Written Music Tutorial #1 ( Pitch )
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Building the G major Scale

Let's say we want to build the G Major scale.
First let's get the letter names by just going through the first 7 letters
of the alphabet in alphabetical rotation ( after G comes A )
until we reach G again:

Set Note Order

Note Name	Degree of Scale
G	8th ( or 1st )
F	7th
E	6th
D	5th
C	4th
B	3rd
A	2nd
G	1st

Analyze the Steps

Now lets evaluate the steps in our series of notes.

As you recall, there are half steps between the notes E and F
and the notes B and C.

Note Name Degree of Scale G 8th ( or 1st ) Whole Step F 7th Half Step E 6th Whole Step D 5th Whole Step C 4th Half Step B 3rd Whole Step A 2nd Whole Step G 1st

The example to the left shows the notes from G to G, along with the distances ( Whole Step or Half Step ) between the adjacent notes. As you see, the Half Steps do fall between the notes E and F, and B and C. But in the Major Scale, The half steps always fall between the 3rd and 4th and between the 7th and 8th. Now between the 3rd and 4th ( notes B and C ), there is a Half Step. But between the 7th and 8th ( F and G ) there is a Whole Step. So the example to the left is not an example of the G Major scale; It is simply another mode of the key of C. To get the G Major Scale, we need to adjust the notes. The pattern of Whole Steps and Half Steps is always the same in all major scales: W, W, H, W, W, W, H ( with half steps between the 3rd and 4th and the 7th and 8th ). The notes that are sharped or flatted are different from one scale to the next. To find the notes in the key of G ( or the G Major Scale ), we must apply this stepwise pattern to the notes from G to G.

Adjust the Notes

So to create the G Major Scale,
we need to replace the note "F" with the note "F#".

Notes From G to G G 8th (Same as Root or 1st)   F Seventh (Flatted) E Sixth   D Fifth   C Fourth B Third   A Second   G Root

Notes from G Major Scale G 8th (Same as Root or 1st) F# Seventh (Not Flatted)   E Sixth   D Fifth   C Fourth B Third   A Second   G Root

Written Music Tutorial #1 ( Pitch )
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