Major and Minor Scales and Keys
A scale is collection of pitches that are set up in a predetermined way in an ascending and descending order. Scales are used for musicians to display a melody and harmony.
A pitch class contains all of the notes in music that shares the same letter name regardless of octave. To find a pitch class, at a section of a piece. Go note by note and write them down, skipping any that have appeared previously in a different octave. You can then take all the notes in ascending order (make sure there are no gaps) to make the scale of that section of the piece.
A pitch class contains all of the notes in music that shares the same letter name regardless of octave. To find a pitch class, at a section of a piece. Go note by note and write them down, skipping any that have appeared previously in a different octave. You can then take all the notes in ascending order (make sure there are no gaps) to make the scale of that section of the piece.
A half step is the smallest distance between two notes in western music. If you look at the keyboard above, a half step is the distance between any two adjacent keys whether they are black or white. A whole step is the two half steps combined. If you were to go from one key, skip a key, then the next would be a whole step away from the starting key. A common mistake students make with half and whole steps is between E and F, and B and C. Most students believe E and F, and B and C are whole steps away, but they are NOT. In both of these instances, they are a HALF step away. These two instances are confusing because they are the only two instances when two white keys are next to each other.
Diatonic scales have a mix of half and whole step and occasionally a step and a half. Each note in the diatonic scale leads to another or gives finality. Because of this, it is important to memorize the names of each note.
Subtonic is used in the natural minor scale when the 7th degree is a whole step below tonic. This note does not have the same intensity to move to tonic as the leading tone does, which is why composers often didn't use the natural minor throughout their entire piece. Because this tone is not used that often, it is often confused with supertonic. As I said above, supertonic is ABOVE tonic and subtonic is BELOW tonic.
The prefix SUB is always used below a tone. Subdominant is below Dominant, Submediant is below tonic (that's the most confusing), and subtonic is below tonic.
Now onto the different types of diatonic scales. The first one we will study is the major scale. The major scale is seven different pitches separated by whole steps and two half steps. The half steps are between 3 and 4, and 7 and 8. If we began a scale on C, that's the tonic of the scale and from their we build the scale based on the predetermined whole and half steps.
Diatonic scales have a mix of half and whole step and occasionally a step and a half. Each note in the diatonic scale leads to another or gives finality. Because of this, it is important to memorize the names of each note.
- Tonic is the first scale degree. It is the tonal center and is the most stable note. Most often music ends on tonic because it's a good resting point and gives a sense of finality. This is possibly the easiest note in a scale to remember because it is one of two notes most often called by it's scale name.
- Supertonic is one step above tonic. Just remember that supertonic is AFTER or ABOVE tonic. This will be helpful later.
- Mediant is midway (or the median for math nerds) in between tonic and dominant.
- Subdominant is also called the lower dominant because it is a 5th down from the upper tonic (the tonic at the top of the scale). But if the scale is ascending it is a fourth up from tonic and doesn't hold as much importance as the dominant.
- Dominant is called so because it is the second most important function wise after tonic. This is the other note that is commonly called by it's scale name.
- Submediant is also the lower mediant because it is halfway in between subdominant and upper tonic.
- The seventh scale degree actually has two names. The name used depends on which scale is being used
Subtonic is used in the natural minor scale when the 7th degree is a whole step below tonic. This note does not have the same intensity to move to tonic as the leading tone does, which is why composers often didn't use the natural minor throughout their entire piece. Because this tone is not used that often, it is often confused with supertonic. As I said above, supertonic is ABOVE tonic and subtonic is BELOW tonic.
The prefix SUB is always used below a tone. Subdominant is below Dominant, Submediant is below tonic (that's the most confusing), and subtonic is below tonic.
Now onto the different types of diatonic scales. The first one we will study is the major scale. The major scale is seven different pitches separated by whole steps and two half steps. The half steps are between 3 and 4, and 7 and 8. If we began a scale on C, that's the tonic of the scale and from their we build the scale based on the predetermined whole and half steps.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
C Whole D Whole E Half F Whole G Whole A Whole B Half C
Tetrachord is four pitches consisting of two whole steps followed by a half step. If you look at the major scale it is constructed of two tetrachords separated by a whole step between 4 and 5.
