A major scale on guitar
The A major scale has seven notes: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ and G♯ (1 2 3 4 5 6 7). The do-re-mi scale that every other scale is measured against. Bright and settled; it fits major and maj7 chords, and the other six modes are this scale started from a different note.
| Note | A | B | C♯ | D | E | F♯ | G♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Step to the next | whole | whole | half | whole | whole | whole | half |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the A major scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; A (A) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (A) | Ahome | Amaj7home |
| 2 (B) | Bmrestless | Bm7restless |
| 3 (C♯) | C♯mhalf-light | C♯m7half-light |
| 4 (D) | Dthe door | Dmaj7the door |
| 5 (E) | Ethe pull | E7the pull |
| 6 (F♯) | F♯mthe shadow | F♯m7the shadow |
| 7 (G♯) | G♯dimthe edge | G♯m7♭5the edge |
Scales with the same notes
Its relative minor is the F♯ minor scale: the same notes, started from F♯.
The chords of this key, to hear and play: chords in the key of A major.
Questions
What notes are in the A major scale?
A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ and G♯. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, and the steps between its notes are W W H W W W H (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the A major scale?
The chords made only of its notes: A, Bm, C♯m, D, E, F♯m and G♯dim, and as seventh chords Amaj7, Bm7, C♯m7, Dmaj7, E7, F♯m7 and G♯m7♭5. A is home: A is the chord it sounds most settled over.
What is the relative minor of the A major scale?
The F♯ minor scale, which has the same notes started from F♯.
The major scale in every key
Other scales in A
A minorA minor pentatonicA major pentatonicA bluesA DorianA MixolydianA LydianA PhrygianA harmonic minorA melodic minorA Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.