What chords are in the key of A Minor?

The key of A Minor uses Am, C, Dm, Em, F, G. Those six cover almost every song written in A Minor; the seventh, a diminished chord on the leading note, turns up far more rarely.

How many sharps or flats does A Minor have?

A Minor has no sharps or flats — every note is natural, which is why it is usually the first key people learn.

What is the relative major of A Minor?

C Major — it shares the same notes and the same key signature as A Minor, just centred on a different home chord. Songs slip between the two all the time.

What capo position is best for A Minor?

A capo on fret 5, fingering Em shapes. It sounds exactly like A Minor but swaps the barre chords for open ones.

Chords in the Key of A Minor

A Minor is built from Am, C, Dm, Em, F, G and carries no sharps or flats in its key signature. On guitar it is easiest with a capo on fret 5, fingering Em shapes.

The 6 chords of A Minor

Tap any diagram for a full fingering guide for that chord.

Chord numbers and numerals

Roman numerals are how theory writes a key; Nashville numbers are how session players call one on stage. Both say the same thing — the chord's position in the key, independent of which key you end up in.

Numeral	Nashville	Chord in A Minor	Role
i	1m	Am	Home chord (tonic)
III	3	C	Relative major — bright lift
iv	4m	Dm	Subdominant
v	5m	Em	Pulls home
VI	6	F	Warm resolution
VII	7	G	Rock cadence

More on this in the Nashville number system guide.

Common progressions in A Minor

The same handful of progressions carry most of popular music. Here they are written out in this key.

The minor pop loop

i – VI – III – VII

The minor-key equivalent of the four-chord song — moody but never gloomy.

Am→F→C→G

The minor three-chord

i – iv – v

Plain and folk-like. Raising the v to a major V adds a much stronger pull home.

Am→Dm→Em

The Andalusian-flavoured vamp

i – VII – VI – VII

A rocking, cyclical feel that never fully resolves — good for verses and jams.

Am→G→F→G

The lift

i – VI – VII

Climbs out of the minor tonic and back again; common in choruses and film cues.

Am→F→G

Playing A Minor on guitar

How hard this key is has nothing to do with the music and everything to do with where the notes fall on the neck.

Played open, A Minor asks for barre chords, which is tiring over a full set and a common place for beginners to stall. Put a capo on fret 5 and finger Em shapes instead: the song still sounds in A Minor, but your hand is doing the easy version. See the full capo breakdown for A Minor →

Its relative major is C Major — same notes, same key signature, different centre of gravity. The parallel key, A Major, keeps the same home note but flips the mood; borrowing a chord from it is one of the oldest tricks for making a chorus land.

Move a song into or out of A Minor

If A Minor does not fit the singer, these pages show exactly which chord becomes which.

Frequently asked questions

What chords are in the key of A Minor?: The key of A Minor uses Am, C, Dm, Em, F, G. Those six cover almost every song written in A Minor; the seventh, a diminished chord on the leading note, turns up far more rarely.
How many sharps or flats does A Minor have?: A Minor has no sharps or flats — every note is natural, which is why it is usually the first key people learn.
What is the relative major of A Minor?: C Major — it shares the same notes and the same key signature as A Minor, just centred on a different home chord. Songs slip between the two all the time.
What capo position is best for A Minor?: A capo on fret 5, fingering Em shapes. It sounds exactly like A Minor but swaps the barre chords for open ones.

Have a chart in A Minor?

Upload the PDF or a photo and move every chord to whatever key you need — the layout stays exactly as printed, capo banner included.

Transpose a chart Capo for A Minor