The notes of the A Major Scale are A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#.

The Chords in the A Major scale are:

MajorMinorMinorMajorMajorMinorDim
IiiiiiIVViiVII*
ABmC#mDEF#mG#*

A Major Scale – All Across the Neck

A Major Scale

You should know where you can play the A Major scale on your guitar. I have highlighted the 5 positions below where you could play it. Please note that some of these patterns will repeat beyond the 12th fret. Start each scale on the root note.

A Major Scale – Position 1
This pattern covers two octaves. 

A Major Position 1

A Major Scale – Position 2

A Major Position 2

A Major Scale – Position 3

A Major Position 3

A Major Scale – Position 4

A Major Position 4

A Major Scale – Position 5
This pattern covers two octaves. 

A Major Position 5

Try the following when playing this scale:

Use a metronome – start very slowly.
Play cleanly – Focus on fingering every note cleanly.
Alternate pick – Alternate between up and down. Play quarter notes and then eighth notes.
Down pick all notes – Play quarter notes and then eighth notes.
Triplets – Alternate pick 3 notes for each beat.
16th notes – Alternate pick 4 notes for each beat.
Fingerpick – Use just your fingers to pick. Thumb plays the top 3 strings, Index, Middle and Ring fingers play the bottom strings respectively. Thumb, index, middle and ring are usually indicated by the initials P, I, M, A.
Alternate Fingerpick – Alternate Index & Middle fingers to play each note of the scale.
Use hammer on’s and pull off’s – Can you play each one without picking?
Speed up – As you feel more comfortable, try to increase the metronome speed.
Turn off metronome – Play the exercises but name each note that you play (without looking at the diagrams). Go as slow as you like.
Name the notes – Play exercises and name only the root notes (without looking at the diagrams).
Different positions – Do all the exercises and picking variations for each position.

Explore More

F Major Scale

The notes of the F Major Scale are F, G, A, A#, C, D, E. The Chords in the F Major scale are: Major Minor Minor Major Major Minor Dim

Alternate Tunings

A Standard A D G C E A A# A# D# G# C# F A# A#maj7 A# F A# D A D Admiral C G D G B C Asus2

G Major Modes

Modes on All 6 StringsAeolianE--------------------------------2-3-5--B--------------------------1-3-5--------G--------------------0-2-4--------------D--------------0-2-4--------------------A--------0-2-3--------------------------E--0-2-3--------------------------------LocrianE--------------------------------3-5-7--B--------------------------3-5-7--------G--------------------2-4-5--------------D--------------2-4-5--------------------A--------2-3-5--------------------------E--2-3-5--------------------------------IonianE--------------------------------5-7-8--B--------------------------5-7-8--------G--------------------4-5-7--------------D--------------4-5-7--------------------A--------3-5-7--------------------------E--3-5-7--------------------------------DorianE---------------------------------7-8-10--B--------------------------7-8-10---------G--------------------5-7-9----------------D--------------5-7-9----------------------A--------5-7-9----------------------------E--5-7-8----------------------------------Phrygian E--------------------------------------8-10-12--B------------------------------8-10-12----------G-----------------------7-9-11------------------D----------------7-9-10-------------------------A---------7-9-10--------------------------------E--7-8-10---------------------------------------LydianE-------------------------------------------10-12-14--B----------------------------------10-12-13-----------G--------------------------9-11-12--------------------D------------------9-10-12----------------------------A----------9-10-12------------------------------------E--8-10-12--------------------------------------------MixolydianE-----------------------------------------------12-14-15--B--------------------------------------12-13-15-----------G-----------------------------11-13-14--------------------D--------------------10-12-14-----------------------------A-----------10-12-14--------------------------------------E--10-12-14-----------------------------------------------Modes on Bottom 3 StringsAeolianE--------------2-3-5--B--------1-3-5--------G--0-2-4--------------D---------------------A---------------------E---------------------LocrianE--------------3-5-7--B--------3-5-7--------G--2-4-5--------------D---------------------A---------------------E---------------------IonianE--------------5-7-8--B--------5-7-8--------G--4-5-7--------------D---------------------A---------------------E---------------------DorianE---------------7-8-10--B--------7-8-10---------G--5-7-9----------------D-----------------------A-----------------------E-----------------------Phrygian E-----------------8-10-12--B---------8-10-12----------G--7-9-11------------------D--------------------------A--------------------------E--------------------------LydianE-------------------10-12-14--B----------10-12-13-----------G--9-11-12--------------------D-----------------------------A-----------------------------E-----------------------------MixolydianE--------------------12-14-15--B-----------12-13-15-----------G--11-13-14--------------------D------------------------------A------------------------------E------------------------------Modes on Top 3 StringsAeolianE-------------------B-------------------G-------------------D--------------0----A--------0-2-3------E--0-2-3------------ w h w w h wLocrianE-----------------B-----------------G-----------------D--------------2--A--------2-3-5----E--2-3-5---------- h w w h w wIonianE-------------------B-------------------G-------------------D--------------4----A--------3-5-7------E--3-5-7------------ w w h