Chords in the Key of A Minor: Chords, Progressions and the E7 Trick

A minor is the guitar's favorite sad key. Its home chord, Am, is one of the first chords everyone learns, and almost every other chord in the key is an easy open shape. It's the key of countless folk ballads, rock songs, flamenco-flavored progressions and classical guitar pieces.

This guide covers the chords in A minor, the "E7 trick" that makes the key sound complete, the progressions to know, and how A minor relates to C major.

The chords in the key of A minor

The A natural minor scale is A B C D E F G, the same notes as C major, starting on A. Its chords:

Number	Chord	Type	Notes
i	Am	Minor	A C E
ii°	Bdim	Diminished	B D F
III	C	Major	C E G
iv	Dm	Minor	D F A
v	Em	Minor	E G B
VI	F	Major	F A C
VII	G	Major	G B D

Notice the pattern is different from a major key: here the home chord (i), the iv and the v are minor, and III, VI and VII are major. That's what gives a minor key its darker color. Our guide to major vs minor chords explains the difference at the chord level.

How to play the chords in A minor

Everything here is an open chord except F (small F shown) and Bdim, which is rarely used. If F is still tricky, Fmaj7 works in most songs. See our F chord guide.

The E7 trick: why minor songs use E major

Play Am – Dm – Em – Am. It works, but the return to Am feels a bit flat. Now play Am – Dm – E – Am. Hear how much stronger that last change is?

That's because E major contains G#, which sits just one fret below A and "leans" into it. Em has G instead, which doesn't pull. This raised note comes from the harmonic minor scale, and it's why most songs in A minor use E or E7 as their V chord, even though Em is technically the chord in the key.

E7 adds even more pull. Am – Dm – E7 – Am is the classic minor cadence used in folk, flamenco, classical and rock.

Common progressions in A minor

Progression	Numbers	Feel
Am – Dm – E7 – Am	i – iv – V7 – i	Classic minor, folk, flamenco
Am – G – F – E	i – VII – VI – V	The Andalusian cadence: dramatic and Spanish
Am – F – C – G	i – VI – III – VII	Modern emotional pop
Am – C – G – F	i – III – VII – VI	Rock ballad
Am – Em – F – C	i – v – VI – III	Soft, melancholy
Dm – E7 – Am	iv – V7 – i	Minor ending

The Andalusian cadence (Am – G – F – E) steps down one chord at a time and lands on E, which pulls back to Am. It's one of the most emotional progressions in music. Our guide to sad chord progressions covers it and nine others.

Traditional songs in A minor

Many traditional songs are commonly played in A minor. "The House of the Rising Sun," an old American folk song, is usually played with Am, C, D, F and E. Note the D major: it's borrowed from a related scale (the Dorian mode) and gives the song its haunting color. "Greensleeves," a traditional English tune, is often played in A minor too, using chords like Am, G, F and E. Both are great practice pieces for minor-key chord changes.

A minor and C major: same notes, different home

A minor is the relative minor of C major. They share every note and every chord. What changes is the center of gravity:

• If a song keeps resolving to C, it's in C major.
• If it keeps resolving to Am (often via E or E7), it's in A minor.

Lots of songs move between the two. A verse in A minor and a chorus that opens up to C is a classic songwriting move. See chords in the key of C for the major side.

Variations that sound great in A minor

• Am7: softer and more open than Am. Lift your ring finger.
• Dm7: smooth and easy, with a small barre on the top two strings.
• Fmaj7: no barre, and a dreamy sound that suits minor songs.
• Esus4 → E: adds suspense before the V chord resolves.
• Am/G and Am/F#: walking the bass down under Am. See slash chords.

Natural, harmonic and melodic minor (in plain English)

You'll hear these three names in theory books. For a guitarist, here's all you need:

• Natural minor: the plain scale (A B C D E F G). Gives you the basic chords: Am, Dm, Em, C, F, G.
• Harmonic minor: raises G to G#. Gives you E and E7 as a strong V chord. This is the E7 trick.
• Melodic minor: raises F and G when a melody climbs. Mostly a lead-guitar and classical concern.

Songs freely mix these colors. For more theory explained simply, see our guide to music theory for guitar beginners.

A minor shapes in other minor keys

With a capo, your A minor chords become any other minor key:

Capo fret	Sounds in	Am – Dm – E7 becomes
2	B minor	Bm – Em – F#7
3	C minor	Cm – Fm – G7
5	D minor	Dm – Gm – A7
7	E minor	Em – Am – B7

See how to use a capo for more.

How to practice the key of A minor

1. Play Am – Dm – E7 – Am with four strums each until the changes are smooth.
2. Try the Andalusian cadence: Am – G – F – E, using Fmaj7 if needed.
3. Play Am – F – C – G and then C – G – Am – F. Notice how starting on Am makes the same chords sound sadder.
4. Fingerpick Am and E7 slowly, letting each note ring. Minor keys sound beautiful picked. Our guide to fingerpicking for beginners has simple patterns.

Related keys

E minor is the other great open minor key on guitar; see chords in the key of E minor. For a full map of minor chord shapes, see minor chords on guitar.

Soloing in A minor

The A minor pentatonic scale at the 5th fret is the most-used scale shape on the guitar, and A minor is its home. Over Am, Dm and Em, it sounds great anywhere. The full A natural minor scale adds two notes, B and F, for more melodic lines. When the song plays E or E7, try the note G# (one fret below A) to match the chord's harmonic-minor sound. See the minor pentatonic guide for the box shape.

Common mistakes in A minor

• Using Em when E7 sounds better: if a progression feels like it never quite lands back on Am, try E or E7 instead of Em.
• Strumming the low E on Am: start on the A string.
• Rushing minor songs: many A minor songs sound best slow and spacious. Let chords ring.
• Getting stuck on F: use Fmaj7 or the small F and keep playing.

Writing a song in A minor

Try a verse on Am – F – C – G, played softly, and a chorus that lifts by starting on F: F – G – Am – Am. End each chorus with Dm – E7 – Am for a strong, satisfying finish. That's a complete song structure using only open chords (plus F). Write a few lines of lyrics, choose one strumming or fingerpicking pattern and play it through slowly.

Quick reference

• Main chords: Am, Dm, E or E7, F, C and G.
• The secret ingredient: E7 instead of Em for a strong return home.
• Relative major: C.
• Solo scale: A minor pentatonic at the 5th fret.
• Capo shortcut: capo 2 for B minor, capo 3 for C minor, capo 5 for D minor.

Fretwork's path teaches Am and E in its free first stages and Dm soon after, with simple theory that explains why they work so well together. The first two stages are free, no card required.

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