Chord · Piano
A Major 7 Chord · Piano
Interactive keyboard
Highlighted notes form this chord.
Notes
A · C♯ · E · G♯
Root: A
Intervals
1 · 3 · 5 · 7
How it is built
This chord starts on A and applies the intervals 1, 3, 5, 7. The result contains 4 distinct pitch classes per octave.
Explore related combinations
Guide and musical context
About A Major 7 Piano Chord
A Major 7 Piano chord contains A, C♯, E, G♯. Its sound is smooth, spacious and luminous, with an elegant edge of tension.
Character and sound
Smooth, spacious and luminous, with an elegant edge of tension.
Musical context and history
The major seventh has long existed in tonal harmony, but became especially recognizable as a stable color in jazz, soul, bossa nova, sophisticated pop and film music.
How and where it is used
It is common on tonic and subdominant chords when stability is desired with a richer color.
On piano, the notes can be distributed between both hands and across different octaves. The interactive keyboard makes it easy to verify pitches and experiment with inversions or registers without changing the harmony. Everything you see and hear on this page comes from the same note set shown above.
Harmonic and musical relationships
From A, the dominant is E, the subdominant is D and the relative minor is F♯. These relationships are useful starting points for progressions.
The formula on this page is 1 · 3 · 5 · 7 and, from A, produces the notes A · C♯ · E · G♯.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A Major 7 Piano chord?
The notes are A, C♯, E, G♯.
What is its interval formula?
The formula is 1 · 3 · 5 · 7.
How does it sound and what is it used for?
Smooth, spacious and luminous, with an elegant edge of tension. It is common on tonic and subdominant chords when stability is desired with a richer color.
How can I check it on Piano?
Use the interactive diagram on this page and press Play or Note by note. The highlighted positions, written notes and playback all use the same pitch collection.