A Brief Introduction to Theory pt II

This post is a continuation from a previous one, click here for part I.


What Are Keys?
We do not use all 12 notes in every song. Generally, smaller groups of 7 notes can be taken out from the entire set of 12 notes to form a key. The key of the song is therefore the set of notes you use in the song.

One example is all the 7 white notes, which we call “C major”:The notes of a C major key are: C D E F G A B

The notes are chosen based on certain fixed intervals between them. We first write all the notes:

C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C...

Starting with C, we (refer to the above keyboard:
i) Move up by two notes --> D
ii) Move up by two notes --> E
iii) Move up by one note --> F
iv) Move up by two notes --> G
v) Move up by two notes --> A
vi) Move up by two notes --> B
vii) Move up by one note --> C, and the cycle repeats.

Therefore, to obtain the scale, we start with the first note, and then move by 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, and lastly 1 note.

Try to obtain the D Major scale. Did you obtain D E F# G A B C# D?

Try it out with every single note, and write it down in a table. Leave a comment if you're unsure .

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the d maj scale
how did u get D E F# G A B C# D?
If we do it this way

2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1 after F# it shud be G# right

im unsure pls help

user said...

D --2--> E
E --2--> F#
F# --1--> G
and so forth..

Anonymous said...

hi sir.. (:

thanks for the great theory lessons put up.. it helps me to understand even better.. i was wondering if i tried A to G major scales already, how to practice at different frets of the guitar? can give me a example?? maybe you email me the answer?? benlovedrumming@hotmail.com.. thanks!! (: God bless!

Anonymous said...

E major Scale:
E, F#, G#, A, B,C#, D#, E
is this correct and what haapened to the flats are they not counted for this ?

Anonymous said...

Why arnt the falts counted in the scale
The notes are chosen based on certain fixed intervals between them. We first write all the notes:

C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C...

for this when you wrote all the notes the flats are not there why is that please explain.

user said...

D flat is the same as C sharp, for e.g...hence

Db = C#
Eb = D#
Gb = F#
etc..

so you write one or the other.

Anonymous said...

eh man i'm a newby and read a lot but don't get what a scale is. people ask me what key your playing in but i dont know what to say to them. can you give me a description of it. thanks and God Bless.

curlyandy said...

hey is this rite for the E maj

E F# G# A B C# D#

thanks for all the help im finally understanding all this lol

-xero*- said...

Hi sir...are we playing these scales on the piano or the guitar?

Dhairya said...

kenny, this explanation really helped me a lot. I used to just memorise the position of sharps for each chord, I did piano before.

Your explanation really helps me appreciate chords on a whole. Absolutely appreciated man

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