The A Major Chord & Changes

Here is our second chord, the A chord.

5 Tips to play a chord from muscle memory!

• Look at the chord diagram, create the chord shape a note at a time in the correct place on the fretboard

• ​Strum the chord to hear what it sounds like

• Look at your fingers to memorise the shape but even more importantly, remember how the shape actually feels in your fingers

• Do this exercise repeatedly but don't press down fully to strum the chord each time, just focus on holding the shape when committing it to muscle memory

More A chord options + tips

E to A change

Open String Names

You’ll need to know the names of the open strings. Using a mnemonic can help you remember them. For example; Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears to remember E A D G B E (thickest to thinnest!).

Another student favourite to remember the open string names is Eddie Ate Dynamite - Good Bye Eddie! 

Memorising open string names is essential for tuning your guitar. Learn how to tune your guitar here.