Musical scales

Once we have understood the difference between a tone and a half-tone, and the name these distances have in music theory, learning about musical scales becomes easier. A scale is a set of sounds which have been chosen for its harmonious manner, and which composes by itself a small musical subsystem.

In Western music, there are a variety of scales. The main ones are the following:

+ Major scales
+ Minor scales
+ Pentatonic scales
+ Blues scales

We will arrange them in the staff in another article, but you can still see which notes compose each in the following web pages.

Major scale

Major scales are based on the musical scale of do. Thus, we have:

C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C
D – E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D
E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E
F – G – A – Bb – C – D – E – F
G – A – B – C – D – E – F# – G
A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A
B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A# – B

In my experience, this is easier to learn if you memorize the sequence:

tone – tone – half-tone – tone – tone – tone – half-tone

Minor scale

Minor scales are based on the musical scale of la. Thus, we have:

A – B – C – D – E – F – G – A
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A – B
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb – C
D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C – D
E – F# – G – A – B – C – D – E
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F
G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G

tone – half-tone – tone – tone – half-tone – tone – tone

Other minor scales

There are two other minor scales. The one above is called the natural minor scale. These ones are called harmonic and melodic minor scales.

Harmonic minor scale

The harmonic minor scale is built raising the seventh note of a natural minor scale by a half-tone. Here you have it:

A – B – C – D – E – F – G# – A
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A# – B
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B – C
D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C# – D
E – F# – G – A – B – C – D# – E
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – E – F
G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F# – G

tone – half-tone – tone – tone – half-tone – tone and a half – half-tone

Melodic minor scale

The melodic minor scale is built raising both the sixth and the seventh note of a natural minor scale by a half-tone. Here you have it:

A – B – C – D – E – F# – G# – A
B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A# – B
C – D – Eb – F – G – A – B – C
D – E – F – G – A – B – C# – D
E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D# – E
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – D – E – F
G – A – Bb – C – D – E – F# – G

tone – half-tone – tone – tone – tone – tone – half-tone

Traditionally, the melodic minor scale is used when ascending, and the natural minor scale when descending.

Continue with... Musical scales: pentatonic and blues

Knowledge + Arts + Music
Comments? Use Dogma