The A Major Scale — All 8 Notes
1st
A
Do
2nd
B
Re
3rd
C#
Mi
4th
D
Fa
5th
E
Sol
6th
F#
La
7th
G#
Ti
8ve
A
Do
The A Major Scale uses the universal major scale formula — W W H W W W H (whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step). Every major scale applies this same pattern; only the starting note changes.
A Major Scale has 3 sharps: F#, C#, G#. These accidentals are forced by the W-W-H-W-W-W-H formula — without them, the interval pattern breaks down.
How to Build A Major Scale from Scratch
Start on A and count up using the whole step / half step pattern. A whole step = 2 semitones. A half step = 1 semitone.
Why the sharps?
Without the sharps, certain steps would be half steps instead of whole steps, breaking the W-W-H-W-W-W-H pattern. The F#, C#, G# keep every interval exactly right.
Key Signature
The key of A major has 3 sharps. In written music, these are marked at the start of every staff line in the key signature, so you don't need to write the accidental next to every individual note.
| # | Note | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F# | Every F note is played as F# |
| 2 | C# | Every C note is played as C# |
| 3 | G# | Every G note is played as G# |
The A Major Scale sits 3 steps clockwise on the circle of fifths. Adjacent keys on the circle share 6 of the same 7 notes — which is why modulating to E major or D major always sounds smooth.
All 7 Chords in A Major Scale
Stack every other note of the A Major Scale on each scale degree and you get seven triads. The pattern of chord qualities is always the same in any major key: major — minor — minor — major — major — minor — diminished.
I
A
major
ii
Bm
minor
iii
C#m
minor
IV
D
major
V
E
major
vi
F#m
minor
vii°
G#dim
diminished
The I chord (A) is the tonic — home base, the most stable. The V chord (E) creates the strongest pull back to the tonic. The IV chord (D) adds lift and openness. These three chords — I, IV, V — underpin most of the songs you know in this key.
Common progressions in A major
- I – IV – V – I: A – D – E – A — the universal blues/rock backbone
- I – V – vi – IV: A – E – F#m – D — the "four-chord" pop progression
- ii – V – I: Bm – E – A — the jazz standard cadence
- I – vi – IV – V: A – F#m – D – E — 1950s doo-wop, countless pop ballads
Relative Minor: F# minor
Every major scale has a relative minor that shares its exact same notes — just with a different note acting as home base. The relative minor of A major is F# minor.
Both scales use the same 3 sharps. The difference is purely in which note functions as the tonal centre. A major sounds bright and resolved; F# minor sounds darker and more introspective — even though the pitch content is identical.
Songs that shift between A major and F# minor don't change key signature — they're just moving the gravitational centre of the same note set.
Free: Chord Ear Training Cheat Sheet
20 exercises including major vs minor key identification — train your ear to recognise A major instantly.