A Major Scale
The A major scale — A B C# D E F# G# — with its intervals, the chords it makes and every position on the guitar neck.
Tap any note on the neck.
Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.
A major is A major pentatonic with the 4 and 7 added — D and G#.
A major scale notes and intervals
A major has 7 notes. Each is named by its distance from the root, which is the same in every key — learn the numbers once and every major scale reads the same.
Step pattern from the root: W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W is a whole step, two frets; H is a half step, one fret).
Scales it shares notes with:
- F# natural minor — relative minor — the same seven notes from the 6th
- A natural minor — parallel minor — the same root, three notes lowered
A major scale positions on guitar — all 7
Three notes on every string gives A major exactly seven positions — one starting on each note of the scale — that together cover frets 0 to 16. Position 5 sits lowest on the neck. Because each shape starts on a different note of the scale, each is also the natural fingering for one of its modes (below). Move any of them twelve frets and you have the same shape an octave up.
Position 1 — frets 5–10
Starts on the 1 (A) on the 6th string. Practice this position →
Position 2 — frets 7–12
Starts on the 2 (B) on the 6th string. Practice this position →
Position 3 — frets 9–14
Starts on the 3 (C#) on the 6th string. Practice this position →
Position 4 — frets 10–16
Starts on the 4 (D) on the 6th string. Practice this position →
Position 5 — frets 0–5
Starts on the 5 (E) on the 6th string. Practice this position →
Position 6 — frets 2–7
Starts on the 6 (F#) on the 6th string. Practice this position →
Position 7 — frets 4–9
Starts on the 7 (G#) on the 6th string. Practice this position →
The seven three-notes-per-string positions on their own page →
CAGED shapes in A major
The A chord in all five CAGED shapes, from the nut to the 15th fret. Each shape sits inside one stretch of the scale above, so learning the chord gives you the scale notes around it.
Chords in the key of A major
Stack the scale in thirds and every note becomes a chord. These seven are the chords of A major; the roman numerals under them are how players name the same chords in any key.
As seventh chords: Amaj7 Bm7 C#m7 Dmaj7 E7 F#m7 G#m7♭5. All the chords in A major, with shapes and numerals →
Modes of the A major scale
Start the same seven notes on a different degree, treat that note as home, and you have a mode. Each three-notes-per-string position above starts on one scale degree, so position 1 is the natural fingering for the first mode, position 2 for the second, and so on. The shape alone does not make the mode: with A as home, every one of these positions still sounds like A major. A position becomes its mode when its first note is the one you resolve to, over that note’s chord or a drone on it.
- A Ionianposition 1 · starts on the 1
- B Dorianposition 2 · starts on the 2
- C# Phrygianposition 3 · starts on the 3
- D Lydianposition 4 · starts on the 4
- E Mixolydianposition 5 · starts on the 5
- F# Aeolianposition 6 · starts on the 6
- G# Locrianposition 7 · starts on the 7
Common chord progressions in A major
Progressions are written as numbers so they transpose to any key. Here they are spelled out in A major, with songs that use them.
Soloing over A–E–F#m–D: A major works across all 4 chords, but not every note is an equally good place to stop on each one. Each chord has its own notes to land on: A is A–C#–E, E is E–G#–B, F#m is F#–A–C#, D is D–F#–A. Aim for them as each chord arrives and the line follows the changes instead of just staying in key. Solo over A E F#m D in the Chord Builder → The neck lights each chord’s notes inside the scale and follows along when you press Play.
A major pentatonic
Leave out the 4 (D) and the 7 (G#) and you have the five-note A major pentatonic — A B C# E F# — the scale under most country, rock and pop lead lines in A. The same five notes started from F# are F# minor pentatonic.
How to practice the A major scale
- Start with position 5 at frets 0–5, slowly, until every note lands on the click. The loop keeps the shape and the tempo for you.
- Add five beats a minute each time it feels easy. When straight runs get dull, play the same position in thirds — the pattern that turns a scale into lines.
- Hear A major harmonized in 3rds on the Fretboard: press Play and every note sounds with its partner while the neck lights up. Then switch Harmony to 6ths and play it again.
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