A Major Chord on Piano: Notes, Fingering & Inversions

Root position: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	A, C♯, E	1-3-5
Left	A, C♯, E	5-3-1

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	A	Perfect unison	0
3	C♯	Major third	4
5	E	Perfect fifth	7

Construction

A Major = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th = A, C♯, E

Note	Interval	Degree
A	Root	1
C♯	Major 3rd	3
E	Perfect 5th	5

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
A	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
C♯	black	middle finger (3)	middle finger (3)
E	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on A, middle finger (3) on C♯, little finger (5) on E.

Left hand: little finger (5) on A, middle finger (3) on C♯, thumb (1) on E.

A Major Inversions

Root position
A – C♯ – E
1st inversion (A/C♯)
C♯ – E – A
2nd inversion (A/E)
E – A – C♯

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the A Major is the tonic (I) chord of A Major, whose key signature has 3 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯).

F♯C♯G♯

Order of sharps

Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Chords in the Key of A Major

These are the triads built on each degree of A Major:

I — A Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	A Major	Major
2	ii	B Minor	Minor
3	iii	C♯ Minor	Minor
4	IV	D Major	Major
5	V	E Major	Major
6	vi	F♯ Minor	Minor
7	vii°	G♯ Diminished	Diminished

How A Major functions in a key

The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where A Major sits diatonically across the common keys:

In A major, A Major is the I chord — the tonic.
In C♯ minor, A Major is the VI chord — the tonic.
In D major, A Major is the V chord — the dominant.
In E major, A Major is the IV chord — a predominant.
In B minor, A Major is the ♭VII chord — a mediant / color chord.
In F♯ minor, A Major is the III chord — a mediant / color chord.

Scales That Include the A Major

D Major (V)
A Major (I)
E Major (IV)
B Minor (VII)
F# Minor (III)
C# Minor (VI)
E Dorian (IV)
F# Phrygian (III)

A Major : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the A Major chord on piano?

The A Major chord contains the notes A – C♯ – E. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.

What notes make up the A Major chord?

A Major contains three notes: A (root), C# (major third), and E (perfect fifth). C# is a black key, giving A Major a single black-key reach between two white notes.

What fingering do I use for A Major?

Right hand: finger 1 on A, finger 3 on C#, finger 5 on E. Left hand: finger 5 on A, finger 3 on C#, finger 1 on E. The middle finger arches up to C# while the thumb and pinky rest on white keys A and E.

What are the inversions of A Major?

First inversion (A/C#): C#–E–A. Second inversion (A/E): E–A–C#. A/C# in the bass allows for a smooth descending bass line movement from A through G# (if using G#/Ab) down to F#m, a very common jazz and pop device.

What songs use the A Major chord?

A Major appears in hundreds of classic songs. It is the tonic in Don't Stop Me Now (Queen), the I chord in countless country tracks, and the V chord in D major songs. Wonderwall (Oasis) uses A as part of its signature four-chord sequence.

What chords pair well with A Major?

In the key of A: D Major (IV), E Major (V), and F# minor (vi). A–D–E is the classic three-chord rock sequence. A–E–F#m–D is one of the most common pop progressions of the 21st century.

How does C# affect the sound and feel of A Major?

C# is only four semitones above A (a major third), which is what gives A Major its bright, resolved quality. Without C#: using C natural instead, you would have A minor, which sounds darker and more melancholic. The single black-key difference has an enormous effect on mood.

A Major in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	A3 C♯4 E4	7	96 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	C♯4 E4 A4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	E4 A4 C♯5	9	124 mm	none	identical
Open, fifth on top	A2 E3 C♯4	16	220 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation	Fit
Root and third only	A3 C♯4	4	55 mm	omits E	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

Position	Bass note	Notes in order	Figured bass	Semitones	Span
Root position	A	A3, C♯4, E4	5/3	7	96 mm
First inversion: A/C♯	C♯	C♯4, E4, A4	6/3	8	110 mm
Second inversion: A/E	E	E4, A4, C♯5	6/4	9	124 mm

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

Progression	Key	Role	Sequence	Voice leading
♭VI, iv, i, v	C♯ minor	♭VI	A to F♯m to C♯m to G♯m	A opens the phrase
i, ♭VI	C♯ minor	♭VI	C♯m to A	2 tones held from C♯m
V, I	D major	V	A to D	A opens the phrase
ii, V, I	D major	V	Em to A to D	1 tone held from Em
IV, V, I	E major	IV	A to B to E	A opens the phrase
I, IV	E major	IV	E to A	1 tone held from E
♭III, ♭VI, ii°, v	F♯ minor	♭III	A to D to G♯dim to C♯m	A opens the phrase
i, ♭III	F♯ minor	♭III	F♯m to A	2 tones held from F♯m

Root motion, common tones and voice displacement are computed from pitch class sets. Roman numerals follow common practice functional harmony.

Which keys it belongs to

Key	Roman numeral	Function
C♯ minor	♭VI	Pre-dominant color
D major	V	Dominant, wants to resolve
E major	IV	Subdominant, away from home
F♯ minor	♭III	Relative-major color
A major	I	Tonic, home
B minor	♭VII	Subtonic

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

Chord	Change	Formula	Common tones
Amaj7	adds G♯	1 3 5 7	3
A7	adds G	1 3 5 ♭7	3
A6	adds F♯	1 3 5 6	3
Aadd9	adds B	1 3 5 9	3
Am	C♯ becomes C	1 ♭3 5	2
Aaug	E becomes E♯	1 3 ♯5	2
Asus2	C♯ becomes B	1 2 5	2
Asus4	C♯ becomes D	1 4 5	2
Am7	C♯ becomes C, G	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	2
AmMaj7	C♯ becomes C, G♯	1 ♭3 5 7	2
Aaug7	E becomes E♯, G	1 3 ♯5 ♭7	2
A7sus4	C♯ becomes D, G	1 4 5 ♭7	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
A3	57	220.00 Hz
C♯4	61	277.18 Hz
E4	64	329.63 Hz

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {9, 1, 4}
Normal order: [9, 1, 4]
Prime form: (037)
Forte number: 3-11
Interval vector: <001110>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
A to C♯	Major third	4	4
A to E	Perfect fifth	7	5
C♯ to E	Minor third	3	3

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a major applied to the root A, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

A Major

Fingerings

A Major: notes and degrees