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A Major Chord
The A Major Chord is A, C-sharp, and E, with the black key in the middle. The middle finger reaches into the black keys, so the hand arches naturally. The sound is bright and clear, and it helps to let the C-sharp speak without pressing it harder than the outer notes.
How to play the A Major Chord on the piano
Let’s go through some charts that will familiarize you with the A Major Chord and how to play it in the various forms you will encounter in pieces of music. First, we’ll look at the fundamental chord and its inversions; then, we’ll explore some more complex voicings.
The A Major Chord in root position
In root position, the notes of the A major chord are stacked in thirds with A on the bottom. The appearance on the staff is evenly spaced, as is the feeling of the space in between your fingers while playing.
| A Major Chord in root position | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | A C♯ E |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | A |
The A Major Chord in first inversion
In first inversion, the third of the chord (C♯) becomes the bottom note, and the root (A) jumps up to the top.
| A Major Chord in 1st inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | C♯ E A |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 3 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 2 5 |
| Chord Symbol | A6 or A/C♯ |
The A Major Chord in second inversion
In second inversion, the fifth of the chord (E) is on the bottom, and the third of the chord (C♯) goes to the top.
| A Major Chord in 2nd inversion | |
|---|---|
| Note Order | E A C♯ |
| Left Hand Fingering | 5 2 1 |
| Right Hand Fingering | 1 3 5 |
| Chord Symbol | A6/4 or A/E |
A Major Chord theory and function
A major chord is the most settled sound in tonal music. What it does depends on the key around it: it can be home, it can lead away from home, or it can pull back toward it.
The A major chord is the tonic (I) in A major, the dominant (V) in D major, and the subdominant (IV) in E major. In minor keys, it is the mediant (III) in F♯ minor, the submediant (VI) in C♯ minor, the subtonic (VII) in B minor, and the dominant (V) in D minor.
Three chords, I, IV, and V, account for a great deal of the hymns, folk songs, and early classical pieces a student will meet. In A major that is A – D – E – A. Try listening for the job the chord is doing: after the dominant it sounds like arriving, and after the tonic it sounds like stepping away.
Other chords built on A
Lesson Steps
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