Music Theory #3 - 10MSS

The Major Scale

• The major scale has a pattern of tones and semitones like this: T-T-S-T-T-T-S (tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone)

• The pattern is the same, no matter what note the scale starts and ends on.

• Another way to remember it is that semitones a=come between the “3rd and 4th” and “7th and 8th” degrees of the scale.

• To write a scale properly, spread the notes out over the space of a bar - start with the first and last notes, so that you don’t end up with all the notes bunched up.

  Remember to write the clef and end with double barline as well when writing a scale.

  When writing a scale, or any music, make sure you write the clef you’re using first, then the accidentals that show what key the piece is in after the clef (going from top to bottom), then lastly the time signature.

Some Major Scales / Key Signature

Key Signature has one or more flats or sharps placed to the right of the clef to let us know what key the piece is in. It means that those notes are played as sharps or flats.

• C Major - has no sharps or flats in scale
• G Major - has one sharp on the F (F#)
• F Major - has one flat on the B (Bb)
• D Major - has two sharps on the F and C (F# and C#)

The Tonic Note

The first note (and last note) of a scale is called the tonic.

Scale Degree Numbers

A scale can be numbered from 1-8 from lowest to the highest note.

Once scale goes past 8, go back to the to whatever number is the same as one needed. For example 8=1, 9=2, 10=3, and etc.

Intervals

An interval is the distance between two notes.

• 1st/Unison note means both notes are the same, 2nd means one note is higher/lower than the other by a note, by 3rd means one note is higher/lower by two notes and etc.

A “melodic interval” is when the notes are played after the other, while a “harmonic interval” is when two notes are played at the same time.