top, the largest at the bottom.
E -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 12th fret.
B -|-----|--1--|-----|--4--|-----| 4th finger on 14th fret.
G -|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----| 3rd finger on 14th fret.
D -|-----|--1--|-----|--2--|-----| 2nd finger on 14th fret.
A -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 12th fret.
E -|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String not played.
\ 10    11    12    13    14    15 <-- Fret number.
 Note of string When played "open"



5. A Major at the 12th fret (A Form)

NOTE: The smallest string is at the top, the largest at the bottom.
E -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 12th fret.
B -|-----|-----|-----|--4--|-----| 4th finger on 14th fret.
G -|-----|-----|-----|--3--|-----| 3rd finger on 14th fret.
D -|-----|-----|-----|--2--|-----| 2nd finger on 14th fret.
A -|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String not played.
E -|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String not played.
\ 10    11    12    13    14    15 <-- Fret number.
 Note of string When played "open"

This is an alternate form, in case you don't want to play a bar chord.


6. A Major (C Form)

NOTE: The smallest string is at the top, the largest at the bottom.
E -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 9th fret.
B -|-----|--1--|--2--|-----|-----| 2nd finger on 10th fret.
G -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 9th fret.
D -|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----| 3rd finger on 11th fret.
A -|-----|--1--|-----|-----|--4--| 4th finger on 12th fret.
E -|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String not played.
\  7     8     9    10    11    12 <-- Fret number.
 Note of string When played "open"



7. A Major (D Form)

NOTE: The smallest string is at the top, the largest at the bottom.
E -|-----|-----|--3--|-----|-----| 3rd finger on 9th fret.
B -|-----|-----|-----|--4--|-----| 4th finger on 10th fret.
G -|-----|-----|--2--|-----|-----| 2nd finger on 9th fret.
D -|--1--|-----|-----|-----|-----| 1st finger on 7th fret.
A -|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String not played.
E -|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| String not played.
\  6     7     8     9    10    11 <-- Fret number.
 Note of string When played "open"
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