A Major Scale
The A major scale (also called A Ionian) contains A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G#. Its key signature has 3 sharps: F#, C# and G#.
| Note | 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 |
Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
A major scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to D. Left hand, going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to F#. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
Key signature
A major has 3 sharps: F#, C# and G#. Its relative minor is F# minor, which uses the same notes and key signature. See the chords in the key of A major and of F# minor.
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Semitones from A |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | 0 |
| 2 | B | 2 |
| 3 | C# | 4 |
| 4 | D | 5 |
| 5 | E | 7 |
| 6 | F# | 9 |
| 7 | G# | 11 |
Step pattern
The Major scale is built from the pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same mode in a different key.
Chords in A Major
Building a triad on each degree of the scale gives you the chords that belong to it. These are the chords to reach for when writing in A Major.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | A | A C# E |
| 2 | ii | Bm | B D F# |
| 3 | iii | C#m | C# E G# |
| 4 | IV | D | D F# A |
| 5 | V | E | E G# B |
| 6 | vi | F#m | F# A C# |
| 7 | vii° | G#dim | G# B D |
Other modes on A
More scales on A
Major scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A Major scale?
The A Major scale contains A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, then returns to A an octave higher.
What is the fingering for the A major scale on piano?
Going up from A to A, the right hand plays 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 and the left hand plays 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1, where 1 is the thumb. Coming down, use the same fingers in reverse.
How many sharps are in A major?
A major has 3 sharps: F#, C# and G#.
What is the step pattern of the Major scale?
The Major scale follows the whole/half step pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H, where W is a whole step (two semitones) and H is a half step (one semitone).
Which chords work with the A Major scale?
The diatonic chords are A, Bm, C#m, D, E, F#m, G#dim. Each is built only from notes of the A Major scale, so they all belong to the same tonality — though the diminished chord carries a tritone and normally wants to resolve.