A major scale on piano
The A major scale uses the notes A - B - C♯ - D - E - F♯ - G♯ and has 3 sharps.
Numbers on the keys are right-hand fingers (1 = thumb, 5 = little finger).
A major scale fingering
| Hand | A | B | C♯ | D | E | F♯ | G♯ | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Practice each hand alone, slowly, until the thumb crossing feels smooth. Then play hands together at a tempo where you make no mistakes, and raise it a little each day.
Chords in A major
Build a triad on every note of the scale and you get the seven chords that belong to this key:
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | A major | A - C♯ - E |
| ii | B minor | B - D - F♯ |
| iii | C♯ minor | C♯ - E - G♯ |
| IV | D major | D - F♯ - A |
| V | E major | E - G♯ - B |
| vi | F♯ minor | F♯ - A - C♯ |
| vii° | G♯ diminished | G♯ - B - D |
The most common progression in pop music in this key is A - E - F♯m - D (I - V - vi - IV).
Relative key
F♯ minor is the relative minor of A major. Both scales use the same notes; they simply start on a different note, which changes the mood.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the A major scale?
A major: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A.
How many sharps or flats are in A major?
A major has 3 sharps (C♯, F♯, G♯).
What is the relative minor of A major?
F♯ minor. It shares the same notes and key signature as A major.