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 furthest 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 1st and 2nd inversions of the chord.
How to play the 1st inversion of A major
To play the 1st 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 2nd inversion of A major
In its 2nd inversion, E becomes the lowest note in the chord. To play the 2nd inversion with your right hand, use the following fingers:
C♯ - Fifth finger (5)
A - Third finger (3)
E - First finger (1)
