The Major Scale
The major scale is a series of 8 notes in alphabetical order that has the familiar sound:
The C major scale contains the following notes.
The distance between each note is two frets except for EF and BC; where the distance is only one fret.
A distance of two frets is called a tone, indicated by T.
A distance of one fret is called a semitone, indicated by ST.
In the C major scale the distance from the lowest C to the C note above it is one octave (eight notes). Here is the C major scale, both ascending and descending.
Each of the eight notes in the major scale is given a scale number or scale degree.
The semitones are always found between the 3rd and 4th, and 7th and 8th degrees (notes of the scale. all the other degrees (notes) are a tone apart. Once you know this pattern of tones and semitones you can build a major scale on any of the twelve notes used in music.
The diagram below shows all the natural notes in the first three frets. This is called the open position. The notes are all from the C major scale, even though the lowest note of the pattern is E and the highest note is G. The key note, indicated by a white square, is the note for which the scale is named. Therefore, in the C major scale, the key note C is indicated twice.
