The major scales [Light] [Beginner] [Professional] [Notation] [Composition Light] [Composition Pro] [Drums and Percussion] [Guitar] [Choir] [Keyboard] [Soloist]

To define the C major scale, we took the C note as a starting point. It is possible to start from each keyboard note to define a major scale, as well white keys (7 different notes) as black keys (5 different notes), which makes up a total of 12 possible tonalities.

Let us start for example on the G note and consider this note as the first degree of the G major scale. By placing the notes starting from G to the next G, we obtain:

Let us remember that a half tone is the sound distance separating two consecutive keys on the musical keyboard, either black or white. The tone equals two half tones. Here is a diagram:

By taking into account the tones and half tones of the scale starting with G, we have:

We have learned that a major scale is characterized by the (1,1,1/2,1,1,1,1/2) series. The last two intervals do not correspond with the above scheme. The F note is thus not correct for the G major scale. If the F note is transformed into an F sharp note, degrees VI and VII will be separated by two half tones and we will thus have the G major scale because the intervals now correspond to the major scale sequence:

In G major, all F notes will thus be altered with a sharp. Instead of confusing the score by drawing this sharp in front of each F, a sharp is drawn right beside the clef, at the beginning of each staff:

It is valid for all F notes of the staff, even for F notes located at a different octave (as the penultimate note of the example). The sharps or flats placed next to the clef form what is called the key signature. In G major, the key signature contains an F sharp. It is thus important to look at the key signature next to the clef, because it influences the interpretation of the score.

Starting from an F note, we can build the scale of F major. To maintain the interval sequence of a major scale, a B flat note should be used:

The key signature of major F contains a flat B:

We can similarly build a scale on the basis of any note, including the black keys of the keyboard. We thus have 12 different major scales. The major C scale is the only major scale having no sharp or flat in its key signature. All others have sharp(s) or flat(s) in order to correct the intervals between degrees and to fit the sequence of major scale intervals. Here is for example the E major scale, with 4 sharps (F, C, G and D):

The 4 sharps of the E major scale are placed next to the clef:

Starting from a black key, the principle is the same. The scale bears the name of the altered note, such as for example the B flat major scale. The black key located between A and B can be called A sharp or B flat. The B flat major scale is therefore equivalent to the A sharp major scale, because the keys of these scales will be the same on the musical keyboard. Only the note names will be different.

By building a scale on each note and by taking care that the intervals between the degrees respect the major scale sequence, the following table can be deduced (the scales are classified according to the number of accidentals they have):

C Major
G major	F #
D major	F #	C #
A major	F #	C #	G #
E major	F #	C #	G #	D #
B major	F #	C #	G #	D #	A #
F# major	F #	C #	G #	D #	A #	E #
C# major	F #	C #	G #	D #	A #	E #	B #
F major	B b
B b major	B b	E b
E b major	B b	E b	A b
A b major	B b	E b	A b	D b
D b major	B b	E b	A b	D b	G b
G b major	B b	E b	A b	D b	G b	C b
C b major	B b	E b	A b	D b	G b	C b	F b

Some are identical. There are only 12 different major scales. This presentation lets us highlight something. When sharps are added to form the scales, they are added in a quite precise order that is called the order of sharps:

F# C# G# D# A# E# B#

The flats are added in the order of flats, which is the reverse order of sharps:

Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb Fb

Each one of these scales form a note context in which the musical discourse can express itself. When the context is changed, a modulation occurs. This manner of creating a musical work is the guiding principle of tonal music. The first degree of the scale plays the main role and the other degrees tend to move toward it, as directed by its force of attraction.

All half tones of a musical keyboard are equal, i.e. they all produce the same impression of sound interval to the ear. When you listen to a melody, it is characterized by the number of half tones that exist between each note of the melody and not by the name of the notes which form the melody. Open Ex024.piz and listen to this well-known melody:

It is written in C major. The piece starts and ends with a C note (it is very frequent but not mandatory). No accidental disturbs the C major scale.

This melody can be written in another tonality. To do this, start the melody with another note and add a key signature after the clef. To start the same melody with an E note, we use the E major scale and we place 4 sharps after the clef. By copying the notes of the melody on the basis of E, we get:

Open Ex025.piz, corresponding to this example. Listen to the computer playing it. The melody is higher than the first one, but it keeps its original characteristic. It is the same melody written in another tonality.

Open Ex026.piz now. It contains the same series of notes, but without the key signature. Listen to the result:

The melody is similar to the previous melody, but it is not exactly the same any more because some intervals have been modified, altering the characteristics of the melody.