Major Scale Construction

1
Major Scale Construction

• The Major Scale Formulae
• Constructing The C Major Scale

2
constructing a major scale
3
constructing a major scale The major scale is
made up of a sequence of whole step and half step
intervals
4
major scale formulae
root to 2nd whole step 2nd to 3rd whole
step 3rdto 4th half step 4th to 5th whole step
5th to 6th whole step 6th to 7th whole
step 7th to root half step
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major scale formulae
whole step whole step half step whole step whole
step whole step half step
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constructing the C major scale
7
The root note of C
C
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rise a whole step to the 2nd note
C
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the 2nd D
C
D
10
rise a whole step to the 3rd note
C
D
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the 3rd E
C
D
E
12
rise a half step to the 4th note
C
D
E
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the 4th F
C
D
E
F
14
rise a whole step to the 5th note
C
D
E
F
G
15
the 5th G
C
D
E
F
G
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rise a whole step to the 6th note
C
D
E
F
G
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the 6th note A
C
D
E
F
G
A
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rise a whole step to the 7th note
C
D
E
F
G
A
19
The 7th note B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
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rise a half step to the root
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
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we are back to C again
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
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checklist for scale construction

• Letter names (A to G) appear in alphabetic
  sequence
• Each letter name appears only once (apart from
  the root note which is found on the first and
  last note of each scale)
• Keys contain either s or bs (never both)

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Constructing Other Major Scales
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
If we can use the formulae above to create a
major scale starting from a note of C then we can
use it to construct more major scales starting
from other notes?
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The G Major Scale
G
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The G Major Scale
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
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The F Major Scale
F
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The F Major Scale
F
G
A
Bb
C
D
E
F
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The D Major Scale
D
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The D Major Scale
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
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The Bb Major Scale
Bb
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The Bb Major Scale
Bb
C
D
Eb
F
G
A
Bb
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constructing the C major scale
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constructing a major scale