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A major scale

The eight notes, fingering for both hands and the key signature.

The short answer

The notes of the A major scale are A, B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp and G sharp, and then A again at the top.

On the keys

Keyboard with the A major scale marked: A, B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp and G sharpABDEAC♯F♯G♯

Yellow is the starting note, and the same note again an octave up.

On the staff

Treble and bass staves showing the A major scale, one octave: A, B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp and G sharpABC♯DEF♯G♯A

One octave of A major, with the key signature at the start of each staff. A major has three sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp and G sharp. The right hand reads the treble clef; the left plays the same notes two octaves lower, on the bass clef.

Fingering

One octave going up. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse order.

HandABC♯DEF♯G♯A
Right12312345
Left54321321

Key signature

A major has three sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp and G sharp.

Keep going

I chord: A major

A, C sharp and E.

IV chord: D major

D, F sharp and A.

V chord: E major

E, G sharp and B.

F sharp minor scale

The relative minor: the same seven notes and the same key signature, starting on F sharp.

A minor scale

Same starting note, a different mood: the third, sixth and seventh notes drop a semitone.

Questions

How many sharps does the A major scale have?

A major has three sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp and G sharp.

What is the fingering for the A major scale?

For one octave going up, the right hand uses 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 and the left hand uses 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1.

Practise A major and the other scales in PlayPiano, a piano practice app for iPhone and iPad.

Play it in the app