The Major Scale |
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A scale is a set of notes, usually in sequential order, which is used to play in a particular key or range. It allows you to choose a set of notes which sounds good together (kind of useful isn’t it). But how do you make scales? We will use whole steps, half-steps and a major scale you have already memorized: the C major scale.
C D E F G A B C
As you can see it starts with the C note, the root of the scale, which is why it is a C scale. But is it a major scale? Of course it is! We choose the other notes with “the major scale pattern”, which is a group of whole steps and half steps:
You start with the root, C, and you go one whole step further to D, one more whole step to E; here you need a half-step but conveniently enough, there is a half-step between E and F and go on with three more whole steps until B, then you need a half-step to get to the next C and reach the next octave.
As you can see, the key of C has no sharps or flats.
Let’s see what happens with the key of D (or the D major scale):
As you can see, the key of C has no sharps or flats.
Let’s see what happens with the key of D (or the D major scale):
D E F# G A B C# D
This time we needed to add two sharps to respect the pattern.
Your root can be whichever note you want even an Ab:
Your root can be whichever note you want even an Ab:
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
Try to find other major scale, respect the pattern:
w w h w w w h
And these two rules:
While we’re at it, you should know that we call each scale component, degrees:
- You can only use each note once.
- You can’t use sharps and flats at the same time (just flats or just sharps, if it seems like you need both, you did something wrong).
While we’re at it, you should know that we call each scale component, degrees:
I II III IV V VI VII VIII
Root 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Octave
Root 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Octave
Prepare yourself for the next lesson about minor
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