A Major on Ukulele
The chords in A Major are A, Bm, C#m, D, E, F#m and G#dim. It has three sharps (F#, C#, G#), its relative minor is F# Minor, and it is moderate to play on a ukulele.
- Key signatureThree sharps (F#, C#, G#)
- Relative minor F♯ Minor
- Parallel minor A Minor
- Neighbouring keys D Major · E Major
- On ukulele Moderate
The chords in A Major
These seven are the whole family. Nearly every song in this key is built from them, in some order. Tap a diagram to hear it and flip through other shapes, or open its page for the full rundown.
Struggling with these shapes? Put a capo on fret 4. A capo raises everything by one fret per position, so with it on fret 4 you can play the far easier shapes for F Major and the song still comes out in A Major. That swaps A, Bm, C#m for F, Gm, Am.
New to this? Our capo guide covers where to clamp it and why it works.
Progressions that work in A Major
Written out in this key so you can play them straight off the page. Each one is a pattern you have heard a thousand times, which is exactly why it works.
The four chords
I - V - vi - IV
Behind more hits than any other four bars. If a song is in this key, try these first.
Three-chord song
I - IV - V
Folk, blues, country and punk. Everything you need to busk in this key.
'50s doo-wop
I - vi - IV - V
Stand By Me and half the jukebox. Warm and instantly familiar.
Jazz turnaround
ii - V - I
The cadence jazz is built on. Add 7ths to all three for the real flavour.
Pop punk
vi - IV - I - V
The same four chords starting on the minor. Moodier opening, same payoff.
Chords worth borrowing
Chords from outside A Major that still sound at home in it. One of these dropped into a plain progression is usually the difference between a song that sounds like a beginner exercise and one that does not.
- E7 V7 The dominant with a 7th on top. Pulls hard back to the tonic.
- B7 V7/V A dominant aimed at the V chord, so the V feels like a landing.
- F#7 V7/ii Sets up the ii chord. The engine behind most jazz turnarounds.
- C#7 V7/vi Leads into the relative minor for a quick change of mood.
- Dm iv The minor subdominant. One borrowed chord, instant wistfulness.
- C bIII Lifted from the parallel minor. Rock and gospel lean on it.
- F bVI Big and cinematic. Often walks down into the V.
- G bVII The Mixolydian flat 7. Classic rock in one chord.
- Asus4 Isus4 Holds the tonic in suspense for a beat before it resolves.
Other flavours of A
Same home note, different set of notes around it. Swapping the mode is the quickest way to change the mood of something without changing the key it sits in.
- A Ionian The plain major scale. Bright and settled.
- A Dorian Minor with a raised 6th. Minor, but hopeful.
- A Phrygian Minor with a flat 2nd. Spanish and a little tense.
- A Lydian Major with a raised 4th. Floaty and cinematic.
- A Mixolydian Major with a flat 7th. The sound of rock and folk.
- A Aeolian The plain natural minor. Sad in the usual way.
- A Locrian Unstable by design. Rare outside metal and jazz.
About A Major
A key is the family of notes and chords a song is built around, named after the chord it keeps coming home to. In A Major that home chord is A, and the other six chords above are its relatives. Play them in almost any order and it will sound like music, because they all come from the same seven notes.
A Major shares its key signature and all seven of its chords with F♯ Minor, its relative minor. The only thing that changes is which chord feels like home. That is why a song can drift between the two without anything sounding wrong, and it is also why working out the key from the chords alone is not always possible. The last chord usually settles it.
Either side of it on the wheel sit D Major and E Major, which differ by a single note. Those are the easiest keys to move to if you want a key change, and the first place to look for a chord to borrow.
Frequently asked questions
What chords are in A Major?
The seven chords in A Major are A, Bm, C#m, D, E, F#m and G#dim. The three you will use most are A, D and E, the I, IV and V.
Is A Major hard to play on ukulele?
It scores 45 on our playability scale, which puts it in the moderate band. We work that out from the real shapes: how many strings each chord frets, whether it needs a barre and how far up the neck it sits, weighted so the chords you play all night count for more than the ones you touch once. If it feels awkward, capo 4 and play the shapes for F Major instead.
What is the relative minor of A Major?
F# Minor. It uses exactly the same seven chords and the same key signature, just centred on a different home chord. That is why you can slip between them mid-song without anything sounding out of place.
What key signature does A Major have?
Three sharps (F#, C#, G#). It shares that signature with F# Minor.
Next stop: look up any shape on the chord diagrams, work out a chord you already know the shape of with the chord namer, run the scale up the neck on scales, or get in tune first with the tuner.