PorchtoneQuick answer: the seven chords in A minor are Am, B°, C, Dm, Em, F, G. The strongest are Am, Dm and Em (the i, iv and v); most songs in Am lean on those.
The chords
| AmiA C E | B°ii°B D F | CIIIC E G | DmivD F A | EmvE G B | FVIF A C | GVIIG B D |
Progressions that sound good in Am
- AndalusianAm – G – F – E (i VII VI V)
A falling bass line with Spanish drama.
- Night driveAm – F – C – G (i VI III VII)
Dark but moving forward; huge in film and alt-pop.
Playing in Am with a capo
If the barre chords in Am are a stretch, put a capo on and play easier open shapes. The song still sounds in Am.
| Capo | Play these shapes |
|---|---|
| Fret 5 | Em, F♯°, G, Am, Bm, C (shapes from Em) |
| Fret 7 | Dm, E°, F, Gm, Am, A♯ (shapes from Dm) |
Related keys
A minor shares all its chords with its relative major, C major. Its closest neighbours are E minor and D minor, which share six of its seven notes and make easy key changes.