A Major Scale on Guitar
The A Major scale contains A, B, D♭, D, E, F# and A♭ — 7 notes. Every position is marked across the whole fretboard below, labelled with note names and with interval numbers, and the tuning of each string can be changed.
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | A | B | D♭ | D | E | F# | A♭ |
| Interval | Root | Major 2nd | Major 3rd | Perfect 4th | Perfect 5th | Major 6th | Major 7th |
Note names
Interval numbers
Circle of fifths
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A Major scale?
A, B, D♭, D, E, F# and A♭. That is 7 notes.
Which chords go with the A Major scale?
The triads built from its own notes: A, Bm, D♭m, D, E, F#m and A♭°. Those are the chords that will sound consonant over it.
What is the relative minor of A Major?
F# minor. It uses the same 7 notes, starting from the sixth degree.
Which smaller scales fit inside the A Major scale?
D Major Pentatonic, D♭ Minor Pentatonic, E Dominant Pentatonic (Mixolydian Pentatonic) and B Minor Sixth Pentatonic. Every note of those is also in the A Major scale, so they can be played over it.
Practice this on your own guitar
Fretonomy listens to your instrument and drills triads, scales and chords.