A to E chord change
Your middle finger and ring finger move across to another string on the same fret; your index finger lifts and moves. Your strumming hand changes too: A starts on the A string, E uses all six strings.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. o means play the string open, ✕ means don’t play it.
Finger by finger
- Lifts and movesIndex finger (1) lifts and moves from the D string, 2nd fret to the G string, 1st fret.
- Moves across, same fretMiddle finger (2) moves across from the G string to the A string, staying on the 2nd fret.
- Moves across, same fretRing finger (3) moves across from the B string to the D string, staying on the 2nd fret.
| Finger | On A | On E | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Index finger (1) | D string, 2nd fret | G string, 1st fret | Lifts and moves |
| Middle finger (2) | G string, 2nd fret | A string, 2nd fret | Moves across, same fret |
| Ring finger (3) | B string, 2nd fret | D string, 2nd fret | Moves across, same fret |
How to practise A to E
- Play A and pick each string on its own. Fix any string that buzzes before you start changing.
- Lead with the index finger: it has the furthest to go (to the G string, 1st fret). Aim it first and let the other fingers follow.
- Do “ghost changes”: switch from A to E and back 20 times without strumming. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, and land them all together.
- Now strum: four strums on A, four on E. When that is clean, try two strums each, then one.
- Time yourself with the trainer below: one minute, counting every clean change. Do it once a day and watch the number climb.
One-minute A to E trainer
Press Start, hold A through the count-in, then change back and forth for one minute. Tap the big button (or press the space bar) every time you land a clean chord. Your best score is kept.
Want other chords? Open the full chord change trainer.
Songs to use it in
None of the songs in our free library change straight from A to E yet, but these use E, so the shape will come in handy.
A to E: questions
Which finger stays down when you change from A to E?
None stays in exactly the same place with the standard shapes. Your middle finger and ring finger move across to another string on the same fret; your index finger lifts and moves.
How do I change from A to E faster?
Practise the change on its own, not inside a song. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, land them all at once, and lead with the finger that has the longest trip. Then do one minute of changes a day with a timer and count them.
How many A to E changes a minute is good?
Count every clean change: A to E is one, and back again is two. Around 30 in a minute is a solid start and enough for slow songs. At 40 most songs at a relaxed tempo start to flow, and at about 60 (one change a second) the change is ready for almost anything.
What songs use A and E?
A to E is I to V in the key of A, and IV to I in the key of E.
Is E to A the same as A to E?
It uses the same moves in reverse. Practise both directions: the trainer counts each switch either way.
More chord changes
Learn the chords in the right order
Fretwork’s lessons teach one chord at a time, with a ring test and a one-minute change check before you move on. The first two stages are free.