As the tonic (I)A major
Home. The loop leaves A Major and keeps coming back to it.
A Major Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The A Major chord is built on the root note A. Its notes are A, C♯ and E.
Transpose
Quality
Short answer
Major chords feel bright, stable and resolved. A root, a major third and a perfect fifth give them a happy, confident sound. Most popular music is built on them.
- Notes
- A · C♯ · E
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · 5
- Semitones
- 0 · 4 · 7
- Note
- A
- Quality
- Major
- Symbol
- A
A Major on piano
3 notesView:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play A Major on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on A, middle finger on C♯ and little finger on E. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard C♯ is a black key and A and E are white. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- A1
- C♯3
- E5
A Major on guitar
View:
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, A Major is commonly played with the voicing shown above. Strings 5 and 1 ring open. Don't play string 6.
A · C♯ · E
Try A Major on the virtual piano
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A Major chord notes
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | A | |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | C♯(C#) | |
| 5 | Perfect fifth | 7 | E |
How to use the A Major chord
The A Major chord is built from a root, a major third and a perfect fifth. Start at the root A and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: A, C♯ and E. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
You'll find major chords in almost every style of popular music: rock anthems, country ballads, pop hits and hymns. They commonly appear as the I, IV and V chords in a major key.
In major keys A is the V in D major, the I in A major and the IV in E major; in minor keys it's the V in D minor, the VII in B minor and the III in F♯ minor. As the V of D minor it takes its third, C♯, from the harmonic minor scale: the key's seventh degree, raised a half step.
How A Major differs from similar chords
A and Am share the root and the fifth, and the only difference is the third: a major third in A, a minor third in Am. Add a major seventh and it becomes Amaj7, add a minor seventh and it becomes A7. Of all the chords on this root, the plain major triad is the one that sounds finished.
Songs that use the A Major chord
These well-known tracks all play the A Major chord somewhere - they are not necessarily in that key.
- 1Let Her GoPassenger
- 2Free FallinTom Petty
- 3Horse With No NameAmerica
- 4Wild ThingThe Troggs
- 5Twist and ShoutThe Beatles
Where A Major is used
A major chord is at home as a tonic, and just as useful as the IV or the V of a neighbouring key. Each progression below is written in the key its numerals name.
Scales that contain A
These scales include A as one of their diatonic chords. Use them to find melodies and improvisation ideas that fit perfectly.
C♯ Natural Minor
C♯ · D♯ · E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B
C♯ Harmonic Minor
C♯ · D♯ · E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B♯
C♯ Phrygian
C♯ · D · E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B
C♯ Aeolian
C♯ · D♯ · E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B
C♯ Locrian
C♯ · D · E · F♯ · G · A · B
C♯ Hungarian Minor
C♯ · D♯ · E · F𝄪 · G♯ · A · B♯
C♯ Neapolitan Minor
C♯ · D · E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B♯
C♯ Altered
C♯ · D · E · F · G · A · B
D Major
D · E · F♯ · G · A · B · C♯
D Harmonic Minor
D · E · F · G · A · B♭ · C♯
D Melodic Minor
D · E · F · G · A · B · C♯
D Lydian
D · E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B · C♯
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the A Major chord?
- The A Major chord contains A, C♯ and E (A, C# and E in plain text).
- Is the A Major chord major or minor?
- A Major is a major chord. Major chords feel bright, stable and resolved. A root, a major third and a perfect fifth give them a happy, confident sound. Most popular music is built on them.
- What key is the A Major chord in?
- In major keys A is the V in D major, the I in A major and the IV in E major; in minor keys it's the V in D minor, the VII in B minor and the III in F♯ minor. As the V of D minor it takes its third, C♯, from the harmonic minor scale: the key's seventh degree, raised a half step.
- How do you play A Major on piano?
- Place your fingers on A, C♯ and E and play them together. The root usually goes to the little finger of the left hand, the upper notes to the right. On the keyboard C♯ is a black key and A and E are white.
- How do you play A Major on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. Strings 5 and 1 ring open. Don't play string 6.
- What chords work well with A Major?
- A Major pairs naturally with the chords in the related section: a perfect fifth up or down, the relative major or minor, and anything sharing two notes with it.