Understanding Major Piano Scales

Major Piano Scales in music, there is a pattern for everything! I’m going to teach you the pattern used to create major piano scales. First, let’s start with the basics. There are 12 major scales; one for every major key on the piano. You have the white keys: C major D major E major F major G major A major B major … and then you have the black keys (called “sharps” or “flats”): C Sharp or D flat D Sharp or E flat F Sharp or G flat G Sharp or A flat A Sharp or B flat Today, we will learn how to form the following major scales: (1) C Major Scale (2) D Major Scale (3) E Major Scale (4) F Major Scale (5) G Major Scale (6) A Major Scale In order to form major scales, you have to understand the concept of “whole steps and half steps.”

Whole steps and half steps describe distance in music. That is, the distance in notes from one key to another. ————- Whole Step ————- A “whole” step always skips a key… ————- Half Step ————- A “half” step never skips a key… Remember this poem  “A half step is from KEY TO KEY with NO keys in between, A whole step always SKIPS a key with one key in between” *********** EXAMPLES: *********** “D” is 1 whole step higher than “C” Why? Because if you start at C and “skip” a key, you’ll arrive at “D”. What key are you skipping? Let’s see: C — (skip C#) — D However, “C#” is 1 half step higher than “C” Why? Because you are NOT skipping any keys to go from “C” to “C#.” So essentially: 1 Whole Step = 2 keys 1 Half Step = 1 key **************** More examples: **************** C to D = 1 whole step C to E = 2 whole steps … and so on. (Whole Step = “w” *** Half Step = “h”) The Major Scale pattern is as follow: w – w – h – w – w – w – h This means: 1. From the starting note, the second note will be 1 (w)hole step higher. 2. From the second note, the third note will be another whole step higher. 3. From the third note, the fourth note will be a (h)alf step higher. 4. From the fourth note, the fifth note will be a whole step higher. 5. From the fifth tone, the sixth note will be a whole step higher. 6. From the sixth tone, the seventh tone will also be a whole step higher. 7. From the seventh tone, the last tone will be only a half step higher.

In C major: 1. The starting note is “C” 2. 1 whole step up is “D” (w) 3. Another whole step up is “E” (w) 4. 1 half step up is “F” (h) 5. 1 whole step up is “G” (w) 6. Another whole step up is “A” (w) 7. Another whole step up is “B” (w) 8. 1 half step up is “C” (h)

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