A Major Guitar Scale, Chords & Progressions (Drop D Tuning)

The A Major scale on guitar: scale shapes, chords and progressions, with tab you can play along to in the interactive lesson.

Notes: A B C# D E F# G#

Tuning: Drop D Guitar (D A D G B E)

Scales

Scale shapes

CAGED - C Shape

E|-11--12--14-|
B|--9--11--12-|
G|--9--11--12-|
D|--9--11-----|
A|--9--10--12-|
D|--9--10--12-|

CAGED - A Shape

E|-14--16-----|
B|-11--12--14-|
G|-11--12--14-|
D|-11--13--14-|
A|-12--14--15-|
D|-12--14-----|

CAGED - G Shape

E|--4---6---7-|
B|--2---4---5-|
G|--2---4-----|
D|--1---2---4-|
A|--2---3---5-|
D|--2---4---5-|

CAGED - E Shape

E|--7---9-----|
B|--4---5---7-|
G|--4---6---7-|
D|--4---6---7-|
A|--5---7-----|
D|--4---5---7-|

CAGED - D Shape

E|--9--11--12-|
B|--7---9-----|
G|--6---7---9-|
D|--6---7---9-|
A|--7---9--10-|
D|--7---9--10-|

3NPS - First Position

E|--7---9--11-|
B|--5---7---9-|
G|--6---7---9-|
D|--6---7---9-|
A|--7---9--10-|
D|--7---9--10-|

Basic Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	A	A C# E	`x 0 2 2 2 0`
I	A	A C# E	`x 0 2 2 2 x`
I	A	A C# E	`x x x 2 2 0`
I	A	A C# E	`x x 7 6 5 5`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x 2 4 4 3 2`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x 2 4 4 3 x`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x x x 4 3 2`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x x 9 7 7 7`
III	C#m	C# E G#	`x 4 6 6 5 4`
III	C#m	C# E G#	`x 4 6 6 5 x`
III	C#m	C# E G#	`x 4 2 1 2 x`
III	C#m	C# E G#	`x x x 6 5 4`
IV	D	D F# A	`x x 0 2 3 2`
IV	D	D F# A	`x 5 4 2 3 2`
IV	D	D F# A	`0 0 0 2 3 2`
IV	D	D F# A	`x 5 4 2 3 x`
V	E	E G# B	`x x 2 1 0 0`
V	E	E G# B	`x x 2 1 0 x`
V	E	E G# B	`2 2 2 1 0 0`
V	E	E G# B	`2 2 2 1 0 x`
VI	F#m	F# A C#	`x x 4 2 2 2`
VI	F#m	F# A C#	`x x 4 2 2 5`
VI	F#m	F# A C#	`4 4 4 2 2 2`
VI	F#m	F# A C#	`x x 4 2 2 x`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`x x 6 4 3 4`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`x 11 12 13 12 x`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`x x 0 1 0 x`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`x 5 6 4 x x`

Seventh Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Amaj7	A C# E G#	`x 0 2 1 2 0`
I	Amaj7	A C# E G#	`x 0 2 1 2 x`
I	Amaj7	A C# E G#	`x x x 2 2 4`
I	Amaj7	A C# E G#	`x x 7 6 5 4`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 2 4 2 3 2`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 2 0 2 0 x`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 2 4 2 3 x`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 2 0 2 0 2`
III	C#m7	C# E G# B	`x 4 6 4 5 4`
III	C#m7	C# E G# B	`x 4 2 4 2 x`
III	C#m7	C# E G# B	`x 4 6 4 5 x`
III	C#m7	C# E G# B	`x 4 2 4 2 4`
IV	Dmaj7	D F# A C#	`x x 0 2 2 2`
IV	Dmaj7	D F# A C#	`x 5 4 2 2 2`
IV	Dmaj7	D F# A C#	`x 5 7 6 7 5`
IV	Dmaj7	D F# A C#	`x 5 4 2 2 5`
V	E7	E G# B D	`x x 2 1 3 0`
V	E7	E G# B D	`x x 2 4 3 4`
V	E7	E G# B D	`2 2 2 4 3 4`
V	E7	E G# B D	`2 2 2 4 3 x`
VI	F#m7	F# A C# E	`4 4 2 2 2 2`
VI	F#m7	F# A C# E	`4 4 2 2 2 x`
VI	F#m7	F# A C# E	`x x 4 2 5 2`
VI	F#m7	F# A C# E	`x x 4 2 5 x`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x x 6 7 7 7`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x x 6 4 7 x`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x 11 12 11 12 x`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x 11 9 11 9 x`

