Julie Swihart

Minor Chords

Let’s look at how to play an Am (A minor) chord on the piano. We’ll also learn the pattern for building any minor chord.

What Are Minor Chords?

Minor chords are built using the first, third and fifth notes of the matching minor scale.

You can learn how to build a minor scale here.

Another way to build minor chords is to find the matching major chord and lower the middle note 1/2 step.

Chord Types Printable

Learn to play 17 types of piano chords using 12 different root notes with this 34-page PDF! Chords are sorted both by their root note (C, D, E, etc.) and type (major, minor, augmented, diminished, etc.).

Get the Printable

How to Play an Am Chord

So to build an Am chord on the piano, we’ll find the first, third and fifth notes of an A minor scale: A – C – E

We could also take an A major chord (A – C♯ – E) and lower the middle note 1/2 step: A – C – E

So to play an Am chord, we’ll play:

A – C – E

You can use this pattern to build any minor chord on the piano. Find the first, third and fifth notes of the matching minor scale, or take the matching major chord and lower the middle note 1/2 step.

Other Chord Types

There are many other chord types you can learn. Here are some others:

Major
Augmented
Diminished
Second
Minor Second
Suspended
Fifth
Sixth
Minor Sixth
Seventh
Minor Seventh
Major Seventh
Ninth
Minor Ninth
Major Ninth

Conclusion

Now you know how to build an Am chord on the piano, and you can use this pattern to build any minor chord.

Minor chords add a nice depth and richness to music, and lend themselves well to more somber and reflective piano playing. Learning to play these chords lays a wonderful foundation for you at the piano!