This section covers how a major scale can be built off of any note. It's useful to start in the key of "C," but also important to learn how to create a major scale from "E," "Gb," and others. Many other musical topics including chord construction and modes use major scale construction as a reference point, so it's important to fully grasp how they are created.
You can either scroll down this page, or click one of the following links to jump to a particular resource:
Below you'll find an interactive lesson about major scale construction from the website musictheory.net. To use this resource, click on the bullet points below the staff and keyboard. Each bullet point will be associated with an animation to illustrate the point. If a "speaker" icon appears to the left of a particular bullet point, it can be clicked to hear an auditory example of the point being discussed.
Citation:
MusicTheory.net. (n.d.). The Major Scale. https://www.musictheory.net/lessons/21
The video below is a good visual representation of how to build major scales. It also shows how to do so in several different keys depending on the starting note used. (Note: the terms "tone" and "semitone" are used in this video instead of "whole-step" and "half-step," respectively. These terms are often used interchangeably by musicians)
Citation:
Brad Harrison Music. (2018, November 5). Major scales: Everything you need to know in 7 minutes [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v44NY4fyxHA
The image at right shows the interval pattern for constructing a major scale on a piano staring on "C."
W = "whole step" (also referred to as "tone")
H= "half step" (also referred to as "semitone")
Notice that the intervals have been placed between notes as they represent the musical "distance" between one note and the next.
Familiarize yourself with this pattern in the key of C, and then see if you can reproduce it starting from another note.
Citation:
Blair, E. (2022). Major Scale Pattern [Infographic]. Emma Blair Piano. https://emmablairpiano.com/major-minor-scales/
This is a link to a website that has a couple of interactive games to practice different ways to think about building a major scale: http://www.drawmusic.com/music-theory/major-scale-games
The fist game has you indicate the notes of a major scale on a keyboard diagram. You can choose between a few different keys.
The second has you naming pitches (no keyboard!) to indicate the notes of a major scale in order. This is helpful to make sure you're also understanding the proper note names of a given key; not just the location on the keyboard.
Citation:
Pop Music Theory. (n.d.). Lesson 18: Major Scale Games. http://www.drawmusic.com/music-theory/major-scale-games
The image at right shows notation of twelve major scales on a treble clef. Try playing each of these and naming the notes individually as you go. Don't forget to say "sharp" and "flat" as indicated!
(Note: this image doesn't show notation for the keys of Db major, Gb major, or Cb major. This is because they are enharmonic (sounds the same, but notated differently) equivalents of the keys of C# major, F# major, and B major, respectively. For now, just work on playing the scales listed. We can focus on when to use one written enharmonic equivalent vs. another at some other time!)
Citation:
Ellul, M. (n.d.). The 12 Major Scales [Digital Image]. School of Composition. https://www.schoolofcomposition.com/how-many-major-scales-are-there-and-why/
The slide presentation below walks through the process of building a major scale step by step. It covers some key concepts that should be review, but also includes some ideas that may be new to some like intervals beyond whole and half step. This is one more way to approach the rules behind building a major scale, and may be helpful to review and solidify concepts, especially for visual learners!
Citation:
Boone, C. (n.d.). Major Scale Construction: The Major Scale Formulae Constructing the C Major Scale. [PowerPoint Slides]. SlidePlayer. https://slideplayer.com/slide/5715293/