Chord · A Major
A Chord
A is A, C# and E — bright, stable. The reference triad.
A on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What A is made of
A (A major) is built from the notes A, C#, E, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5.
Stack 1, 3 and 5 on a root of A and you get A, C# and E. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C sounds like a transposed A.
Major: Bright, stable. The reference triad.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with C♯ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain A
All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 6 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on A
Same root, different colour.
The same major shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about A
- What notes are in the A chord?
- A is made of A, C# and E — the 1, 3 and 5 degrees of a major chord built on A.
- What keys use the A chord?
- Every note of A belongs to 6 keys: D Major (V), A Major (I), E Major (IV), B Minor (VII), F# Minor (III), C# Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play A on guitar and piano?
- This page shows A on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 25 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why A behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.