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→The Major Scale
=== Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do ===
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|Music Theory Basics#Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do|Do Re Mi
|Music Theory Basics#Whole/Half Step Pattern|W/H Pattern
|Music Theory Basics#C Major|C Major
|Music Theory Basics#Other Major Keys|Other Major Keys
|Music Theory Basics#Analysis of the Major Scale|Analysis
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We all know the sound of the common major scale: ''Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do''. Really it's like a short little melody. But where did it come from? Why are the frequencies chosen what they are? These are really, really big questions. It involves some serious music history, psychoacoustics, math, and conscious design. I feel they are important to answer, but it's still too early. For now, we need to understand simply that it works. If we sing Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti, we feel the tension. Where's that final Do? Similarly, if we just sing Do Re Mi, we want to keep going to the Fa; then it feels ok to end. The tension is at least partially resolved. We can also end on the So.
=== Whole/Half Step Pattern ===
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|Music Theory Basics#Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do|Do Re Mi
|Music Theory Basics#Whole/Half Step Pattern|W/H Pattern
|Music Theory Basics#C Major|C Major
|Music Theory Basics#Other Major Keys|Other Major Keys
|Music Theory Basics#Analysis of the Major Scale|Analysis
}}
The ''major scale'' is composed of the following whole/half step pattern: (w w h w w w h). So we start on the root note. We add +1 whole step to get the 2nd note, another +1 whole step for the 3rd note, +1 half step for the 4th, +1 whole step for 5th, +1 whole step for 6th, and +1 whole step for the 7th. Another +1 half step gets us to the octave of the root note (the octave is the 8th note in the common 7 note scales). Again, that's 2 whole steps, 1 half step, 3 whole steps, and another half step. Below is the chromatic scale starting on C, then the C Major scale. The h's represent half steps (semi-tones) and the w's represent whole steps. The chromatic scale consists of 12 semi-tones.
=== C Major ===
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|Music Theory Basics#C Major|C Major
|Music Theory Basics#Other Major Keys|Other Major Keys
|Music Theory Basics#Analysis of the Major Scale|Analysis
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Notice how C Major has no sharp/flat notes. Again, this is just a naming convention to simplify things. C Major is usually the first key learned on any instrument. On a piano, it represents the white keys (no black keys). Some instruments are designed around C Major. Guitar, unlike piano, is very key-neutral. It is equally simple to play in C Major as any other key.
=== Other Major Keys ===
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|Music Theory Basics#Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do|Do Re Mi
|Music Theory Basics#Whole/Half Step Pattern|W/H Pattern
|Music Theory Basics#C Major|C Major
|Music Theory Basics#Other Major Keys|Other Major Keys
|Music Theory Basics#Analysis of the Major Scale|Analysis
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Each major scale has the same quality as every other. C Major will sound like C{{sharp}} Major will sound like A Major; they just start on different notes. It doesn't matter that C Major has no sharps or flats while C# Major is all sharps (C{{sharp}} D{{sharp}} E{{sharp}} F{{sharp}} G{{sharp}} A{{sharp}} B{{sharp}}) and A Major has 3 sharps (A B C{{sharp}} D E F{{sharp}} G{{sharp}}). What matters is the whole-tone/semi-tone relationships between notes:
=== Analysis of the Major Scale ===
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|Music Theory Basics#Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do|Do Re Mi
|Music Theory Basics#Whole/Half Step Pattern|W/H Pattern
|Music Theory Basics#C Major|C Major
|Music Theory Basics#Other Major Keys|Other Major Keys
|Music Theory Basics#Analysis of the Major Scale|Analysis
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Notice how the major scale is really just a whole, whole, half sequence, then a single whole tone, then another whole, whole, half sequence. (w w h) w (w w h). The (w w h) sequence is called a ''tetrachord'' (actually has 4 notes), and is historically very important in the development of music. It is our ''Do Re Mi Fa'' melody from above.