Learn › A Minor Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
New Released in April 2026
A Minor Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
The A minor triad on guitar does not need six strings. Three notes, A, C and E, on three strings give you Am anywhere on the neck, in root position, 1st and 2nd inversion.
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- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Same chord, different bottom note
An inversion just reorders A, C and E. Bottom note A: root position. Bottom note C: 1st inversion. Bottom note E: 2nd inversion.
Darker than major: the middle note of the major shape moves down one fret.
Where Am sits on the neck
Start with the top three strings: the shapes are small and the top note is clear. Then move the same idea to the lower sets.
G-B-e strings
Root position
1st inversion
2nd inversion
D-G-B strings
2nd inversion
Root position
1st inversion
A-D-G strings
1st inversion
2nd inversion
Root position
E-A-D strings
Root position
1st inversion
2nd inversion
Connecting the inversions
Climbing the G-B-e strings: root position (fret 2) → 1st inversion (fret 5) → 2nd inversion (fret 10). Listen to the top note, E, A, C: it is a little melody inside one chord.
One area of the neck, near fret 7, already holds four Am shapes: G-B-e strings 5-5-5; D-G-B strings 7-5-5; A-D-G strings 7-7-5; E-A-D strings 8-7-7.
Fret chart for Am triads
| String set | Root position | 1st inversion | 2nd inversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-B-e strings | x x x 2 1 0 | x x x 5 5 5 | x x x 9 10 8 |
| D-G-B strings | x x 7 5 5 x | x x 10 9 10 x | x x 2 2 1 x |
| A-D-G strings | x 12 10 9 x x | x 3 2 2 x x | x 7 7 5 x x |
| E-A-D strings | 5 3 2 x x x | 8 7 7 x x x | 12 12 10 x x x |
Frets from the low E string to the high E string; x = string not played.
Practise Am triads in four steps
- Start with the G-B-e strings only: three shapes, one minute each.
- Climb the neck through the three shapes and come back down without stopping.
- Stay near fret 7 and find Am on two different string sets.
- Then test yourself: random chord names, find the closest Am shape each time.
Small daily sessions work best: shapes stick by repetition.
Train chord changes on your guitar
ChordRunner listens to your guitar through the microphone: a chord name appears, you play it in any shape, and the game hears if the notes are right. A MIDI keyboard works too.
Play the demoCommon questions
What are the inversions of Am on guitar?
Root position (A at the bottom), 1st inversion (C at the bottom) and 2nd inversion (E at the bottom). On the top three strings: Root position 2-1-0; 1st inversion 5-5-5; 2nd inversion 9-10-8.
Why learn triad inversions on guitar?
They let you play Am in any area of the neck with three fingers, so chord changes stay close and the top note can follow a melody.
What does a Am triad sound like?
Darker than major: the middle note of the major shape moves down one fret.
Can I practise Am with a game that listens to my guitar?
Yes. ChordRunner hears your guitar through the microphone and checks the chord in any shape or inversion. A USB MIDI keyboard works too.
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.
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