A major scale
The A major scale is A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A. It has 3 sharps (F♯, C♯ and G♯), its relative minor is F♯ minor, and the standard piano fingering is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left hand.
A major scale notes
The A major scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A. Three of the seven are black keys on the piano (C♯, F♯ and G♯); the other four are white keys.
The step pattern is W W H W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between C♯ and D and G♯ and A.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | A | do | White |
| 2 | Supertonic | B | re | White |
| 3 | Mediant | C♯ | mi | Black |
| 4 | Subdominant | D | fa | White |
| 5 | Dominant | E | sol | White |
| 6 | Submediant | F♯ | la | Black |
| 7 | Leading tone | G♯ | ti | Black |
A major key signature
The A major key signature has 3 sharps: F♯, C♯ and G♯, written in that order at the start of every line. Sharps are always added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. F♯ minor shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the sharps sit F♯ on the fifth line from the bottom, C♯ in the third space from the bottom and G♯ in the space just above the top line.
Shortcut: the last sharp, G♯, is one half step below the major tonic (A).
A major scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 |
| Left hand | A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 |
Right hand going up: C♯ (finger 3) to D (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: E (finger 1) to F♯ (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in A major
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of A major. The primary chords are A (I), D (IV) and E (V).
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | A | A C♯ E | Amaj7 | A C♯ E G♯ |
| ii | Bm | B D F♯ | Bm7 | B D F♯ A |
| iii | C♯m | C♯ E G♯ | C♯m7 | C♯ E G♯ B |
| IV | D | D F♯ A | Dmaj7 | D F♯ A C♯ |
| V | E | E G♯ B | E7 | E G♯ B D |
| vi | F♯m | F♯ A C♯ | F♯m7 | F♯ A C♯ E |
| vii° | G♯° | G♯ B D | G♯m7♭5 | G♯ B D F♯ |
One of the most common progressions in pop music, I V vi IV, is A, E, F♯m, D in A major. A ii V I cadence is Bm7, E7, Amaj7.
Reading A major on the staff
A major uses three black keys: C sharp, F sharp and G sharp. The last two sit side by side near the top of the scale, so the right hand plays them with fingers 3 and 4 after the thumb has crossed under on D.
On the treble staff, A4 to A5 needs 1 ledger line above the staff. On the bass staff, A3 to A4 needs 3 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from A2.
The reading trap in A major is the key signature: the sharps are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (F♯, C♯ and G♯), then check every F, C and G on the page.
How to practise the A major scale
- Say the notes before you play them: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 in the right hand and 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: A (A C♯ E), D (D F♯ A) and E (E G♯ B).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills major scales, triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to A major
- F sharp minor scale: relative minor, same key signature
- A minor scale: parallel minor, same tonic
- E major scale: a fifth above, 4 sharps
- D major scale: a fifth below, 2 sharps
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the A major scale?
The A major scale is A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A, then A again an octave higher.
How many sharps are in A major?
A major has 3 sharps: F♯, C♯ and G♯.
What is the relative minor of A major?
F♯ minor. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on F♯.
What chords are in A major?
A (I), Bm (ii), C♯m (iii), D (IV), E (V), F♯m (vi), G♯° (vii°).
What is the fingering for the A major scale on piano?
Right hand 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 going up from A; left hand 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.