A arpeggio
A Major — the notes A, C#, E played one at a time, bottom-up and back.
Musical context
How the arpeggio relates to the chord, scale, mode and key.
How to play the arpeggio
Theory
General info
- Full name
- A Major
- Root
- A
- Quality
- Major
- Type
- Major triad
- Note count
- 3
- Brief character
- Bright, stable, foundational sound — the basis of major harmony. Three notes of the major triad — root, major third, and perfect fifth — form the most stable structure in tonal music.
Bright, open, stable. Confidence, calmness, completeness.
Characteristic bright major sound, defined by the major third.
Notes & degrees
Major triad: 1-3-5.
On the piano
An arpeggio is a broken chord: the same notes played one after another rather than together, bottom-up and back. On the piano they are usually split between the two hands — in an accompaniment, for instance, the left hand carries the bass while the right fills in the figuration.
Any chord can be played arpeggiato or turned into figuration — a broken bass, Alberti figures, a waltz accompaniment. Unlike the guitar, where an arpeggio is tied to the order the strings are plucked, there is no fixed fingering “shape” here — evenness and legato between the notes matter most.
Chord basis
Differs from minor by a raised third (3 instead of b3).
Function and tensions
Tonic (I) and subdominant (IV) of major. Submediant (VI) of minor.
Fully stable on degree I, subdominant on IV.
Harmonic context
Degrees I and IV of major, degree VI of minor.
Ionian mode, major pentatonic.
Reliable vertical for melodies and improvisation on the tonic.
Compatible scales & modes
All chord tones are contained in these scales — use them for improvisation.
Diatonic chords
This arpeggio on guitar 🎸
See how A looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
Keys where this chord functions as a scale degree, on the circle of fifths.
How to play on piano
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.