A Persian Scale
Notes in the A Persian Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | A | 440.000 Hz |
| ♭2 | Phrygian 2nd | A♯ | 466.164 Hz |
| 3 | Major Mediant | C♯ | 277.183 Hz |
| 4 | Subdominant | D | 293.665 Hz |
| ♭5 | Tritone | D♯ | 311.127 Hz |
| ♭6 | Minor Submediant | F | 349.228 Hz |
| 7 | Leading Tone | G♯ | 415.305 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Half Step (H) | 1 | A | A♯ |
| 2 | Aug 2nd (WH) | 3 | A♯ | C♯ |
| 3 | Half Step (H) | 1 | C♯ | D |
| 4 | Half Step (H) | 1 | D | D♯ |
| 5 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | D♯ | F |
| 6 | Aug 2nd (WH) | 3 | F | G♯ |
| 7 | Half Step (H) | 1 | G♯ | A |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | A (complex) | other |
| ♭2 | A♯ | A♯ | major |
| 3 | C♯ | C♯ (complex) | other |
| 4 | D | D minor | minor |
| ♭5 | D♯ | D♯ (complex) | other |
| ♭6 | F | F augmented | augmented |
| 7 | G♯ | G♯ (complex) | other |
Key Signature
3 ♯ — The A key signature uses F♯, C♯, G♯.
A Persian Scale in Practice
The A Persian 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 Persian scale has a distinct Middle Eastern character with its flat 2nd and 5th degrees combined with a natural major 3rd and leading tone. It evokes the musical traditions of ancient Persian culture. When played starting on A, the 7 notes are A, A♯, C♯, D, D♯, F, G♯. In this key the signature has 3 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯). A is the universal tuning reference pitch (A440) and sits naturally on guitar, mandolin, and violin as an open string. Blues guitarists gravitate toward A because the open A string provides a driving bass note for shuffle rhythms and the standard blues box pattern sits comfortably in fifth position.
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 |
| A♯ | 466.164 Hz | 463.538 Hz | 470.926 Hz |
| C♯ | 277.183 Hz | 278.437 Hz | 279.067 Hz |
| D | 293.665 Hz | 293.332 Hz | 294.329 Hz |
| D♯ | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
| G♯ | 415.305 Hz | 417.657 Hz | 418.601 Hz |
Related Scales
Guitar: A Persian 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.