A Major Pentatonic Scale
Notes in the A Major Pentatonic Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | A | 440.000 Hz |
| 2 | Supertonic | B | 493.883 Hz |
| 3 | Mediant | C# | 277.183 Hz |
| 5 | Dominant | E | 329.628 Hz |
| 6 | Submediant | F# | 369.994 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | A | B |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | B | C# |
| 3 | Aug 2nd (WH) | 3 | C# | E |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | E | F# |
| 5 | Aug 2nd (WH) | 3 | F# | A |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | A (complex) | other |
| 2 | B | B (complex) | other |
| 3 | C# | C# (complex) | other |
| 5 | E | E (complex) | other |
| 6 | F# | F# (complex) | other |
Key Signature
3 ♯ — The A key signature uses F#, C#, G#.
A Major Pentatonic Scale in Practice
The A Major Pentatonic Scale uses the key signature of 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#). A major has three sharps (F#, C#, G#) and a bright, clear sound. It is extremely common in popular music and rock, particularly on guitar, and is easily sung by most voices. On guitar, A positions offer open-string resonance for fingering positions for this scale.
The major pentatonic scale uses five notes from the major scale, omitting the 4th and 7th degrees. It has a bright, open sound widely used in folk, country, and pop music.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 440.000 Hz | 440.000 Hz | 436.043 Hz |
| B | 493.883 Hz | 495.000 Hz | 490.548 Hz |
| C# | 277.183 Hz | 278.437 Hz | 279.067 Hz |
| E | 329.628 Hz | 330.001 Hz | 327.032 Hz |
| F# | 369.994 Hz | 371.251 Hz | 367.911 Hz |
Related Scales
Guitar: A Major Pentatonic Scale Positions
The A key offers 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#) on guitar. Sharp-side keys like A are idiomatic guitar keys because open strings (E, A, D, G, B, E) align with the scale's natural resonance points.