Chord Colors

A sharp major chord

Inversions

3fr 6fr 8fr

(root position)

Notes and intervals

1 A sharp Root
2 C double sharp Major 3rd
3 E sharp Perfect 5th

Keys that use A sharp major

A sharp major is diatonic to these keys, where it acts as the chord shown.

IA sharp Major IA sharp Lydian IA sharp Mixolydian IIA Phrygian IIG sharp Lydian IIA Locrian IIIG Dorian IIIG Phrygian IIIG Natural Minor IVF Major IVF Dorian IVF Mixolydian

About the A sharp major chord

The A sharp major chord is a A sharp major built from A sharp, C double sharp, E sharp. You will most often meet it as the I chord in A sharp Major. Tap the keys or frets above to hear each note, or press Play chord to hear them together.

It is also written B flat , which spells the same notes enharmonically.

Other A sharp chords

Simpler triads

A sharp minor A sharp diminished A sharp augmented

Suspended

A sharp suspended two A sharp suspended four A sharp seven suspended four

Sixths and sevenths

A sharp six A sharp minor six A sharp seven A sharp major seven A sharp minor seven A sharp minor seven flat five A sharp diminished seven A sharp minor major seven

Extensions

A sharp nine A sharp add nine A sharp major nine A sharp minor nine A sharp eleven A sharp thirteen A sharp six over nine A sharp minor add nine

Altered

A sharp seven sharp five

Functional relationships

These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.

Relative minor G minor

The relative minor uses the same notes and key signature, so it works as a calmer, darker home base.

Parallel minor A sharp minor

The parallel minor keeps the same root note but lowers the third, giving the same key a darker, sadder sound.

Dominant F

The dominant is a fifth above the root, and it builds tension that pulls strongly back to this chord.

Subdominant D sharp

The subdominant is a fourth above the root (a fifth below), and it usually leads on to the dominant or back home.

Tritone substitution B seven

The tritone substitution stands in for this chord's dominant with a dominant seventh a half step above the root, which slides down by a half step to resolve here.

What do the colors mean?

Every note has its own fixed color, laid out around the circle of fifths. Once you know the colors, chords and scales turn into patterns you can recognize at a glance.

There is so much more to explore

Play any chord or scale, transpose it, and watch it move around the color wheel in the free Chord Colors app.

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