Key of A on Guitar: Chords and Progressions
Three sharps. Rock and blues players love A because E and D sit right next to it.
The notes
A B C# D E F# G#
Find them all on the fretboard notes tool.
The chords in this key
Build a chord on every note of the scale and you get the seven chords that always sound good together in A. The Roman numerals are how musicians talk about them - they work in every key.
| Numeral | Chord |
|---|---|
| I | A |
| ii | Bm |
| iii | C#m |
| IV | D |
| V | E |
| vi | F#m |
| vii° | G#dim |
Progressions to try
- A - D - E - the rock and roll standard.
- A - E - F#m - D - modern ballad loop.
Why this matters: when someone says a song is "in A", these are the chords they are choosing from. Learn the I, IV, and V chords first - that is most songs.