Major Scales
Now we do scales, starting with the Major Scale!
Memorize this:
1 - 1 - 1/2 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1/2
"One, one, one-half. One, one, one, one-half"
Say this everyday when you wake up and every night before you go to sleep.
Memorize this: "Two keys adjacent to each other are ONE-HALF STEP apart.
Two keys that have a key between them are ONE-WHOLE STEP apart."
As you can see on the piano keyboard, the natural HALF-STEPs occur
between B-C and E-F.
There is ONE-WHOLE STEP between
each of the other white keys.
The BLACK KEYS between the white keys are known as either a "Sharp" or "Flat"
in reference to
the note name of the white key next to it.
Example: The black key between C and D can be called either
"C#" (C sharp) or "Db" (D flat).
Major Scales
When you construct a MAJOR SCALE
built on any note (the "KEY")
follow the "1 - 1 - 1/2 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1/2 rule"
to determine what notes are in that scale.
Exercise: Construct a G Major Scale:
-
Start on G
- Go UP one whole step: A
- Go UP one whole step: B
- Go UP one HALF step: C
- Go UP one whole step: D
- Go UP one whole step: E
- Go UP one whole step: F#
(Remember, natural half-steps are between E & F and B & C
so we have to "raise" the F up one-half step to F# to make the
step a WHOLE STEP.
- Go UP one HALF step: G
There! A "G Major" Scale!
