CAGED
The A shape turns the open A major chord into a barre chord with its root on the A string. It is compact, sounds full, and is one of the two most useful barre chords alongside the E shape. Diagrams follow the left- or right-handed setting at the top of the page.
This is one of five CAGED shapes. See how they fit together on the CAGED system page.
The open shape and the movable shape
Left: the open A major chord. Right: the same shape moved up three frets to play C major.
- Root note, the note the chord is named after
- Other chord notes
- Barre: one finger across several strings
- × means do not play that string, ○ means play it open
Drawn for left-handed players: the thickest string (low E) is on the right.Drawn for right-handed players: the thickest string (low E) is on the left. The row of numbers at the bottom is the suggested finger: 1 is your index finger, 2 your middle finger, 3 your ring finger and 4 your pinky.
How to play it
Barre type: Barre across five strings (A to high e).
- Lay your index finger (1) flat across the A string to the high e string at the root fret. This is a five-string barre. Your finger does not need to cover the low E string.
- Put your ring finger (3) flat across the D, G and B strings, two frets above the barre.
- Strum from the A string down. Do not play the low E string: lightly touch it with the tip of your index finger, or aim your strum from the A string.
Here is each note in the movable shape, shown for C major.
| String | Fret | Note | Role | Finger |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | C | Root | 1 |
| D | 5 | G | 5th | 3 |
| G | 5 | C | Root | 3 |
| B | 5 | E | 3rd | 3 |
| high e | 3 | G | 5th | 1 |
Find the root note
The root of the A shape is on the A string. In C major the root, C, appears on the A string (fret 3) and the G string (fret 5). Find the chord you want on the A string, and that fret is where the shape goes.
Find it in every key
This chart shows the A shape for all 12 major chords. Fret numbers are listed from the low E string to the high e string, and x means do not play that string. Where the shape cannot fit below the nut, the chart gives the next place up the neck.
| Chord (major) | Root fret on the A string | Frets, low E to high e |
|---|---|---|
| C | 3 | x-3-5-5-5-3 |
| C♯/D♭ | 4 | x-4-6-6-6-4 |
| D | 5 | x-5-7-7-7-5 |
| D♯/E♭ | 6 | x-6-8-8-8-6 |
| E | 7 | x-7-9-9-9-7 |
| F | 8 | x-8-10-10-10-8 |
| F♯/G♭ | 9 | x-9-11-11-11-9 |
| G | 10 | x-10-12-12-12-10 |
| G♯/A♭ | 11 | x-11-13-13-13-11 |
| A | Open | x-0-2-2-2-0 (or at fret 12: x-12-14-14-14-12) |
| A♯/B♭ | 1 | x-1-3-3-3-1 |
| B | 2 | x-2-4-4-4-2 |
Minor and other chords
For minor, move the note on the B string down one fret. Use your middle finger on the B string, and your ring finger and pinky on the D and G strings. B minor at the 2nd fret is x-2-4-4-3-2. This is the A minor shape.
Tips and common problems
- Practice the open A chord with your three fingers squeezed together on the 2nd fret first. Then try the flat ring finger version.
- If the high e string is muted, arch the tip of your ring finger up slightly so it clears the string.
- Check that the A string rings. It sits right under the barre, so press close to the fret wire.
- If the flat ring finger hurts, practice it at the 5th to 7th fret first, where the frets are narrower and less pressure is needed.
Where this shape sits in CAGED
In C major the A shape sits at frets 3–5. As you move up the neck the shapes follow the order C, A, G, E, D and then C again, so it comes after the C shape and before the G shape. In C major it lines up with Pattern 4 on the C major scale page, so you can find the scale notes around the chord.
Other shapes: C shape · A shape · G shape · E shape · D shape
Practice ideas
- Slide the shape up one fret at a time and say the chord name at each fret. Use the chart above to check.
- Play the open shape, then the movable shape in C, four strums each. Listen for how the same chord sounds in a different place.
- Switch between this shape and the G shape, which comes next in the CAGED order. Keep the chord the same and just change position.
- Go slowly. Start at 60 bpm and keep the chord changes clean before you speed up.