The key of A major is a very popular key in music. Its key signature has three sharps, which gives it a unique sound. The relative minor of A major is F-sharp minor, and its parallel minor is A minor. The key of A major is the only key where a Neapolitan sixth chord on requires both a flat and a natural accidental. This makes the key of A major very versatile and useful for many different genres of music.
A major scale is:
A major
In the treble, alto, and bass clefs, the G♯ in the key signature is placed higher than C♯. However, in the tenor clef, to avoid a ledger line, G♯ is placed lower than C♯.
Component pitches | A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯ |
---|---|
Relative key | F-sharp minor |
Parallel key | A minor |
Dominant key | E major |
Subdominant | D major |
How to play A major scale on the piano – Right Hand, Left Hand, Both Hands Together
Right Hand:
- Start on key A with your thumb.
- Play the next key, B, with your index finger.
- Play the next key, C#, with your middle finger.
- Play the next key, D, with your ring finger.
- Play the next key, E, with your pinky finger.
- Play the next key, F#, with your pinky finger.
- Play the next key, G#, with your ring finger.
- Play the next key, A, with your middle finger.
Left Hand:
- Start on the key A with your thumb.
- Play the next key, B, with your index finger.
- Play the next key, C#, with your middle finger.
- Play the next key, D, with your ring finger.
- Play the next key, E, with your pinky finger.
- Play the next key, F#, with your pinky finger.
- Play the next key, G#, with your ring finger.
- Play the next key, A, with your middle finger.
Both Hands Together:
- Start on the key A with your right thumb and left thumb.
- Play the next key, B, with your right index finger and left index finger.
- Play the next key, C#, with your right middle finger and left middle finger.
- Play the next key, D, with your right ring finger and left ring finger.
- Play the next key, E, with your right pinky finger and left pinky finger.
- Play the next key, F#, with your right pinky finger and left pinky finger.
- Play the next key, G#, with your right ring finger and left ring finger.
- Play the next key, A, with your right middle finger and left middle finger.
Here’s how to play the A major scale on the piano, right hand, left hand, and both hands broke down separately. Learn the notes and the fingers so you can play A with this straightforward tutorial. You just have to think about how to adjust your hand and finger position for a slightly different shape. If you can already play C or G and D, then learning A should be a breeze!