Ninth Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Amaj9	A C# E G# B	`x x 7 4 5 4`
I	Amaj9	A C# E G# B	`x x 7 9 9 7`
I	Amaj9	A C# E G# B	`x 12 9 9 9 x`
I	Amaj9	A C# E G# B	`x 12 11 13 12 x`
II	Bm9	B D F# A C#	`x x 0 2 2 2`
II	Bm9	B D F# A C#	`x x x 2 2 2`
II	Bm9	B D F# A C#	`x x 4 2 2 x`
II	Bm9	B D F# A C#	`x 4 4 2 x x`
III	C#m7b9	C# E G# B D	`x x 11 9 12 10`
III	C#m7b9	C# E G# B D	`x x 11 13 12 10`
III	C#m7b9	C# E G# B D	`x x 0 1 0 x`
III	C#m7b9	C# E G# B D	`x x 2 4 3 4`
IV	Dmaj9	D F# A C# E	`x x 0 2 2 0`
IV	Dmaj9	D F# A C# E	`x 5 2 2 2 x`
IV	Dmaj9	D F# A C# E	`x 5 4 6 5 x`
IV	Dmaj9	D F# A C# E	`x x 12 9 10 9`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x 7 6 7 7 4`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x 7 6 7 7 7`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x x x 4 3 2`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x x 4 4 3 x`
VI	F#m9	F# A C# E G#	`x 0 2 1 2 0`
VI	F#m9	F# A C# E G#	`x 0 2 1 2 x`
VI	F#m9	F# A C# E G#	`x x 2 1 2 2`
VI	F#m9	F# A C# E G#	`x x 7 6 5 4`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x x 6 4 7 5`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x 2 4 2 3 2`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x 2 0 2 x x`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x 2 4 2 3 x`

Triads

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	A	A C# E	`x x x 2 2 0`
I	A	A C# E	`x x 7 6 5 x`
I	A	A C# E	`x 12 11 9 x x`
I	A	A C# E	`x x 2 2 2 x`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x x x 4 3 2`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x x 9 7 7 x`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x x 4 4 3 x`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x x x 7 7 7`
III	C#m	C# E G#	`x x x 6 5 4`
III	C#m	C# E G#	`x x 11 9 9 x`
III	C#m	C# E G#	`x x 6 6 5 x`
III	C#m	C# E G#	`x x x 9 9 9`
IV	D	D F# A	`x 5 4 2 x x`
IV	D	D F# A	`x x x 7 7 5`
IV	D	D F# A	`x x 12 11 10 x`
IV	D	D F# A	`x x 4 2 3 x`
V	E	E G# B	`x x 2 1 0 x`
V	E	E G# B	`x 7 6 4 x x`
V	E	E G# B	`x x x 9 9 7`
V	E	E G# B	`x x x 1 0 0`
VI	F#m	F# A C#	`x x 4 2 2 x`
VI	F#m	F# A C#	`x x x 11 10 9`
VI	F#m	F# A C#	`x x x 2 2 2`
VI	F#m	F# A C#	`x 4 4 2 x x`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`x x 0 1 0 x`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`x 5 6 4 x x`
I	Amaj7	A C# E G#	`x x x 2 2 4`
I	Amaj7	A C# E G#	`x x x 6 5 4`
I	Amaj7	A C# E G#	`x x 6 6 5 x`
I	Amaj7	A C# E G#	`x x x 9 9 9`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 2 0 2 x x`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x x 9 7 10 x`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 5 4 2 x x`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x x 4 2 3 x`
III	C#m7	C# E G# B	`x 4 2 4 x x`
III	C#m7	C# E G# B	`x x 11 9 12 x`
III	C#m7	C# E G# B	`x x 2 1 0 x`
III	C#m7	C# E G# B	`x x x 1 0 0`
IV	Dmaj7	D F# A C#	`x x x 7 7 9`
IV	Dmaj7	D F# A C#	`x x x 2 2 2`
IV	Dmaj7	D F# A C#	`x x 4 2 2 x`
IV	Dmaj7	D F# A C#	`x 4 4 2 x x`
V	E7	E G# B D	`x x 0 1 0 x`
V	E7	E G# B D	`x 5 6 4 x x`
VI	F#m7	F# A C# E	`x x 4 2 5 x`
VI	F#m7	F# A C# E	`x 9 7 9 x x`
VI	F#m7	F# A C# E	`x x x 2 2 0`
VI	F#m7	F# A C# E	`x x 2 2 2 x`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x x 6 4 7 x`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x 11 9 11 x x`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x 11 12 11 x x`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x x x 4 3 2`
I	Amaj9	A C# E G# B	`x x 2 1 0 x`
I	Amaj9	A C# E G# B	`x x x 1 0 0`
I	Amaj9	A C# E G# B	`x 2 2 1 x x`
I	Amaj9	A C# E G# B	`x 4 2 4 x x`
II	Bm9	B D F# A C#	`x x x 2 2 2`
II	Bm9	B D F# A C#	`x x 4 2 2 x`
II	Bm9	B D F# A C#	`x 4 4 2 x x`
II	Bm9	B D F# A C#	`x x x 11 10 9`
III	C#m7b9	C# E G# B D	`x x 0 1 0 x`
III	C#m7b9	C# E G# B D	`x 5 6 4 x x`
IV	Dmaj9	D F# A C# E	`x x x 2 2 0`
IV	Dmaj9	D F# A C# E	`x x 2 2 2 x`
IV	Dmaj9	D F# A C# E	`x 4 2 2 x x`
IV	Dmaj9	D F# A C# E	`x x 7 6 5 x`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x x x 4 3 2`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x x 4 4 3 x`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x x 6 4 7 x`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x x x 7 7 7`
VI	F#m9	F# A C# E G#	`x x x 6 5 4`
VI	F#m9	F# A C# E G#	`x x 6 6 5 x`
VI	F#m9	F# A C# E G#	`x x x 9 9 9`
VI	F#m9	F# A C# E G#	`x x 11 9 9 x`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x 2 0 2 x x`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x x 4 2 3 x`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x 5 4 2 x x`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x x x 7 7 5`

