Play ChordRunner

Learn › A Major Chord on Guitar (A)

New Released in April 2026

A Major Chord on Guitar (A)

The A major chord on guitar (A) uses the notes A, C#, E. It is an open chord: some strings ring without fingers. Strum from the 5th string down. Here is the shape, finger by finger, plus the chords you will play next to it.

Play the demo

No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.

  • MIDI keyboard
  • Digital or acoustic piano
  • Guitar
  • Computer, phone or tablet
×
A A C# E

A guitar chord: shape and fingers

×
A A C# E

Fingers and frets

  • Index: 4th string (D), fret 2
  • Middle: 3rd string (G), fret 2
  • Ring: 2nd string (B), fret 2

Which strings to strum

x02220: × = do not play, 0 = open string.

Which note each string plays

5th string (A)open: A
4th string (D)fret 2: E
3rd string (G)fret 2: A
2nd string (B)fret 2: C#
1st string (high E)open: E

From A to Am only one thing changes: 2nd string (B): fret 2 → fret 1.

A short A routine

  1. Put the shape down slowly and pick each string once to check it rings.
  2. Take the hand off and put the whole shape back at once, ten times in a row.
  3. Switch between A and D for one minute, then try E.

Another way to play A

5fr
A A C# E

Same chord, different place: handy when the next chord is up the neck too.

Chords that go with A

Pick any two of these and switch back and forth: they all fit with A.

D · E · F#m

If A does not sound clean

  • For a clean A, press firmly but close to the metal fret wire.
  • Pick the strings one by one: the silent one shows which finger to lift a little.
  • A little pain in the first days is normal; it goes away as the fingertips harden.
ChordRunner on a phone next to an acoustic guitar, with a chord block on screen

Make A automatic

In ChordRunner A comes up between other chords and the microphone checks your strum, so the change becomes automatic. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

Play the demo

A on piano · Easy guitar chords · Guitar chord game

Common questions

Is A easy on guitar?

Yes, it is one of the open chords beginners learn first. Start slowly, check that every string rings, then practise switching to D.

Which fingers do I use for A?

Index finger: 4th string (D), fret 2, middle finger: 3rd string (G), fret 2, ring finger: 2nd string (B), fret 2.

Can I practise A with the microphone?

Yes. ChordRunner hears an acoustic or electric guitar through the microphone, and also a USB MIDI keyboard. It shows the chord symbol A, not the diagram, and checks the notes you strum.

Your instrument is the controller.

ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.

Try the demo

Keep learning

Easy Guitar Chords for Beginners

Easy guitar chords for beginners: Em, Am, C, G, D, E, A and Dm with diagrams, the order to learn them and how …

Guitar Chord Chart: 21 Essential Chords

Guitar chord chart with diagrams: the 7 major, 7 minor and 7 seventh chords guitarists use most, how to read a…

Guitar Chord Game: Practise Chords on Your Guitar

A guitar chord game in your browser: a chord appears, you strum it, the microphone hears it. Practise chord ch…

A Major Chord on Piano (A)

A major chord on piano (A): notes A C# E, keyboard picture, inversions, fingering and the keys it belongs to.…

Chord Training That Feels Like a Game

Interactive chord training in your browser. Play major, minor, 7th and extended chords on a MIDI keyboard or a…

Master All 12 Major Chords on Piano

Every major chord on piano with notes and fingering, plus an interactive game that drills all 12 until they ar…