A minor chord

I recently subscribed to this learning technique from the Yousician technique. When I was first learning about the A minor Chord, I was instructed to not strum the low E string and to strum the A string as an open string. I am only asking because the instructor on this website instruncts you to freely strum all 6 strings. Is strumming the Low E string optional, meaning like a preference?

Well technically the low E string is muted for this chord, but I think the instructor might just be trying to get you to learn how to fret the chord at this juncture. Later on he or she will get more into strumming accuracy. If your just starting out I wouldn't worry too much about it right now. Since your a full member you can always ask the instructor directly in their subforum if it's really confusing you.

Good Luck

The A minor open chord should be played with the low E (6th string) muted/unplayed.[br][br]By convention when we play a chord, we strike the root note of the triad of notes comprising the chord as the bass or lowest note in the chord. So the primary note/string struck first when strumming Am should be the A on the (5th) string.[br] [br]The open form of the Am chord already contains two played E notes an octave apart, one a fretted note on the D string the other the open high E (1st string). Accidentially or mistakenly playing the low E won't turn the chord into a total train wreck as E is one of the three notes of the minor scale (ACE) comprising the chord, but striking it first instead of the root makes the chord sound off to the attuned ear. [br][br]Recapping. You should play that form of Am without striking the 6th string or with it muted.

Technically speaking, if you strum the Am chord from the open E, you're playing a Am/E chord (so need because it's an A minor chord with an E note instead of the root note as its lowest note). However, as the notes that make up the Am chord are A, C, and E, you're still playing an Am chord. The only reason all six strings are being played at the level of skill in that particular lesson is to keep things simpler in order to concentrate on strumming.

When you get further into playing, and much much further into understanding the theory behind chords (if that's part of where you want to go) you will start to see that chords don't necessarily start on the root note, and may be ignored completely if you have a bass player taking care of them.

There's a lot to learn, but you're definitely in a good place to do it.