How to play Gmin(add9)/A chord on guitar
Shape 500333
Shape characteristics
Barre chord
Your first finger flattens across multiple strings at the same fret. Movable up and down the neck to any key without changing the shape.
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
The 7th (or equivalent upper tone) is in the bass, producing a suspended, leading quality that naturally wants to resolve downward.
Compared to Shape x00333 , this voicing uses an open chord 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, 2nd string, and 3rd string in barre position
- 2 Place the 3rd finger on the 5th fret of the 6th string
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "500333" mean?
The sequence 500333 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 Gmin(add9)/A shape anywhere else?
Yes! This specific layout is just one way to voice a Gmin(add9)/A chord. You can find all other variations in our chord shape library for Gmin(add9)/A. Most guitarists choose different shapes based on whether they want a "brighter" or "deeper" sound, or which chord they are transitioning from.
How do I stop my fingers from buzzing?
Since this shape uses open strings (marked with '0'), make sure your fingers are arched like a "claw" so they don't accidentally brush against the open strings. Press down firmly just behind the metal fret wires for the clearest sound.
Other shapes
Showing 8 of 104 playable shapes