A major scale
The A major scale is A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ and G♯, with three sharps. From A, the steps go whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.
- A1
- whole
- B2
- whole
- C♯3
- half
- D4
- whole
- E5
- whole
- F♯6
- whole
- G♯7
- half
- A8
A major on the staff, piano and guitar
On the staff
On piano
Right hand 1 2 3, then the thumb passes under to D: 1 2 3 4 5.
Left hand 5 4 3 2 1, then finger 3 crosses over to F♯: 3 2 1.
Fingers are numbered from the thumb, 1, to the little finger, 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
On guitar
Every note of A major between the 4th and 8th fret. The root, A, has a heavy ring.
How to play the A major scale on piano
- Find A, the white key between the second and third of a group of three black keys.
- Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to B.
- Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to C♯, a black key.
- Go up a half step, to the very next key, to D.
- Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to E.
- Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to F♯, a black key.
- Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to G♯, a black key.
- Go up a half step, to the very next key, to A, an octave above where you started.
Practice the A major scale
Play the A major scale one note a beat, up and back down: A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A G♯ F♯ E D C♯ B A. Hands separately first. Start at 60 beats a minute and move up toward 100 once every note lands on the beat.
- A
- B
- C♯
- D
- E
- F♯
- G♯
- A
- G♯
- F♯
- E
- D
- C♯
- B
- A
Press Start. After four clicks, play along as each note lights up on the keyboard. Tick Speed up each round to add 5 beats a minute after every round.
Quiz: find the notes
Press the 7 notes of the A major scale, in any octave, then check.
The key of A major
Follow the major pattern from A and three notes need a sharp: C♯, F♯ and G♯. Those three sharps are the key signature.
The name of each note in the key
- 1Atonic
- 2Bsupertonic
- 3C♯mediant
- 4Dsubdominant
- 5Edominant
- 6F♯submediant
- 7G♯leading tone
Modes on the same notes
Start the A major scale on another of its notes and you get a mode, with the same key signature: A ionian, B dorian, C♯ phrygian, D lydian, E mixolydian, F♯ aeolian, G♯ locrian.
Practice notes for the A major scale
A major has three sharps, C♯, F♯ and G♯: A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A. The right hand uses the same fingering as C, G and D major, so the work here is the black keys, not new finger numbers.
Where it goes wrong. G♯. It is the third black key in a row in the upper half of the scale, and it is easy to play G instead, or to play it short because the hand is rushing to the top A. In the left hand the trouble spot is lower: finger 3 crosses over to F♯, and that crossing lands on a black key.
How to practice it. Play the upper half alone, E F♯ G♯ A, with fingers 2 3 4 5. The two black keys sit together under 3 and 4. Then the lower half, A B C♯ D, with 1 2 3 and the thumb under to D. Join them at a slow, even beat, hands separately, and only then together.
What to listen for. G♯ to A, the half step back to the keynote. Play the scale and stop on G♯: it should sound unfinished. If it does not, check that you played G♯ and not G.
What to learn next. E major, which adds D♯, and F♯ minor, the relative minor of A major, with the same three sharps.
Questions
What are the notes of the A major scale?
A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ and G♯, then A again an octave up.
What chords are in the key of A major?
A, Bm, C♯m, D, E, F♯m and G♯dim: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi and vii°.
Why does A major have three sharps?
Follow the major pattern from A and three notes need a sharp: C♯, F♯ and G♯. Those three sharps are the key signature.
What is the relative minor of A major?
F♯ minor. It uses the same notes and the same key signature, starting on F♯.