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Key of A

The key of A major has three sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯). Its seven notes are A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, and G♯. Its relative minor is F♯ Minor, which shares the same notes and key signature. The chords that belong to the key are I A major, ii B minor, iii C♯ minor, IV D major, V E major, vi F♯ minor, vii° G♯ diminished. Its dominant is E major and its subdominant is D major — the keys it most naturally moves toward. Keys built on sharps, like A major, are traditionally described as bright and brilliant.

Key Signature

The notes of the A Major come from A Major, so it carries that key signature: 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

Relative minor: F♯ Minor scale — same notes, same key signature, different home note.

Chords in the Key of A Major

Every major key is built from seven diatonic chords — one on each note of the scale. In A major they are I A Major, ii B Minor, iii C♯ Minor, IV D Major, V E Major, vi F♯ Minor, and vii° G♯ Diminished. Tap any chord to light it up on the keyboard.

C1C2C3C4AC5EC6C7C8C#
I — A Major (major)

Common chord progressions in A major

  • I – IV – V — A → D → E — the three primary chords
  • I – V – vi – IV — A → E → F♯ → D — the most common pop progression
  • ii – V – I — B → E → A — the backbone of jazz
  • I – vi – IV – V — A → F♯ → D → E — the classic doo-wop turnaround

Everything in the key of A

Every chord, scale, and mode in A — click any link for the full interactive page with piano diagrams, audio, notation, and fingerings.

A Chords

A Major ChordA Minor ChordA Augmented ChordA Diminished ChordA Suspended 2nd ChordA Suspended 4th ChordA Major 6 ChordA Minor 6th ChordA Dominant 7th ChordA Major 7th ChordA Minor 7th ChordA Minor Major 7th ChordA Diminished 7th ChordA Half Diminished ChordA Augmented 7th ChordA Dominant 7th Sharp 11 ChordA Add 9 ChordA Major 9th ChordA Minor 9th ChordA Major 11th ChordA Minor 11th ChordA Major 13th ChordA Minor 13th ChordA Dominant 9th ChordA Dominant 7th ♭5 ChordA Major 6/9 ChordA Power ChordA Dominant 11th ChordA Dominant 13th ChordA Dominant 7th sus4 ChordA Dominant 9th sus4 ChordA Dominant 13th sus4 ChordA Dominant 7th ♭9 ChordA Dominant 7th ♯9 ChordA Dominant 7th ♭13 ChordA Dominant 7th ♯5 ChordA Dominant 9th ♭5 ChordA Dominant 9th ♯5 ChordA Dominant 7th ♭9 ♯11 ChordA Dominant 7th ♯9 ♯11 ChordA Dominant 7th ♭5 ♯9 ChordA Minor 11th ♭5 ChordA Minor 13th ♭5 ChordA Add 4 ChordA Minor Add 9 ChordA Minor Add 11 ChordA Major 7♯5 ChordA Major 7♭5 ChordA Minor 7♯5 ChordA Major 7♯11 ChordA Major 9♯11 ChordA Dominant 9♯11 ChordA Diminished Major 7th Chord

A Scales

A Major ScaleA Minor ScaleA Major Pentatonic ScaleA Minor Pentatonic ScaleA Major Blues ScaleA Minor Blues ScaleA Harmonic Minor ScaleA Melodic Minor ScaleA Chromatic ScaleA Altered ScaleA Phrygian Dominant ScaleA Locrian Sharp 2 ScaleA Lydian Dominant ScaleA Whole Tone ScaleA Whole-Half Diminished ScaleA Half-Whole Diminished ScaleA Major Bebop ScaleA Dominant Bebop ScaleA Minor Bebop ScaleA Harmonic Major ScaleA Double Harmonic ScaleA Hungarian Minor ScaleA Major b6 Pentatonic ScaleA Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale

A Modes

A Ionian1st Mode · = Major ScaleA Dorian2nd Mode of MajorA Phrygian3rd Mode of MajorA Lydian4th Mode of MajorA Mixolydian5th Mode of MajorA Aeolian6th Mode · = Natural MinorA Locrian7th Mode of Major
CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭BC♭