The Key of A — Dobro

What the caller means when they hold up fingers, and what this chair plays.

A major harmonises to A – Bm – C#m – D – E – F#m – G#°; A minor to Am – B° – C – Dm – Em – F – G. A caller does not say any of that. They say the key and then hold up fingers, and the whole circle is expected to translate.

A is one of the four keys a bluegrass jam habitually calls, and this chair gets there by the bar laid straight across fret 2. That is the difference between reading a chord chart and sitting in.

Learn 1–4–5 in A until your hand goes there without asking, then 1–6m–4–5 and the 2–5 that walks into a tag, and most of the repertoire is already playable in this key.