A MINOR - UKULELE
Open position
Chord composition
| I | ♭III | V |
|---|---|---|
| Root | Minor third | Perfect fifth |
| A | C | E |
ALL ABOUT THE A MINOR CHORD
Chord Composition
The A Minor chord is composed of 3 notes :
- A (Root)
- C (Minor third)
- E (Perfect fifth)
These notes form a minor triad, giving a darker and more melancholic color.
How to play A Minor on ukulele
On ukulele, the A Minor minor chord is played with the notes A, C, E. The difference from the major chord lies in the lowered third by a semitone.
- Standard fingering: 1-3-5 (thumb-middle-pinky) in right hand
- Minor inversions: particularly expressive, they allow creating smooth melodic voices
- Tonal pedal: use sparingly to accentuate the melancholic character
- Extended voicings: in jazz, minor chords are enriched with 9th and 11th
Sound color
The minor chord on ukulele has a unique introspective quality. In ballads, play it softer than major chords to create emotional contrast.
Popular chord progressions with A Minor
The A Minor minor chord appears in these progressions:
- i-iv-v progression: natural minor progression
- Andalusian cadence (i-VII-VI-V): very present in Spanish music
- vi-IV-I-V progression: relative major-minor relationship
Styles
Classical: exploit dynamic nuances for emotional expression.
Jazz: add the 9th for richer color.
Famous Songs Using A Minor
This chord appears in many well-known pieces :
- Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
- House of the Rising Sun - The Animals
- All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
- Dust in the Wind - Kansas
- Zombie - The Cranberries