Progressions

Arpeggios

Chords: A – Bm – C#m – D – E – F#m – G#dim

E|0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------|2---------------2---------------2---------------2---------------|
B|2---------------2---------------2---------------2---------------|3---------------3---------------3---------------3---------------|
G|2-----------2---2-----------2---2-----------2---2-----------2---|4-----------4---4-----------4---4-----------4---4-----------4---|
D|2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------|4-------4-------4-------4-------4-------4-------4-------4-------|
A|0---4-----------0---4-----------0---4-----------0---4-----------|2---5-----------2---5-----------2---5-----------2---5-----------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

E|4---------------4---------------4---------------4---------------|2---------------2---------------2---------------2---------------|
B|5---------------5---------------5---------------5---------------|3-----------3---3-----------3---3-----------3---3-----------3---|
G|6-----------6---6-----------6---6-----------6---6-----------6---|2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------2-------|
D|6-------6-------6-------6-------6-------6-------6-------6-------|0---4-----------0---4-----------0---4-----------0---4-----------|
A|4---7-----------4---7-----------4---7-----------4---7-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

E|0---------------0---------------0---------------0---------------|2---------------2---------------2---------------2---------------|
B|0-----------5---0-----------5---0-----------5---0-----------5---|2-----------7---2-----------7---2-----------7---2-----------7---|
G|1---1---4-------1---1---4-------1---1---4-------1---1---4-------|2---2---6-------2---2---6-------2---2---6-------2---2---6-------|
D|2---------------2---------------2---------------2---------------|4---------------4---------------4---------------4---------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

E|4-----------4---4-----------4---4-----------4---4-----------4---|
B|3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------|
G|4---4-----------4---4-----------4---4-----------4---4-----------|
D|6---------------6---------------6---------------6---------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|

Three Note Runs

Chords: A – Bm – C#m – D – E – F#m – G#dim

E|0---------------------------------------------------------------|2---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|2---------------------------------------------------------------|3---------------------------------------------------------------|
G|2-------------------------------------------------------1-------|4-------------------------------------------------------2-------|
D|2-------------------0-------0---2---0---2---4---2---4-------4---|4-------------------2-------2---4---2---4---6---4---6-------6---|
A|0---2---4---2---4-------4---------------------------------------|2---4---5---4---5-------5---------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

E|4---------------------------------------------------------------|2---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|5---------------------------------------------------------------|3-------------------------------------------------------2-------|
G|6-------------------------------------------------------4-------|2-------------------1-------1---2---1---2---4---2---4-------4---|
D|6-------------------4-------4---6---4---6---7---6---7-------7---|0---2---4---2---4-------4---------------------------------------|
A|4---5---7---5---7-------7---------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

E|0---------------------------------------------------------------|2---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|0-------------------------------------------2-------2---3---2---|2-------------------------------------------3-------3---5---3---|
G|1-------1-------1---2---1---2---4---2---4-------4---------------|2-------2-------2---4---2---4---6---4---6-------6---------------|
D|2---4-------4---------------------------------------------------|4---6-------6---------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|

E|4---------------------------------------------------------------|
B|3-------------------------------3-------3---5---3---5---7---5---|
G|4---2---4---2---4---6---4---6-------6---------------------------|
D|6---------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------|

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