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C/A Guitar Chord

The fundamental chord with a bright, happy and stable sound. Forms the basis of most popular, rock, folk and classical music. Consists of three notes: the root, major third and perfect fifth. This is a slash chord — the bass note is A instead of the root.

Guitar

Strings X–0–2–0–1–0

How to play the C/A chord on guitar

Read the string pattern X–0–2–0–1–0 from the low E string to the high E string. Numbers in the pattern are frets; numbers in the colored dots are left-hand fingers. X means a muted string and 0 means an open string.

6th string (low E) Do not play
5th string (A) Play open
4th string (D) Fret 2 · middle finger
3rd string (G) Play open
2nd string (B) Fret 1 · index finger
1st string (high E) Play open

Notation for C/A chord

Other names: C major, C maj, C M

Music theory name: major triad

Common name: C major chord

Intervals and tones in C/A chord

Note Interval
C Root
E Major 3rd
G Perfect 5th

All Variations

Open
X–0–2–0–1–0
Open
X–0–2–0–1–3
Fret 3
X–0–5–5–5–3
Fret 5
X–0–5–5–5–8

More chords with C as the root

The same chord type in other keys