A Major Scale
The A major scale has seven notes: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ and G♯. It has 3 sharps (F♯, C♯ and G♯), and it is the relative major of F♯ minor.
Notes
- A1
- B2
- C♯3
- D4
- E5
- F♯6
- G♯7
Step pattern: W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step)
| Degree | Note | Interval from A |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Root |
| 2 | B | Major 2nd |
| 3 | C♯ | Major 3rd |
| 4 | D | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | E | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | F♯ | Major 6th |
| 7 | G♯ | Major 7th |
On the piano
On the guitar
Root Scale tone
Key signature
A major has 3 sharps: F♯ C♯ G♯. See it on the circle of fifths →
Chords in the key of A major
| Numeral | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| I | A | Amaj7 |
| ii | Bm | Bm7 |
| iii | C♯m | C♯m7 |
| IV | D | Dmaj7 |
| V | E | E7 |
| vi | F♯m | F♯m7 |
| vii° | G♯dim | G♯m7♭5 |
Common progressions
- Three-chordA – D – EI – IV – V
- Pop ("four chords")A – E – F♯m – DI – V – vi – IV
- Jazz ii–V–IBm – E – Aii – V – I
- 50s doo-wopA – F♯m – D – EI – vi – IV – V
Related scales
Practise it
- G major, three notes per stringTechnique · moved up 2 frets into A
- Legato trills (hammer-ons & pull-offs)Technique · moved down 3 frets into A
- ii–V–I lineJazz · moved down 3 frets into A
Explore it on the full fretboard · Piano scale explorer · Metronome