Major Scales and Key Signatures
A SCALE is a series of notes moving upwards or downwards to its octave above or below.
There are many types of scales. The most common scales are the MAJOR and MINOR SCALES.
In a major scale, the arrangement of the notes are tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, and semitone.
This is a C major scale.
There are many types of scales. The most common scales are the MAJOR and MINOR SCALES.
In a major scale, the arrangement of the notes are tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, and semitone.
This is a C major scale.
Notice that none of the notes in a C major scale have accidentals.
However, if we go up one white note and look at the D major scale, you will notice that there are two accidentals; F and C are sharpened.
If we go up another white note and look at the E major scale, you will notice that there are four accidentals; F, G, C and F are sharpened.
If we go up another white note and look at the F major scale, you will notice that there is one accidental; B is flattened.
If we look at all of the major scales carefully, you will see a pattern. Every time you go five steps of a major scale up (e.g. C to G), the number of sharps increases by one. Every time you go down five steps of a major scale down (e.g. C to F), the number of flats increases by one.
However, if we go up one white note and look at the D major scale, you will notice that there are two accidentals; F and C are sharpened.
If we go up another white note and look at the E major scale, you will notice that there are four accidentals; F, G, C and F are sharpened.
If we go up another white note and look at the F major scale, you will notice that there is one accidental; B is flattened.
If we look at all of the major scales carefully, you will see a pattern. Every time you go five steps of a major scale up (e.g. C to G), the number of sharps increases by one. Every time you go down five steps of a major scale down (e.g. C to F), the number of flats increases by one.
This rule is called the CYCLE OF FIFTH.
Sharps are added in this order:
Father Charles Goes Down And Empties Bucket
Flats are added in the reverse order:
Bucket Empties And Down Goes Charles Father
The KEY SIGNATURE is the group of sharps or flats written in the beginning of a music that indicates which notes in the piece of music should constantly be sharpened or flattened. Unless they are cancelled out by natural signs in the actual music composition, they will always stay sharp or flat.
Father Charles Goes Down And Empties Bucket
Flats are added in the reverse order:
Bucket Empties And Down Goes Charles Father
The KEY SIGNATURE is the group of sharps or flats written in the beginning of a music that indicates which notes in the piece of music should constantly be sharpened or flattened. Unless they are cancelled out by natural signs in the actual music composition, they will always stay sharp or flat.