1. Keyboard Theory Lesson #4
Writing Major Scales
Keyboard Theory Lesson #4

2. What is a major scale? There are many types of scales.
modes
The major scale is one of the commonly used scales in Western Music.
We are very familiar with how a major scale sounds.
Can someone sing a major scale?

3. Building a major scale
A major scale can be built on ANY note by following a specific pattern of tones and semitones.

4. Building another major scale
Let’s build a major scale starting on D in the treble clef.
Remember: T-T-ST-T-T-T-ST

5. Building yet another…
Let’s build a major scale starting on Eb in the bass clef.
Remember: T-T-ST-T-T-T-ST

6. Things to remember…
The Major Scale has EIGHT notes, which can be written ascending or descending.
The first note gives us the a name of the scale. Ie: C Major
The first note and the last note should be the same.
Every letter name must appear at least once.

7. Scale Degree Names
Each note on the scale has a name that is related to its position and function. Note the roman numerals.

8. Dominant and Tonic
Remember from the video clip we watched, that the dominant and tonic have a special relationship.
The 5 wants to go to the 1!
It is good practice to quickly recognize or recall what the dominant note of each scale.

9. Other ways to write out scale degrees..

10. Things to remember…
Diatonic Semitones are found between the 3-4 and 7-1 scale degrees. When writing out scales, semitones are marked with slurs. For notes ABOVE the third line of the staff, slurs are drawn above the notes. For notes BELOW the third line, slurs are drawn below the notes.
When writing ascending and descending scales, add a bar line after the highest note.
When naming major scales, always use capital letters. i.e. C Major/Cmaj/C+
Add the semitone slurs and a bar line to this scale. Name it below.

11. Take up p.45 in music theory book:
You should have completed up to p. 47.
We will have a major scales quiz next Tuesday.
Make sure you complete up to end of Lesson 4 including the review by Tuesday.
I will be collecting your notebooks on Tuesday. Make sure you are up to date.

12. There is another way to write major scales…
The Circle of Fifths is a visual representation of the relationship between different notes and corresponding key signatures.
You can use the Circle of Fifths to figure out major AND minor scales.
You can also use it when you write a melody or harmonies, and when you need to transpose music.
Today we will learn how to use it to build major scales.

13. Creating The Circle of Fifths
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
NOTE:
The circle is split up into 12 sections (like a clock).
There are 12 pitches in an octave!
Think about it:
C,C#,D,D#,E,F, F#,G,G#,A,A#,B.
Step 1)
Write down
the phrase above!
Or any phrase that
will help you remember:
FCGDAEB

14. Creating The Circle of Fifths
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle C
Step 2)
We know that
C Major Scale has
NO sharps of flats
so we put C at the top of the circle.

15. Creating The Circle of Fifths
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle C F G
Step 3)
Fill in the rest of the letters in our phrase.
The word Father comes before Charles, so we place it to the left of C, and the rest of the letters in their proper places! D A E B

16. Creating The Circle of Fifths
Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father C F G
Step 4)
Reverse the phrase so the letters are in this order:
BEADGCF
Again use, any phrase that will help you remember. D A E B

17. Creating The Circle of Fifths
Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father C
Step 5)
Add the rest of the letters into the empty spaces in order- counter clockwise.
Next to these letters- add a flat sign next to them! F G D Bb Eb A Ab E Db B Gb

18. Using The Circle of Fifths
*Remember!
Major scales either have sharps OR flats.
They will never have both at the same time. F G D Bb Eb A Ab E Db B Gb

19. Using The Circle of Fifths
*Remember!
Major scales either have sharps OR flats.
They will never have both at the same time. F G D Bb Eb A Ab E Db B Gb

20. Using The Circle of Fifthsb # C
Step 1)
If you go to the right of the circle- sharps are added to the scales.
If you go to the left of the circle- flats are added to the scales. F G D Bb Eb A Ab E Db B Gb

21. Using The Circle of Fifthsb # C
Step 2)
To find out how many sharps of flats are in the G major scale, we first find G.
G is one notch away from C.
Therefore there is ONE sharp in the G major scale. F G D Bb Eb A Ab E Db B Gb

22. Using The Circle of Fifthsb # C
Step 3)
The same works for the flats, but we count counterclockwise.
How many flats does the Ab major scale have? F G D Bb Eb A Ab E Db B Gb

23. Using The Circle of Fifths
F C G D A E B #’s
B E A D G C F b’s b # C
Step 4)
Now that we know how many flats or sharps there are.
How do we know what sharps or flats to use?
Back to the phrases! F G D Bb Eb A Ab E Db B Gb

24. Using The Circle of Fifths
F C G D A E B #’s
B E A D G C F b’s b # C
Step 5)
Which flats are in the Ab major scale? F G D Bb Eb A Ab E Db B Gb

25. Using The Circle of Fifths
F C G D A E B #’s
B E A D G C F b’s b # C
Step 6)
What about F# Major, C # major, and Cb major? F G D Bb Eb A Ab E
Db/C# B/ Cb
ENHARMONIC EQUIVALENTS
Gb / F#

26. WHY THE CIRCLE OF FIFTHS
F C G D A E B #’s
B E A D G C F b’s b # C F G
Look at the circle of fifths.
Any idea why it is called this? D Bb Eb A Ab E
Db/C# B/ Cb
Gb / F#