The Major Scale: W W H W W W H

What does this mean?

This is the pattern of whole and half steps that makes up a major scale. In other words, if you want to make a major scale starting on C, you'd have to calculate whole and half steps up from C on a piano keyboard, like this:

Start on C. The next note needs to be a WHOLE STEP up. A whole step on a piano keyboard always has another note (either black or white) in between. So, a whole step up from C is D (the next white key) because there is a black key (C#/Db) in between. Whole steps ALWAYS have a note in between.

From D, go up one more WHOLE STEP (remember to skip a note in between!). The third note of the C Major scale is E (because D#/Eb is in between).

From E, go up a HALF STEP. A half step on a piano keyboard is any two adjacent notes (in other words, any two keys which touch each other are adjacent). Therefore, F is a half step up from E.

Going up from F you need another WHOLE STEP. Skipping F#/Gb in between you get G, then A (another WHOLE STEP), then B (another WHOLE STEP). Finally, the major scale is topped off with one more HALF STEP. That's from B to C (there's no other note in between). So, the pattern of whole and half steps for ANY major scale is: W W H W W W H.

Need more practice?  Go to Ricci Adam's musictheory.net for lessons on Steps and Accidentals and the Major Scale, and a cool Scale Ear Trainer (click off everything except natural minor and major to start easily).

By the way, some people think of the pattern of whole and half steps in the major scale in a different way, numbering each note in the scale 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.  Then they just think "Where are the half steps?"  The answer is "Between 3 & 4 and 7 & 8".  It's less to remember!!!

The Minor Scale: W H W W H W W

What does this mean?

This is the pattern of whole and half steps that makes up a major scale. BUT i have never memorized it this way.  I always remember it with numbers: the half steps are between 2 & 3 and 5 & 6.  If your minor scale starts on A and ends on A (using all white keys) then the half steps are between B & C (that's 2 & 3) and E & F (that's 5 & 6).

Lately we have been working on scales that are major and scales that are minor. DW showed us this super cool thinger jiggy. Scale Ear Trainer. It's so cool! I keep playing on it over and over!

It really is exciting!

Lately weve been doing a lot of work with the major and minor scales of music.id heard of them before and used to sing to them when i went to faith for Youth Praise choir,but now were getting really into it and using and ear trainer to help us identify the major and minor scales.some people can tell by the actual music of it but really i listen to it by ear with the whole happy/ sad melody thing.its a little easier for me that way

Whole Whole Half Whole Whole Whole Half! That is how you can tell the difference between a major and minor scales.  That is the pattern that they have used.  A whole step has a note adjacent to it.  A half step does not have a note inbetween.  It is easy to notice when you listen to the 3rd note of the scale.  Majors scales are sometimes referred to as the happy scales and the minor ones are called sad.  Scales are fun=http://!!!!  Some people tend to forget that there are notes before and after the w and hs.  Numbering the notes can be easier for some people so that they only have to remmeber that the half step is between 3 and 4 and then 7 and 8!

W W H W W W H

These are the patterns for the whole and the half steps that make up the major scale. In other words, if you want to make a mjaor scale starting on c, you'd have to calculate whole and half steps up from c  on a piano keyboard, like this:

Start on c. The next note needs to be a whole step up. A whole step on a piano keyboard always has another note (either balck or white) in between. So, a WHOLE step up from c is d ( the next white key) because there is a black key (c#/Db) in between. Whole steps ALWAYS have a note in between.

From D, go up one more whole step ( remembler to skip a note in between!) The third note of the C Major scale is E ( because D#/Eb is in between.)

From E, go up a HALF STEP. A half step on a piano keyboard is any two adjacent notes ( in other words, any two keys which touch each other are adjacent.) Therefore, F is a half step up form E.

By the way, some people think of the pattern of whole and half steps in the major scale in a different way, numbering each note in the scale 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. Then the just think where are the half steps? The answer is between 3&4, 7&8 its less to remember.

In class we got a new mag. that we will talk about what we are doing for it

W W H W W W H. is the pattern that makes the major scale that consistes of whole steps and half steps 2 make different scales of music. By using the w w h w w w h step pattern we r able to read music and will b able 2 play it better. the major scale when looking at the notes the half steps are between the 3rd & 4th and between the 7th & 8th notes because its less to try to remember