A Major

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The A major chord is a triad formed from a root (A), a major third (C♯) and a perfect fifth (E).

How to play A major on the piano

To play the A major chord, start by finding the root: A. Looking down at the keyboard, you'll see black keys in groups of two and three. To find the A, look at a group of three black keys and focus on the key between the middle and farthest right.

The notes A, C♯ and E make up the A major chord. With your right hand, you'd play the root position chord using the following fingers:

E - Fifth finger (5)
C♯ - Third finger (3)
A - First finger (1)

Read: Learn more about major and minor chords here.

The root position chord is played on the left hand with the following fingers:

E - First finger (1)
C♯ - Third finger (3)
A - Fifth finger (5)

You might find playing the root position chord easier with different fingers, depending on what music you're playing. To see how the A major chord is built, watch our video above.

What are the inversions of A major?

Beyond the root position, you'll find that A major features two different inversions. Below, you'll learn how to play the first and second inversions of the chord.

How to play the first inversion of A major

To play the first inversion, you'll make C♯ the lowest note of the chord and use the following fingers:

A - Fifth finger (5)
E - Second finger (2)
C♯ - First finger (1)

Read: Learn more about chord inversions here.

How to play the second inversion of A major

In the chord's second inversion, E becomes the lowest note. To play the second inversion with your right hand, use the following fingers:

C♯ - Fifth finger (5)
A - Third finger (3)
E - First finger (1)

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