The key of A, with only three accidentals- sharps- is fairly easy to play on the guitar, and it’s an easy key to sing in. In popular music you naturally find it among bands with an optimist twist but also, ironically, with bluesier performers like Eric Clapton and Adele (its slightly earthy character almost rivals the key of E). It’s often found in chamber music (notably for composers Schubert, Dvo ř ák, Brahms, Franck, Fauré) perhaps because it’s considered the simplest key for violins and is reputed to have the fullest sound. A Major wasn’t so often used in the Romantic Era (it’s the key of Beethoven’s famous 7th Symphony and Mendelssohn’s 4th, but little else), but it was Mozart’s favourite key for clarinets and he stuck to it when wriitng music specifically for this instrument. Not quite as popular in classical music history as keys with fewer sharps (like D and G), A Major does have its place. That’s the emotional quality of much of the music written in the key of A. Why? Because life is good and somebody up there cares. Sure, you miss your earth angel already, but you know he or she will be back in your world before you know it. Think of this key as the feeling you get when your darlin’ has to get back on the bus. Presenting you another article in our “Chord of the Week” series, where we share a new guitar chord every week, exploring its history, its relevance, how it’s played on the guitar, its major scale, some common chord progressions, and a few popular songs in its key.
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