Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Major Scales

Major Scales (12 of them altogether)
C Major: no flats no sharps
G Major: 1 sharp (F#)
D Major: 2 sharps (F#, C#)
A Major: 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#)
E Major: 4 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#) = 8 flats
B Major: 5 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#) = 7 flats
Gb Major: 6 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb) = 6 sharps
Db Major: 5 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb) = 7 sharps
Ab Major: 4 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db) = 8 sharps
Eb Major: 3 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab)
Bb Major: 2 flats (Bb, Eb)
F Major: 1 flat (Bb)
Note: All major scales has the pattern of TTSTTTS

Please practice the scales with both hands. This is useful to train the flexibility, strength and fingerings. Try to repeat the scales in pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff (which are of different loudness). Also, play the scales like you are playing a phrase. In a legato method.


Moving up with more and more # keys
To move from C major (no # & b) to G major (F#), it is moving 7 semitones up, or 5 steps up (like C D E F G) along the scale.
Similarly to move from G major (F#) to D major (F# C#), it is moving 7 semitones up, or 5 steps up (like G, A, B, C, D)
Similarly to move from D major (F# C#) to A major (F# C# G#), it is moving 7 semitones up, or 5 steps up (like D, E, F#, G, A)
Similarly to move from A major (F# C# G#) to E major (F# C# G# D#), it is moving 7 semitones up, or 5 steps up (like A, B, C#, D, E)
and so on...

Moving down with more and more b keys
To move from C major (no # & b) to F major (Bb) it is moving 7 semitones down, or 5 steps down (like C B A G F) along the scale.
Similarly to move from F major (Bb) to Bb major (Bb Eb) it is moving 7 semitones down, or 5 steps down (like F E D C Bb) along the scale.
Similarly to move from Bb major (Bb Eb) to Eb major (Bb Eb Ab) it is moving 7 semitones down, or 5 steps down (like Bb A G F Eb) along the scale.
and so on...

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