C to Am chord change
Your index finger and middle finger stay down; your ring finger lifts and moves. Your strumming hand does not change: both chords start on the A string.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. o means play the string open, ✕ means don’t play it.
Why this change matters
C and Am are relative major and minor: they share two of their three notes (C and E), and two of their fingers.
C to Am is one of the easier changes, helped by the index finger and middle finger that stay put. Going back from Am to C, make the same moves in reverse: the index finger and middle finger still stay put.
Finger by finger
- Stays putIndex finger (1) stays put on the B string, 1st fret.
- Stays putMiddle finger (2) stays put on the D string, 2nd fret.
- Lifts and movesRing finger (3) lifts and moves from the A string, 3rd fret to the G string, 2nd fret.
| Finger | On C | On Am | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Index finger (1) | B string, 1st fret | B string, 1st fret | Stays put |
| Middle finger (2) | D string, 2nd fret | D string, 2nd fret | Stays put |
| Ring finger (3) | A string, 3rd fret | G string, 2nd fret | Lifts and moves |
How to practise C to Am
- Play C and pick each string on its own. Fix any string that buzzes before you start changing.
- Find your anchor: keep the index finger and middle finger pressed down the whole time. They hold your hand in place, so the other fingers only have a short trip.
- Lead with the ring finger: it has the furthest to go (to the G string, 2nd fret). Aim it first and let the other fingers follow.
- Do “ghost changes”: switch from C to Am and back 20 times without strumming. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, and land them all together.
- Now strum: four strums on C, four on Am. 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 C to Am trainer
Press Start, hold C 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 that use C to Am
These songs in our free song library change between C and Am. Each one has a play-along that counts you in and lights up the chord to play.
- Wayfaring Stranger5 changes
- Michael, Row the Boat Ashore4 changes
- Greensleeves3 changes
- House of the Rising Sun3 changes
- Kumbaya3 changes
- Scarborough Fair3 changes
- Haul Away Joe2 changes
- The Parting Glass2 changes
- The Wellerman2 changes
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas2 changes
- Barbara Allen1 change
- Erie Canal (Low Bridge)1 change
And 3 more in the song library.
C to Am: questions
Which finger stays down when you change from C to Am?
Your index finger and middle finger stay on the same spot in both chords, so they anchor your hand while the other fingers move.
How do I change from C to Am 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 C to Am changes a minute is good?
Count every clean change: C to Am 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 C and Am?
In our free song library, Wayfaring Stranger, Michael, Row the Boat Ashore, Greensleeves and House of the Rising Sun, and 11 more use it. C and Am are relative major and minor: they share two of their three notes (C and E), and two of their fingers.
Is Am to C the same as C to Am?
It uses the same moves in reverse, and the index finger and middle finger still stay put. 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.