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Author Topic: Major Scale  (Read 2900 times)

Offline 4hisglory

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Major Scale
« on: February 18, 2006, 09:48:25 PM »
When  I first started to play, the first thing I started learn was the major scales.

The first one I learnt was the C Major scale

C D E F G A B C

I took me like two weeks to learn this, because I didn't know the notes to the keybaord, but after practicing this, I knew all the notes to the white keys.
:)

Offline 4hisglory

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2006, 10:26:15 PM »
The next scale I learnt was the F scale:  Very similar to the C scale in regards to fingering, with just one black key being played:

F G A Bb C D E
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Offline B3Wannabe

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #2 on: February 20, 2006, 06:56:56 AM »
That's funny! The first thing I learned on piano was Sheila E's, "The Glamorous Life" and Chopsticks.

;D ;D ;D

Offline gtrdave

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2006, 02:22:13 PM »
The next scale I learnt was the F scale:  Very similar to the C scale in regards to fingering, with just one black key being played:

F G A Bb C D E

Yup, but it's the same interval structure or order (whole and half steps):


 - whole - whole - half - whole - whole - whole - half -
C----------D---------E------F----------G---------A---------B--------C
F----------G---------A------Bb--------C---------D---------E--------F
Ab--------Bb-------C------Dd--------Eb--------F---------G-------Ab

To me, once I became familiar with the sound of the intervals of any one scale, say C major, I could figure out the other 11 scales fairly quickly...but that's on guitar...no white keys and black keys, just frets.  ;D
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Offline T-Block

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2006, 02:37:26 PM »
I hope yall realize there are 15 major scales total, 12 playable with 3 enharmonics.  Just throwing a heads up.
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Offline LadyWiz

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2006, 03:25:47 PM »
I hope yall realize there are 15 major scales total, 12 playable with 3 enharmonics.  Just throwing a heads up.

Just when folks were learning the basics.......you gotta throw that one in there!  :D :D

Offline sjonathan02

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2006, 03:42:13 PM »
I hope yall realize there are 15 major scales total, 12 playable with 3 enharmonics.  Just throwing a heads up.


Ok, now you're just being technical.  ::) :)
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Offline gtrdave

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2006, 09:51:29 PM »
I hope yall realize there are 15 major scales total, 12 playable with 3 enharmonics.  Just throwing a heads up.

Ionian (diatonic), Lydian (sharp 4th) and Mixolydian (flat 7th) are all major scales as well as the pentatonic major variations, the Arabian scale, Hungarian Major, Japanese scale, Hindustan scale, Chinese Mongolian, Theta, the whole tone scale and many other international scales.

There's a few more than 15.  ;)
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Offline T-Block

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2006, 08:42:12 AM »
Yes sjonanthan02, I know I'm being techinical, LOL!!!  But there are people that don't realize that, so I am just letting them know.  Here are all of them:  C, C#, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, B, Cb = 15 (12 + 3 enharmonics)

gtrdave wrote:

Quote
Ionian (diatonic), Lydian (sharp 4th) and Mixolydian (flat 7th) are all major scales as well as the pentatonic major variations, the Arabian scale, Hungarian Major, Japanese scale, Hindustan scale, Chinese Mongolian, Theta, the whole tone scale and many other international scales.

There's a few more than 15.


I am only talking about the major scales with the W-W-H-W-W-W-H pattern.  All those other scales like dorian and lydian are just modes of the original and true major scale.  They start and end on a different notes, but they use the same notes of the major scale.  Once you change or alter a note in the major scale, it is no longer a major scale.
Real musicians play in every key!!!
Music Theory, da numbers work!

