Major Scale

A major scale is a Scale which starts on a chosen note and progresses by a pattern of Intervals which is:

Whole Tone - Whole Tone - Semitone - Whole Tone - Whole Tone - Whole Tone - Semitone

That is, for example the scale of C major:

Scale of C Major

C

-

D

-

E

F

-

G

-

A

-

B

C'

All Notes in the Octave

C

C#

D

Eb

E

F

F#

G

G#

A

Bb

B

C'

Intervals of the Major Scale

- 2 -

- 2 -

1  -

- 2 -

- 2 -

- 2 -

1-

- W-

- W -

S -

- W -

- W -

- W -

S -

The interval is the 'gap' between two notes, so between C and D is a whole Tone, between D and E is a whole Tone, between E and F is only a Semitone etc.

On a Fretted stringed Instrument, this is equivalent to 2 frets, 2 frets, 1 fret etc.

The modern major scale is based on the Ionian Mode.

See Also:

Minor Scale