The Major and Minor Scales are an essential foundation on which to build a musical vocabulary.

 

Below are the first position major scales as they progress through the Circle of Fifths. In the next lesson we will examine the minor scale patterns.

 

The Major Scale is a pattern of whole-steps and half-steps

( WWHWWWH ) that divide an octave. It is from this scale that many chords are derived.

 

An easy way to memorize the Major scale pattern of Whole-steps and Half-step is to remember that the half-steps are between the 3rd and 4th notes and the 7th and 8th notes of the scale; i.e. 3-4 7-8. Every other step is a whole step.

 

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Each of the Major scales have names assigned to each note known as scale degrees and are as follows:

• 1st – Tonic- key note

• 2nd – Supertonic

• 3rd – Mediant

• 4th – Subdominant

• 5th – Dominant

• 6th – Submediant

• 7th – Leading tone

• 8th – Tonic ( or Octave)

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