How Do You Form Major Scales?

[slyfox2625]

Ok, my last thread i asked what was the point of scales, and i know the point now so no need to worry but my question is... this


C major scale is C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C i know the fingering for both hands btw.

Is it a formula to figure out the D-Scale? i dont want to just go on youtube and memorize a video.
thats why i ask.

so can someone help me out?

[irismanu]

simply, you start at D and than follow the rules for major scales.

mind the halbsteps between 3-4 and 7-8!

nice practicing

[slyfox2625]

Ok 2 whole steps, 1 half step, 3 whole steps,and 1 half step and land back on the root. thats the formula i have so thx

[irismanu]

doesn´t matter
hope this was clear enough for you!

[keypeg]

Ok 2 whole steps, 1 half step, 3 whole steps,and 1 half step and land back on the root. thats the formula i have so thx

That is one way to see it.  It's often quoted as WWHWWWH as in
C(w)D(w)E(h)F(w)G(w)A(w)B(h)C

There is also a circle of fifths pattern which lets you see the whole shebang of key signatures.  For sharps, the circle of fifths is easily seen if you keep starting where your RH fifth finger lands in closed position since then you're going up a fifth.  Example: CDEFG (fifth is G), GABCD (fifth is D) etc.  So your keys going along the circle are: C major, G major, D major, A major etc.  Each of them has one more sharp.  The added sharp is always a half step below your new tonic.  You get:

C major: CDEFGABC (no sharps or flats.  Notice that B is already a half step from C)
G major: GABCDE*F#*G (F#, because it's a half step below G)
D major: DEF#GAB*C#*D (notice that F# is still in there, but now we also have C#)
A major: ABC#DEF#*G#*A (We've kept F# & C#, but have added A#).
etc.

The flats work in a similar way, except this time you go up a fourth, and you flat the 4th note.  This gives you a half step between the third and fourth note.
C major: CDEFGABC (as before)
F major: FGA*Bb*CDEF
Bb major: BbCD*Eb*FGABb
Eb major: EbFG*Ab*BbCDEb
etc.

Of course this still gives you the order of whole steps and half steps which you should know about too.

[faa2010]

Ok 2 whole steps, 1 half step, 3 whole steps,and 1 half step and land back on the root. thats the formula i have so thx

I also saw this formula.

However, I started knowing the scales with a "children" method:

The sharp alterations are in this order: F, C, G, D, A, E, B.

And the major scales' names are based on the last alteration. If the last alteration is C#, then the name is Scale in D Major, if the last is A#, then the name is scale in B Major.

The exception is with F where the alteration is Bb.

The flat alterations are in the next order: B, E, A, D, G, C, F.

The name of those major scales comes from the next-to-last alteration:
If the last alteration is Eb, the name is Scale in Bb major.
If the last alteration is Db, the name is Scale in Ab major.

[keypeg]

I also saw this formula.

However, I started knowing the scales with a "children" method:

The sharp alterations are in this order: F, C, G, D, A, E, B.

And the major scales' names are based on the last alteration. If the last alteration is C#, then the name is Scale in D Major, if the last is A#, then the name is scale in B Major.

The exception is with F where the alteration is Bb.

The flat alterations are in the next order: B, E, A, D, G, C, F.

The name of those major scales comes from the next-to-last alteration:
If the last alteration is Eb, the name is Scale in Bb major.
If the last alteration is Db, the name is Scale in Ab major.

That is something I have used too.  I don't think that F is an exception though, because F major is part of the flats key signatures.

Has anyone noticed that the flats are the exact mirror image of the sharps?
BEADGCF  -- FCGDAEB

It always helped me to thing the BEAD spells the word "bead".

[49410enrique]

although more involved, it will probably help more overall to understand all the interval relationships in the scale then simply transpose them as you need to


i.e. once you understand the basic M2,M2, m2.M2,M2,M2,m2 (M2=major 2nd, m2=minor 2)., begion orienting yourself relative to other piches, i.e. where do the P5 occure (find all the perfect 5ths, i.e c-g,d-a,e-b etc), find the tritone (b-f), and the others i.e m6, p4 etc.

if you get a handle on the tonal relationships for all of the intervals  besides tonic you should be able to construct a major scale around any tone and move about it quite easily.