Chords in the Key of A Major

The key of A Major contains seven diatonic chords: A, Bm, C#m, D, E, F#m, G#m. Use the interactive generator below to build progressions, hear them played back with drums and accompaniment, and export to MIDI.

Diatonic Chords in A Major

iii

C#m

F#m

vii

G#m

Relative Minor

The relative minor of A Major is F♯ Minor. Both keys share the same set of notes and diatonic chords, but centre on a different tonic — making F♯ Minor the natural choice for a darker or more melancholic feel.

Modes of A Major

Every mode below is built from the same seven notes as A Major, starting on a different scale degree.

A MajorI – ii – iii – IV – V – vi – vii

B Doriani – ii – III – IV – v – vi – VII

C♯ Phrygiani – II – III – iv – v – VI – vii

D LydianI – II – iii – iv – V – vi – vii

E MixolydianI – ii – iii – IV – v – vi – VII

F♯ Minori – ii – III – iv – v – VI – VII

About A Major

A Major is a brilliant, clear key with three sharps that is popular across a wide range of genres. On guitar, the open A, D, and E chords form a natural I–IV–V relationship, making it a go-to key for rock, country, and blues.

A Major is also a standard tuning reference — orchestras tune to A440 — giving the key a familiar, centred quality. Fiddle tunes, country two-steps, and Irish reels frequently live in A Major because of the open-string resonance on violin.

In pop and rock, A Major offers enough brightness to cut through a mix without the sharpness of higher keys. It sits comfortably in the vocal range of many singers, making it a reliable choice for radio-friendly songwriting.

The I–IV–V (A–D–E) is the classic blues and rock progression in this key, used in "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry and countless 12-bar jams. The I–V–vi–IV (A–E–F♯m–D) appears in songs like "Africa" by Toto. The ii–V–I (Bm–E–A) provides a jazz-flavoured resolution that works well in acoustic pop.

On guitar, the open A (x02220), D (xx0232), and E (022100) shapes are effortless and ring with full resonance. Adding F♯m (244222) introduces the only barre chord needed for most diatonic work. On piano, the three sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯) create a comfortable hand position, and the key is a standard choice for Czerny and Hanon exercises.

A Major’s relative minor is F♯ minor, a key with a brooding quality heard in tracks like "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak. The dominant key (V) is E Major and the subdominant (IV) is D Major. The A–D–E triangle is one of the most natural key groupings on guitar, and many setlists stay within these three keys for an entire performance.