Offline gtrdave

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2006, 11:33:45 AM »
Yes sjonanthan02, I know I'm being techinical, LOL!!!  But there are people that don't realize that, so I am just letting them know.  Here are all of them:  C, C#, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, B, Cb = 15 (12 + 3 enharmonics)

gtrdave wrote:

Quote
Ionian (diatonic), Lydian (sharp 4th) and Mixolydian (flat 7th) are all major scales as well as the pentatonic major variations, the Arabian scale, Hungarian Major, Japanese scale, Hindustan scale, Chinese Mongolian, Theta, the whole tone scale and many other international scales.

There's a few more than 15.


I am only talking about the major scales with the W-W-H-W-W-W-H pattern.  All those other scales like dorian and lydian are just modes of the original and true major scale.  They start and end on a different notes, but they use the same notes of the major scale.  Once you change or alter a note in the major scale, it is no longer a major scale.

I understand but what determines whether or not a scale is "major" (as opposed to diatonic major) is the degree from tonic to mediant or third. If it's 2 whole steps or tones from root to third, you got youz a major scale regardless of the rest of the notes but it may not be the diatonic major, which is what you were refering to.

'course, I can't tell you how many times I've played a Hungarian major scale in church...really, I can't.
Maybe if I go to a Hungarian church... ;D
Music theory is not always music reality.

Offline playhear

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2006, 04:18:35 PM »
Yes sjonanthan02, I know I'm being techinical, LOL!!!  But there are people that don't realize that, so I am just letting them know.  Here are all of them:  C, C#, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, B, Cb = 15 (12 + 3 enharmonics)

Is there any practical difference between C# and Db, between F# and Gb, between B and Cb? I'm not being a wise crack. I honestly want to know.

Offline gtrdave

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2006, 04:44:56 PM »
Yes sjonanthan02, I know I'm being techinical, LOL!!!  But there are people that don't realize that, so I am just letting them know.  Here are all of them:  C, C#, Db, D, Eb, E, F, F#, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, B, Cb = 15 (12 + 3 enharmonics)

Is there any practical difference between C# and Db, between F# and Gb, between B and Cb? I'm not being a wise crack. I honestly want to know.

It's important depending on which key you're playing in.

One reason is to avoid redundancy in the key, like the key of Gb maj has the following notes:
Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb - Db - Eb - F - Gb

That Cb we'd normally think of B but since there's already a Bb occupying the "B" space, you'd use Cb.
Music theory is not always music reality.

Offline playhear

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2006, 05:22:56 PM »
It's important depending on which key you're playing in.

One reason is to avoid redundancy in the key, like the key of Gb maj has the following notes:
Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb - Db - Eb - F - Gb

That Cb we'd normally think of B but since there's already a Bb occupying the "B" space, you'd use Cb.

OK, I got you there. Perhaps what I'm really trying to figure out is why Cb and B, etc., are considered different scales. On paper, yes, they are different. However, sound-wise they are the same. It seems to me like the extra 3 scales came about because of the semantics issue you mentioned.  However, the extra 3 scales have no significance sound-wise. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Offline B3Wannabe

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2006, 06:47:24 PM »
In the old days, different tunings were used and keys like C# and Db were not necessarily the same keys. C# was sometimes slightly flatter than Db. It wasn't until later, in the 1800s (if I remember correctly), when the 12 key octave became standard. These links below talk about some of this stuff.

See the links below, for some neat information:
http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory9.htm#enharmonic
http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory27.htm
http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory9.htm#notesandkeys
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics_of_the_Western_music_scale

Offline T-Block

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Re: Major Scale
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2006, 07:20:58 PM »
B3 is correct.  I almost forgot about that, but I am remembering my theory classes now.

Quote
Is there any practical difference between C# and Db, between F# and Gb, between B and Cb? I'm not being a wise crack. I honestly want to know.

Another difference comes in when u are reading a piece of sheet music.  Each one would have different key signatures and if you try to think in the key of B while you reading Cb sheet music, then u gone get messed up real quick.  Anyways, it's just good to know all the theory you can, whether or not you ever need to use it doesn't really matter. 
Real musicians play in every key!!!
Music Theory, da numbers work!
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