Scales
C major scale - C D E F G A B
G major scale - G A B C D E F# G
D major scale - D E F# G A B C# D
A major scale - A B C# D E F# G# A
E major scale - E F# G# A B C# D# E
B major scale - B C# D# E F# G# A# B
In a major scale, the notes always go by: Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone. Using this method you can put your right thumb on any note and go up the scale in this order.
Key signatures
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle - This gives us the order of the sharps, the next note after the sharp tells us the key it is in.
C maj has 0 sharps
G maj has 1 sharp
D maj has 2 sharps
A maj has 3 sharps
E maj has 4 sharps
B maj has 5 sharps
F# maj has 6 sharps
C# maj has 7 sharps
Major Chords
Cmaj triad - C E G, 1st 3rd and 5th
Cmaj7 - C E G B, 1st 3rd 5th and 7th
Gmaj triad - G B D, 1st 3rd and 5th
Gmaj7 - G B D F#, 1st 3rd 5th and 7th
Dmaj triad - D F# A, 1st 3rd and 5th
Dmaj7 - D F# A C#, 1st 3rd 5th and 7th
Amaj triad - A C# E, 1st 3rd and 5th
Amaj7 - A C# E G#, 1st 3rd 5th and 7th
Emaj triad - E G# B, 1st 3rd and 5th
Emaj7 - E G# B D#, 1st 3rd 5th and 7th
Bmaj triad - B D# F#, 1st 3rd and 5th
Bmaj7 - B D# F# A#, 1st 3rd 5th and 7th
F#maj triad - F# A# C#, 1st 3rd and 5th
F#maj7 - F# A# C# E#, 1st 3rd 5th and 7th
C#maj triad - C# E# G#, 1st 3rd and 5th
C#maj7 - C# E# G# B#, 1st 3rd 5th and 7th
Rhythm and Syncopation
Rhythm is a pattern or sequence that is played in regular intervals in order to create a groove.
Syncopation is multiple rhythms being played at once, an example is a Hi-Hat being played on an off beat when a kick plays on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th beat
Compound time
Compound time is where each beat is a dotted note, for example 6/8. Even though this has 6 quaver beats in a bar, the beat is given by 2 dotted crotchets