More About Major Scales
So far you have learned six different major scales - F, G, C, D, A and E major. The key of C contains no sharps or flats, while G, D, A and E all contain sharps. The key of F contains one flat (Bb). There are also other keys which contain flats. Once you know the pattern of tones and semitones which makes up a major scale, it is easy to create a major scale starting on any note. Written below are the notes of the C major scale with the pattern of tones and semitones written below the note names.
The distance between each note is a tone except of EF and BC where the distance is only a semitone. As mentioned earlier, once you know the pattern of tones and semitones used to create the C major scale, you can build a major scale on any of the twelve notes used in music. It is important to memorize this pattern, which is shown below.
The semitones are always found between the 3rd and 4th, and 7th and 8th degrees of the scale. All the other notes are a tone apart.
This example demonstrates the scale of B, E and A major which all contain flats. memorize each one and analyse them to determine how many flats there are in each one and which degrees these flats occur on.
Bb Major
Eb Major
Ab Major
