8,720
edits
Changes
m
s s s s s s s s s s s s C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C
w w s w w w s C D E F G A B C
w w s w w w s C D E F G A B C C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C# A B C# D E F# G# A
→The Major Scale
The major scale is composed of 2 whole-tones, a semi-tone, 3 whole-tones, and a semi-tone. Below is the chromatic scale starting on C, then the C Major scale. The s's represent semi-tones and the w's represent whole-tones. The chromatic scale consists of 12 semi-tones.
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.
Each major scale has the same quality as every other. C Major will sound like C# Major will sound like A Major. It doesn't matter that C Major has no sharps or flats while C# Major is all sharps (C# D# E# F# G# A# B#) and A Major has 3 sharps (A B C# D E F# G#). What matters is the whole-tone/semi-tone relationships between notes:
== Analysis of the Major Scale ==