Major Scales

Basic C Major Scale Form

This is how the major scale looks in its' pure form.
I show it here in the key of 'C' because there are no
sharps or flats in 'C' major.

The first "C" apears here
at the eighth fret of the top
string. It is the root note
and the name of the key.

If all the notes in a scale are degrees then all the spaces between the notes are intervals. If you look at each fret as a half step and two frets equal a whole step then you will be able to call the spaces between notes by "major"(four half steps) and "minor"(three half steps) intervals. From C to D is a whole step because one half step plus one half step equals one whole step. It is the same between D and E but not E and F which is only one half step. If you count all the spaces between notes you will begin to see a pattern emerge.

Lets put the half step/whole step pattern into terms you can memorize. W=whole step and H=half step. The spaces between the notes of the major scale can be writen out like this: W, W, H, W, W, W, H. If you put this together with the notes of C major you get this:
C-W-D-W-E-H-F-W-G-W-A-W-B-H-C.

Just remember that the notes are degrees, the spaces are intervals, four half steps= a major third and three half steps= a minor third. You should memorize the major scale because all chords are based on it and so are all other scales and modes in western music.

Memorizing and knowing scales by heart are two totally different things. I want the sound and feel of this scale to get into your heart, so it will be there whenever you need it. Play 'C' major as a warm up every time you pick up your guitar.

To get a feel for the notes in between those of 'C' major you can add one from outside the scale. Add a C# by playing C, C#, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Then play C, D, D#, E, F, G, A, B, C. Try the same thing with all the spaces between the notes of 'C' major. You will notice that some of the extra notes sound good with 'C' major while others do not. The ones that sound good are called consonant. The ones that do not sound good are called dissonant. We will talk more about consonance and dissonance when we get into chords.