Are you excited to learn a new guitar scale?
Learning scales is a necessity in your journey as a musician, as they allow you to understand musical keys and how they work.
In this article, we will be covering all the essential elements related to playing the A major scale on guitar. Its theory, intervals, notes, chords, relative & parallel minors, patterns on the fretboard, how to play each pattern, etc.
Read the complete article to show the A major scale in detail!
Introduction To A major scale
The A major scale is commonly used in chamber music and any instrument with a bias towards the sharp keys. Some define it as the key used for declaring innocent love, self-satisfaction, faith in god, cheeriness associated with youth, and the hope to see beloved back when parting.
Schubert’s Trout Quintet and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Op. 92 are in the key of A major. You can find the list of symphonies in A major here.
A major scale Notes
Using A as the first note of the scale, we get the balance notes using the major scale formula {W W H W W W H}:
- 1st Note – Root – A
- 2nd Note – M2 – B
- 3rd Note – M3 – C#
- 4th Note – P4 – D
- 5th Note – P5 – E
- 6th Note – M6 – F#
- 7th Note – M7 – G#
The notes of the A Major scale are {A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A(O)}, where A(O) is the A note one octave above the root. G# is the leading tone for this scale.
From the above notes, you can see that the key signature of the A major scale has three sharps. Hence to play it on a piano keyboard, you require four white and three black keys. The keyboard diagram is shown below.
Scale Degrees
| Intervals | Root | M2 | M3 | P4 | P5 | M6 | M7 | P8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale Degrees | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1(8) |
| Notes | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# | A(O) |
A Major Scale On The Treble And Bass Clef:
Treble Clef:
Bass Clef:
A-major scale Guitar Positions
Linked CAGED Patterns.
A major scale in a straight line exists on the Low E string.
Five CAGED Patterns
Guitar Tabs For The CAGED Patterns
E Shaped Scale Pattern
D Shaped Pattern
C Shaped Pattern
A Shaped Pattern
G Shaped Pattern
Fingering Arrangement For Scale Patterns
The Chords Of The A Major Key?
| Scale Degrees | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord Designation | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | viidim |
| Scale Degree Names | Tonic | Super-Tonic | Mediant | Sub-Dominant | Dominant | Sub-Mediant | Leading Tone |
| Chord Names | A | Bm | C#m | D | E | F#M | G#dim |
| Chord Quality | Major | minor | minor | Major | Major | minor | dim |
The following triad chords result from the A major scale.
- Three Major chords – I, IV, and V – A Major, D Major, and E Major chords.
- Three minor chords – ii, iii, and vi – Bm, C#m, and F#m.
- One diminished chord, the vii° – G#dim.
- Dominant Chord – 5th scale degree – E Major.
- Subdominant Chord – 4th Scale Degree – D Major.
A Major scale is the only scale that has a Neapolitan Sixth chord bII with both flat and natural accidental in it.
Note Names In These Triad Chords.
| Scale Degrees | Intervals | Chord Notes | Chord Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R – A – M3 – C# – m3 – E | A C# E | A |
| 2 | R – B – m3 – D – M3 – F# | B D F# | Bm |
| 3 | R – C# – m3 – E – M3 – G# | C# E G# | C#m |
| 4 | R – D – M3 – F# – m3 – A | D F# A | D |
| 5 | R – E – M3 – G# – m3 – B | E G# B | E |
| 6 | R – F# – m3 – A – M3 – C# | F# A C# | F#m |
| 7 | R – E – m3 – G – m3 – Bb | G# B D | G#dim |
7th Chords Of A Major Scale
| Scale Degrees | Chord Name | Roman N Designation | Chord Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AMaj7 | IM7 | A - C# - E - G# |
| 2 | Bm7 | iim7 | B - D - F# - A |
| 3 | C#m7 | iiim7 | C# - E - G# - B |
| 4 | DMaj7 | IVM7 | D - F# - A - C# |
| 5 | E7 | V7 | E – G# – B - D |
| 6 | F#m7 | vim7 | F# – A– C# - E |
| 7 | G#m7b5 | viiø7 | G# – B – D - F# |
Relative & Parallel Minor Of A major
Relative Minor Scale: F# Minor Scale {F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, and E}. The relative minor and major scales have the same notes and key signatures.
Parallel scale: A minor scale {A, B, C, D, E, F, & G}. The A minor scale, like the C Major scale, does not have any sharps or flats in its key signature.
The Modes Of The A Major Scale
The seven diatonic modes of the A Sharp Major Scale are:
- A Ionian.
- B Dorian.
- C# Phrygian.
- D Flat Lydian.
- E Mixolydian.
- F# Aeolian.
- G# Locrian.
Songs In The Key Of A major
The popular songs in the key of A Major are:
- “Take On Me” by A-HA.
- “Every Breath You Take” by The Police.
- “Someone Like You” by Adele.
- “Three Little Birds” by Bob Markey & the Wailers.
- “Rock and Roll” by Led Zeppelin.
- “Africa” by Toto.
- “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton.
- “Wonderwall” by Oasis.
- “Cocaine” by Eric Clapton.
- “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys.
- “Time” by Pink Floyd.
- “Pompeii” by Bastille.
Conclusion
A Major is one of the common keys in Western Music. You can also contribute to our article if you have tips for those just mastering the A major scale. Please tell us in the comments below, and don’t forget to like and share if you learned something!
