How to Play A on Piano

The A Major chord sounds bright and resolved. It stacks 3 notes: A – C# – E.

A root, a major third and a perfect fifth — the chord every other chord is measured against.

Notes in A

NoteIntervalFinger
AA4Root1
C#C#5Major 3rd3
EE5Perfect 5th5

How to Play

Right Hand

Place your thumb (finger 1) on A. Use finger 3 on C# and finger 5 on E.

Where it sits

One note of this chord (C#) is on black keys, so play it a little further back on the keys than an all-white shape.

Press all 3 keys at the same time. Keep your wrist relaxed and your fingers curved. The blue dots on the piano below show exactly which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Other Major Chords

C
C – E – G
Db
Db – F – Ab
D
D – F# – A
Eb
Eb – G – Bb
E
E – G# – B
F
F – A – C
F#
F# – A# – C#
G
G – B – D
Ab
Ab – C – Eb
Bb
Bb – D – F
B
B – D# – F#

Other A Chords

A6
A – C# – E – F#
A7
A – C# – E – G
A9
A – C# – E – G – B
Am
A – C – E
Amaj7
A – C# – E – G#
Am7
A – C – E – G
Adim
A – C – Eb
Aaug
A – C# – E#
Asus2
A – B – E
Asus4
A – D – E
Adim7
A – C – Eb – Gb
Am6
A – C – E – F#
Aadd9
A – C# – E – B