The major scale can start on any note and still has the same pattern of whole and half steps. Moving to a new note is called transposition. To transpose, you must add sharps or flats to have the right whole and half steps. Instead of adding accidentals throughout the entire piece, the amount of sharps or flats needed are placed right next to the clef at the beginning of the piece. This is called a key signature. Below are the list of all major key signatures that are based of the transpositions of the major scale.
C Whole D Whole E Half F Whole G Whole A Whole B Half C
Tetrachord is four pitches consisting of two whole steps followed by a half step. If you look at the major scale it is constructed of two tetrachords separated by a whole step between 4 and 5.
The major scale can start on any note and still has the same pattern of whole and half steps. Moving to a new note is called transposition. To transpose, you must add sharps or flats to have the right whole and half steps. Instead of adding accidentals throughout the entire piece, the amount of sharps or flats needed are placed right next to the clef at the beginning of the piece. This is called a key signature. Below are the list of all major key signatures that are based of the transpositions of the major scale.
Next is the minor scale. The minor scale is a bit more complex than the major scale because there are three different types. Below we will go over each scale.
- The natural minor scale is made up of 7 different pitches with whole steps and two half steps. The half steps in the natural minor are between scale degrees 2 and 3, and 5 and 6.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
a Whole b Half c Whole d Whole e half f whole g whole a whole
2. The harmonic minor scale is the same as the natural minor, but with a raised seventh. This raised seventh is to move the line more towards tonic. The half steps for this scale are between 2 and 3, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8. Because of the raised seventh, there is a step and a half between 6 and 7 which gives it a more exotic sound.
a Whole b Half c Whole d Whole e half f whole g whole a whole
2. The harmonic minor scale is the same as the natural minor, but with a raised seventh. This raised seventh is to move the line more towards tonic. The half steps for this scale are between 2 and 3, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8. Because of the raised seventh, there is a step and a half between 6 and 7 which gives it a more exotic sound.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A Whole B Half C Whole D Whole E Half F Step & a 1/2 G# Half A
3. The melodic minor is a mix of the natural scale and major scale. Ascending, the scale has half steps between 2 and 3, and 7 and 8. The half step between 2 and 3 is from the natural minor scale, while the half step between 7 and 8 is from the major scale. The half steps when descending are the same as a the natural minor (2 and 3, 5 and 6).
A Whole B Half C Whole D Whole E Half F Step & a 1/2 G# Half A
3. The melodic minor is a mix of the natural scale and major scale. Ascending, the scale has half steps between 2 and 3, and 7 and 8. The half step between 2 and 3 is from the natural minor scale, while the half step between 7 and 8 is from the major scale. The half steps when descending are the same as a the natural minor (2 and 3, 5 and 6).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
A Whole B Half C Whole D Whole E Whole F# Half G# Half A Whole G Whole F Half E Whole D Whole C Whole B Whole A
Be sure when doing assignments, that you check whether or not you have to write a melodic scale ascending, descending, or both.
Just like the major scale, the minor scale can be transposed. This means that the minor scale is connected to key signatures also.
A Whole B Half C Whole D Whole E Whole F# Half G# Half A Whole G Whole F Half E Whole D Whole C Whole B Whole A
Be sure when doing assignments, that you check whether or not you have to write a melodic scale ascending, descending, or both.
Just like the major scale, the minor scale can be transposed. This means that the minor scale is connected to key signatures also.
As you see above, the key signatures are shared between major and minor scales, they just start on two different tonics. Because the scales have a key signature in common there are two terms you should know.
- Relative keys- a relative key is a major or minor scale that shares the same key signature. If you were to be asked what is the relative minor key to G major, you would say e minor. Why? Because they both have a key signature of one sharp. What is the relative minor to f minor? It is Ab major because they both have a key signature of four flats.
- Parallel keys- A parallel key is a key that starts on the same tonic as another. This means that parallel keys in no way share the same key signature. G major has one sharp and g minor has two flats. These two keys are parallel keys because they share the same tonic. What's the parallel major key to f# minor (3 sharps)? It is F# major (6 sharps).
An easy way to see the relative key signatures is in the circle of fifths. If you click here, you will be directed to another page where you can learn more about the circle of fifths and how to st