How to Play the A Major Chord on Ukulele

The A major chord (sometimes simply referred to as an “A chord”) is a bright, simple chord that is a useful addition to the repertoire of any ukulele player. This article will break down the specific notes that make up the chord, a common way to play it on ukulele, and some songs that feature the chord prominently.

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Lesson: How to Play the A Major Chord

The A major chord is a triad made up of these three notes:

• A

• C#

• E

This triad is formed by taking the root note A, then adding the 3rd (C#) and 5th (E) notes of the A major scale (A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#).

(Embed video: A Open Position (v1))

How Do You Play the A Major Chord on a Ukulele?

In order to learn the A major chord on ukulele, it’s important to understand where to place your fingers on the fretboard of your instrument to produce the chord. In this lesson, we’ll use charts to provide a visual guide. First, let’s start with an overview of the four ukulele strings and how we’ll reference them:

G = The fourth string (closest to you, looking down at the fretboard) C = The third string (lowest tone) E = The second string A = The first string (and highest-tone string)

Unlike the guitar, where strings are arranged in a descending order, the lowest-toned string on a ukulele is actually its third string.

Here’s a key to better understand notations to play the A chord on our ukulele chord charts. The diagrams represent your ukulele fretboard, and the numbers or icons used show you your finger positions on each fret or how to play a specific string in a version of a chord:

O = A circle above the string means to play that string in an open position X = An “X” above the strings means you won’t play that string or will mute it when playing 1 = Index finger 2 = Middle finger 3 = Ring finger 4 = Pinky finger

A Major Chord on Ukulele: A Major Open Position (v1)

The A chord can be played in open position on the ukulele, which means you’ll play it with several open strings that don’t require you to press down on any of the frets. In fact, you’ll only need to use two fingers (your index and middle fingers) to press down two different frets for this chord.

To play the A major on your ukulele, start by taking your index finger and pressing down on the 1st fret of the C string. Next, using your middle finger, press down on the 2nd fret of the G string. You won’t use your ring finger or pinky finger at all for this chord shape, so try to keep those fingers tucked away from the fretboard. Make sure that your middle finger arches completely over the C string, so that you can hear both fretted notes clearly and that it doesn’t accidentally mute or dull the sound of any neighboring strings. .

Here are those finger positions, once more:

Index finger: 1st fret of the C (3rd) string Middle finger: 2nd fret of the G (4th) string

Strum all four strings of the ukulele, including the open E and A strings. As you pick each note individually, do you notice anything about the top and bottom of the chord? Those first and last notes are actually the same note (A).

Songs That Use the A Chord

After you’ve gotten comfortable with placing your fingers on the fretboard to form the A chord and have strummed it a few times, it’s time to put that knowledge to good use. Start playing some songs that use the chord. Not only can you hear how the A major chord works alongside other ukulele chords, but you can learn how to practice transitioning between chords.

Let’s start with a classic soul sing-along: Ben E. King’s 1961 hit, “Stand By Me.” In this memorable song, the A major chord acts as the root chord in the progression and is the driving chord that starts each verse. It’s also the chord that each verse resolves back to. This lesson also gives some insight into the rhythmic, muted strumming pattern that is so distinct in the track. The song uses only four different chords that are repeated many times over, so this is a great song for beginners to focus on the chord shapes and work on transitioning quickly between each of them.

For something with a more elaborate chord progression that presents some different challenges, let’s look at a late ‘90s alternative rock hit. Fastball’s “The Way” utilizes a calypso-style strumming pattern for its verses, which weave through a mysterious progression of mostly minor chords. The A major chord in this song doesn’t come in until the beginning of the chorus, where it transports the listener into a new section of the song.

Check out Fender Play Ukulele Lessons

To truly get the hang of the A chord and others on ukulele, you have to spend time. Practicing to get familiar with this chord will make it easier to learn others that use similar shapes. Try learning other major chords like D or G (or some minor chords like F#m or Em), then practice transitioning to them from the A major shape discussed above. Sign up for a free trial of Fender Play to access more detailed tips for perfecting your technique, learn more chords, and figure out how to play them in songs you love.