• Major Scales Workshop #1

    in Scales

    Well, let’s get to work!

    ******************************************

    Piano Lessons Workshop #1: Major Scales (i)

    In music, there is a pattern for everything! I’m going to teach you the pattern used to create major 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.” I have a free piano lesson on “whole and half step intervals” at: https://www.hearandplay.com/p2abc3xkpt.html

    … but for the sake of this e-mail lesson, I will recap:

    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

    Just remember: “Why Won’t He Wear White When Hot” (I made it up… based on a true statement said to me by my wife!)

    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)

    Exercise:

    Repeat these 8 steps with the following major scales. The answers are listed below:

    2) D major
    3) E major
    4) F major
    5) G major
    6) A major

    ————————–

    D major:

    1) Starting note = ______
    2) 1 whole step up = ______
    3) 1 whole step up = ______
    4) 1 half step up = _____
    5) 1 whole step up = ______
    6) 1 whole step up = ______
    7) 1 whole step up = ______
    8) 1 half step up = ______

    E major:

    1) Starting note = ______
    2) 1 whole step up = ______
    3) 1 whole step up = ______
    4) 1 half step up = _____
    5) 1 whole step up = ______
    6) 1 whole step up = ______
    7) 1 whole step up = ______
    8) 1 half step up = ______

    F major:

    1) Starting note = ______
    2) 1 whole step up = ______
    3) 1 whole step up = ______
    4) 1 half step up = _____
    5) 1 whole step up = ______
    6) 1 whole step up = ______
    7) 1 whole step up = ______
    8) 1 half step up = ______

    G major:

    1) Starting note = ______
    2) 1 whole step up = ______
    3) 1 whole step up = ______
    4) 1 half step up = _____
    5) 1 whole step up = ______
    6) 1 whole step up = ______
    7) 1 whole step up = ______
    8) 1 half step up = ______

    A major:

    1) Starting note = ______
    2) 1 whole step up = ______
    3) 1 whole step up = ______
    4) 1 half step up = _____
    5) 1 whole step up = ______
    6) 1 whole step up = ______
    7) 1 whole step up = ______
    8) 1 half step up = ______

    ———————————-

    Note: Remember, in major scales, each note is played separately. Only in chords are more than 2 notes played at the same time.

    Scales = play each note separately
    Chords = play all notes together

    Here are the answers:

    D major

    D – E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D

    E major

    E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E

    F major

    F – G – A – Bb – C – D – E – F

    G major

    G – A – B – C – D – E – F# – G

    A major

    A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A

    ——————–

    If you thought this little lesson was informative, imagine what you will learn in my 300-pg piano course? For more information, visit:

    https://www.hearandplay.com/course

    … or call 1-877-856-4187

    Thank you for your time!

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    Hi, I'm Jermaine Griggs, founder of this site. We teach people how to express themselves through the language of music. Just as you talk and listen freely, music can be enjoyed and played in the same way... if you know the rules of the "language!" I started this site at 17 years old in August 2000 and more than a decade later, we've helped literally millions of musicians along the way. Enjoy!




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