PorchtoneQuick answer: the seven chords in A major are A, Bm, C♯m, D, E, F♯m, G♯°. The strongest are A, D and E (the I, IV and V); most songs in A lean on those.
The chords
| AIA C♯ E | BmiiB D F♯ | C♯miiiC♯ E G♯ | DIVD F♯ A | EVE G♯ B | F♯mviF♯ A C♯ | G♯°vii°G♯ B D |
Progressions that sound good in A
- Pop anthemA – E – F♯m – D (I V vi IV)
Big, hopeful, singable. One of the most used progressions in pop.
- SensitiveF♯m – D – A – E (vi IV I V)
The same four chords starting on the minor: wistful, then lifting.
- FiftiesA – F♯m – D – E (I vi IV V)
Doo-wop and slow-dance warmth.
- LiftD – A – E – F♯m (IV I V vi)
Starts away from home, so it feels like it is always reaching.
- Slow burnA – C♯m – D – E (I iii IV V)
Tender, with a gentle ache on the iii chord.
- HymnA – D – A – E (I IV I V)
Plain and honest; leaves room for the words.
- Three chordsA – D – E (I IV V)
The backbone of folk, country and rock and roll.
- HighwayA – G – D – A (I bVII IV I)
Open-road rock: the borrowed ♭VII gives it swagger.
- HeartlandA – G – D – D (I bVII IV IV)
Jangly, wide-open guitar rock.
- 12-bar bluesA7 – A7 – A7 – A7 – D7 – D7 – A7 – A7 – E7 – D7 – A7 – E7 (I7 I7 I7 I7 IV7 IV7 I7 I7 V7 IV7 I7 V7)
Twelve bars that most of rock and roll grew out of.
- Two-five-oneBm7 – E7 – Amaj7 (ii7 V7 Imaj7)
The basic cadence of jazz standards.
Playing in A with a capo
If the barre chords in A are a stretch, put a capo on and play easier open shapes. The song still sounds in A.
| Capo | Play these shapes |
|---|---|
| Fret 2 | G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em (shapes from G) |
| Fret 5 | E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B, C♯m (shapes from E) |
| Fret 7 | D, Em, F♯m, G, A, Bm (shapes from D) |
Related keys
A major shares all its chords with its relative minor, F♯ minor. Its closest neighbours are E major and D major, which share six of its seven notes and make easy key changes.