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Guitar Standard
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A/E on guitar: A with E in the bass

A/E is the A major chord (A, C♯, E) with its 5th, E, as the lowest note: the 2nd inversion of A. The notes are the same as in A; only the one at the bottom changes.

Notes
AC♯E
Bass
E 5th of the chord

How to play A/E on guitar

  1. Shape 1 · 1st position

    A/E chord on guitar, shape 1: first position, with open strings, notes A, C#, E

  2. Shape 2 · fret 2 · barre

    A/E chord on guitar, shape 2: barre at fret 2, notes A, C#, E

  3. Shape 3 · fret 5 · barre

    A/E chord on guitar, shape 3: barre at fret 5, notes A, C#, E

  4. Shape 4 · fret 7 · barre

    A/E chord on guitar, shape 4: barre at fret 7, notes A, C#, E

  5. Shape 5 · fret 9

    A/E chord on guitar, shape 5: from fret 9, notes A, C#, E

Where A/E shows up

The 5th in the bass is unstable and asks to move. The textbook use is the cadence: A/E → E7 → A, with the bass holding the same note through the first two chords (the "cadential six-four").

Other positions of A

Frequently asked questions

What does A/E mean?

A/E reads "A over E": you play A and the lowest note is E. In a chord symbol, whatever comes after the slash is always the bass.

What is the difference between A/E and A?

The notes are the same (A, C♯, E); only the lowest one changes. With E in the bass, A is in 2nd inversion, and the bass line can move by step between chords.

How do you play A/E on guitar?

The shapes on this page go from easiest to hardest. In all of them E is the lowest note; the low strings that would sound below it are not played (x).

A chord on guitar