Mandolin A chordA major: 2 2 4 0, and 5 more shapes
Frets, low course to high: 2 2 4 0 (open position)
- G course: 2nd fret, index finger (barre), A
- D course: 2nd fret, index finger (barre), E
- A course: 4th fret, ring finger, C♯
- E course: open, E
Sounds: A E C♯ E · A is A, C♯, E (1 · 3 · 5)
Found in: D major (V), A major (I), E major (IV), A mixolydian (I), E mixolydian (IV), B mixolydian (♭VII)
Open courses that ring: A and E are notes of A, so they can drone under it.
No 3rd: A5 (2 2 0 0) leaves the 3rd out, so it backs A major, mixolydian, dorian and minor tunes alike.
Tuning GDAE: G D A E, low to high.
The link can’t set the tuning: the app starts on the Irish bouzouki in GDAD. Choose Mandolin once in its Settings and it remembers.
More A shapes
- 2 2 4 5
2fr - 6 7 4 0
4fr · A/C# - 6 7 0 0
6fr · A/C# - 9 11 0 0
9fr · A/E - x 11 0 0
11fr · A/C#
A in session keys
- D major (V, a main chord): D – G – D – A (a plain backing for many reels and jigs)
- A major (I, a main chord): A – D – A – E (a plain backing for many reels and jigs)
- E major (IV, a main chord): E – A – E – B (a plain backing for many reels and jigs)
- A mixolydian (I, a main chord): A – G – A
- E mixolydian (IV, a main chord): E – A – E – D (reels in D or A mix)
- B mixolydian (♭VII, a main chord): B – A – B
Other A chords, Mandolin GDAE
Other major chords
A in other tunings
All Mandolin GDAE chords · Printable chart (PDF) · Tuning · The app