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A Major Scale on Piano

The A major scale uses A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ and G♯. See the keyboard, key signature and one-octave fingering, then practice the scale.

Starting noteA
Key signatureF#, C#, G#
Range1 octave
Current scale

A Major

Hand
Right hand
Range
A4-A5 · 1 octave
Demo / print tempo
60 BPM

A – B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A

Direction: Ascending · A4 → A5 · Semitone movement: 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 1

Tempo60 BPM

Ascending

Fingering from the listed sources
NotesA4B4C♯5D5E5F♯5G♯5A5
Fingers12312345

One-octave fingering.

A4B4♯C#5D5E5♯F#5♯G#5A5

Keyboard

A4 to A5
A4A#4Bb4B4C5C♯5D5D#5Eb5E5F5F♯5G5G♯5A5

Sources

Finger numbers identify fingers, not scale degrees. Only one-octave, separately checked rows are shown.

Practice task

Check the notes

Select every note used in A Major, ascending. This question checks the note set; octave and order do not matter.

Chosen: None

Attempt open · unassisted

Answer reference: A Major, ascending - note set

A - B - C♯ - D - E - F♯ - G♯. Octave and order are not scored in this question.

Answer reference: A Major, ascending - right hand

A4 - B4 - C♯5 - D5 - E5 - F♯5 - G♯5 - A5

Single-hand guide

Practice with a pulse

60 BPM

This guide does not listen to your piano. Completion is self-reported. The staff is a pitch reference; the pulse controls timing.

Practice tempo: 60 BPM · 1 octave · Right hand · A4-A5 · 4-beat count-in

PianoGrid

A Major

Key signature: F#, C#, G#

Current scale

A Major

Hand
Right hand
Range
A4-A5 · 1 octave
Demo / print tempo
60 BPM

A – B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A

Direction: Ascending · A4 → A5 · Semitone movement: 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 1

Ascending

Fingering from the listed sources
NotesA4B4C♯5D5E5F♯5G♯5A5
Fingers12312345

One-octave fingering.

A4B4♯C#5D5E5♯F#5♯G#5A5

Keyboard

A4 to A5
A4A#4Bb4B4C5C♯5D5D#5Eb5E5F5F♯5G5G♯5A5

Sources

One-octave reference. Finger numbers appear only for the hand and direction combinations covered by the sources listed above.

A Major notes

A Major contains A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#. Repeat A at the top to complete one octave. Its key signature has 3 sharps.

Read all three sharps

A major uses C-sharp, F-sharp, and G-sharp. In the key signature, their written order is F♯, C♯, G♯; in the ascending scale, C♯ is encountered first. The half-step pairs are C♯–D and G♯–A. Key signatures list accidentals in a fixed order; a scale lists notes starting from its tonic.

One-octave fingering

For this one-octave version, the right hand crosses from C♯ with finger 3 to D with the thumb. The left hand crosses from E with the thumb to F♯ with finger 3. The final G♯–A uses right-hand fingers 4–5 and left-hand fingers 2–1.

A short practice check

Suggested drill: point to the three altered notes in the note list, then play A–B–C♯–D followed by E–F♯–G♯–A. During a return run, say G-sharp and F-sharp aloud. Finish by checking the same passage on the staff without adding unnecessary accidental symbols beside every note.

Continue with a source-backed reference that matches this task.

Chords and scale degrees in A major

Each degree of A major has a name, and stacking every other note from that degree gives the triad built on it. Roman numerals use capitals for major triads, lower case for minor and ° for diminished.

F♯ minor is the relative minor of A major. Both keys use the same notes and key signature, but the minor key starts on degree 6.

A major uses three black keys: C♯, F♯ and G♯.

On a narrow screen, scroll this table horizontally to read every column.

Scale degrees and triads in A major
DegreeNoteDegree nameTriadTriad notes
1ATonicI · A majorA – C♯ – E
2BSupertonicii · B minorB – D – F♯
3C♯Mediantiii · C♯ minorC♯ – E – G♯
4DSubdominantIV · D majorD – F♯ – A
5EDominantV · E majorE – G♯ – B
6F♯Submediantvi · F♯ minorF♯ – A – C♯
7G♯Leading tonevii° · G♯ diminishedG♯ – B – D

Adding a seventh to the dominant triad gives V7, the dominant seventh of A major. E7: E – G♯ – B – D.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes and key signature of A major?

The one-octave ascending notes are A–B–C#–D–E–F#–G#–A. The key signature contains 3 sharps: F#, C#, G#. These accidentals also apply in descent.

Why is F-sharp first in the key signature when C-sharp comes first in the scale?

Key signatures use an established accidental order; A major lists F#, C# and G#. The scale starts on A, so its ascending note order is A–B–C#–D–E–F#–G#–A. The order of sharps in the signature is not the order in which they are encountered from the tonic.

Which fingers are used by each hand ascending and descending over one octave?

This source-documented one-octave reference shows right hand ascending 1–2–3–1–2–3–4–5 and descending 5–4–3–2–1–3–2–1; left hand ascending 5–4–3–2–1–3–2–1 and descending 1–2–3–1–2–3–4–5. Read each row in playing order. These are sourced choices, not the only possible fingerings, and must not be repeated mechanically for a second octave.

What should I check during a short practice run?

Suggested drill: point to the three altered notes in the note list, then play A–B–C♯–D followed by E–F♯–G♯–A. During a return run, say G-sharp and F-sharp aloud. Finish by checking the same passage on the staff without adding unnecessary accidental symbols beside every note.

Sources

References for the notes, patterns and examples on this page.