2.2 · Major Scale

The major scale formula

A scale is like a painter's palette: from the twelve available notes, we choose just seven to work with. The major scale is the most familiar of these, with a bright and cheerful sound you'll recognize instantly.

The formula

Seven steps, always in this order: W–W–H–W–W–W–H. Play all seven and you're home, an octave up. Tap a step to hear it, or randomize the key: the home note moves, the formula doesn't.

W = whole step, two semitones. H = half step, one semitone.

WWHWWWH

C major: all white keys

Start on C and follow the formula. It's the only major scale without a sharp or flat.

WWHWWWH

The formula on D

The formula builds a major scale from any starting note. Walk it up from D and see where the black keys appear.

Tap the button and the walk names each note as you go.

Game · Build the scale

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Tap the first note of C major.

Formula: W–W–H–W–W–W–H. A wrong tap shows the step you need.

The scale vs. the key

Play the seven notes in order, and you have a scale. Use those notes as the foundation of a song, and you establish a key. If a melody uses the notes of C major and repeatedly returns to C as its home note, it is in the key of C major.

Up and back down. Every note once, in order: a list, not a song.Same notes, now a melody. It never leaves the scale and it rests on C.The A drops to A♭, a note C major doesn't have. Hear it stick out.

Quiz

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What's the major scale formula?

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson. A perfect run sticks: a later miss never undoes it.Every note has a number →