Memorizing Major Scales in Music

Memorizing Major Scales

• The pattern allows you to memorize only half of the major scales and still know all of them.
• Focus on the "easier" major scales, which have fewer sharps or flats.
• The pattern is based on the top half of the circle of fourths and fifths.

Pattern Rules

• Step 1: Identify if the scale has sharps or flats.
• Step 2: If the scale has sharps, the opposite scale will have flats, and vice versa.
• Notes with accidentals (sharps or flats) in the original scale become natural notes in the opposite scale.
• Natural notes in the original scale become notes with accidentals in the opposite scale.

Examples of the Pattern

• D major and D flat major scales: both start with the letter D, but have different notes.
• G major and G flat major scales: both start with the letter G, but have different notes.
• A major and A flat major scales: both start with the letter A, but have different notes.

Applying the Pattern

• Start with an easy major scale (e.g., A major) and use the pattern to figure out the notes in a more difficult major scale (e.g., A flat major).
• The pattern works in both directions: you can start with a difficult scale and find the easier scale.

Examples of Applying the Pattern

• F major scale: use the pattern to find the notes in the F sharp major scale.
• B flat major scale: use the pattern to find the notes in the B major scale.
• E flat major scale: use the pattern to find the notes in the E major scale.

Special Case: C Major Scale

• The C major scale has no sharps or flats, so you can create both a C sharp major scale and a C flat major scale.
• Use the pattern to create the C sharp major scale: sharpen every natural note.
• Use the pattern to create the C flat major scale: flatten every natural note.

Additional Resources

• Link to a video about the note C flat and its significance.
• Links to videos about the circle of fourths and fifths.
• Downloadable handouts and quizzes on music theory and major scales.

Memorizing Major Scales

• A pattern exists to memorize only half of the major scales and still know all of them.
• Focus on "easier" major scales with fewer sharps or flats.

Pattern Rules

• Identify if a scale has sharps or flats.
• If a scale has sharps, the opposite scale has flats, and vice versa.
• Notes with accidentals (sharps or flats) in the original scale become natural notes in the opposite scale.
• Natural notes in the original scale become notes with accidentals in the opposite scale.

Pattern Examples

• D major and D flat major scales have different notes despite starting with the letter D.
• G major and G flat major scales have different notes despite starting with the letter G.
• A major and A flat major scales have different notes despite starting with the letter A.

Applying the Pattern

• Start with an easy major scale (e.g., A major) to figure out notes in a more difficult major scale (e.g., A flat major).
• The pattern works in both directions: start with a difficult scale to find an easier scale.

Pattern Applications

• Use F major scale to find notes in F sharp major scale.
• Use B flat major scale to find notes in B major scale.
• Use E flat major scale to find notes in E major scale.

Special Case: C Major Scale

• C major scale has no sharps or flats, allowing creation of C sharp major scale and C flat major scale.
• C sharp major scale: sharpen every natural note.
• C flat major scale: flatten every natural note.