How to play Cmin7(add13)/A chord on guitar
Shape 535343
Shape characteristics
Closed voicing
Every sounding string is fretted, with no open strings. Tight, controllable tone that responds well to palm muting and dynamic picking.
First position · fret 3-5
Sits near the nut where frets are widest. Lower string tension makes it easier to fret cleanly, a comfortable choice for singer-songwriter strumming and beginner-friendly progressions.
Full six-string voicing
All six strings ring, giving you the biggest, most resonant version of this chord, ideal for strumming and solo acoustic contexts.
Bass: A · Top: G
An extended chord tone is in the bass, giving the voicing a distinctive colour beyond the standard inversions.
Compared to Shape x05546 , this voicing uses an open chord and sits higher on the neck (starting at fret 4) and drops 1 string for a tighter, more compact sound.
How to play this shape
- 1 Place the 1st finger on the 3rd fret of the 1st string, 3rd string, and 5th string in barre position
- 2 Place the 2nd finger on the 4th fret of the 2nd string
- 3 Place the 3rd finger on the 5th fret of the 6th string
- 4 Place the 4th finger on the 5th fret of the 4th string
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "535343" mean?
The sequence 535343 is a highly compact guitar chord notation. It represents the fret played on each of the 6 strings, reading left-to-right from the thickest (lowest pitch) string to the thinnest (highest pitch) string: E, A, D, G, B, e.
- x means the string is muted or skipped entirely.
- 0 means the string is played "open" (without pressing over a fret).
- 1-9 represent standard fret numbers 1 to 9.
- a, b, c... represent frets 10, 11, 12, and higher (where a=10, b=11, c=12).
Can I play this Cmin7(add13)/A shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a Cmin7(add13)/A chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for Cmin7(add13)/A. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
Other shapes
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