Intermediate
Scales, modes and keys
Major and minor scales, key signatures, relative keys and the 7 modes.
Learn
1.The major scale
A scale is a series of notes in order. The major scale always follows the same pattern: W W H W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
From C it uses only white keys. From any other note, sharps or flats are needed to keep the pattern.
2.The minor scale
The natural minor follows W H W W H W W: it sounds darker. From A it uses only white keys.
The harmonic minor raises the 7th degree (G♯ in A minor) and the melodic minor raises the 6th and 7th going up.
3.Key signatures
To avoid writing the same sharps on every note, they’re written once at the start: the key signature. It applies to the whole piece and sets the key.
Order of sharps: F C G D A E B. Order of flats: B E A D G C F.
Trick: with sharps, the major key is a half step above the last sharp. With flats, the key is the second-to-last flat (with only one, it’s F major).
D major: two sharps (F♯ and C♯).
4.Relative keys
Every major key has a relative minor with the same key signature, a minor 3rd below: C major and A minor have no sharps or flats.
5.The modes
If you play the notes of C major starting on a different note, you get a mode, each with its own color.
Ionian (C, = major) · Dorian (D) · Phrygian (E) · Lydian (F) · Mixolydian (G) · Aeolian (A, = minor) · Locrian (B).
D Dorian: minor, but with a bright 6th (B).
Practice
Exercise 1 of 5 · Put in order
Put the sharps in the order they appear in a key signature.
Drag the items or use the arrows to put them in order.
- 1G♯
- 2D♯
- 3F♯
- 4C♯
- 5A♯