Basic Music Theory - Chapter 4 - answers
 

You should just confirm you get the following notes for the major scales....if you don't get something ask...

Remember, the formula for making a major scale is...

You pick a root note and then make the following steps

W W H W W W H

Going by 5ths.....

C Major = C D E F G A B C

G Major = G A B C D E F# G

D Major = D E F# G A C# D

A Major = A B C# D E F# G# A

E Major = E F# G# A B C# D# E

B Major = B C# D# E F# G# A# B

F# Major = F# G# A# B C# D# E# F# (clearly F# major looks awfully messy...it's just as messy if you think of it as Gb major. Note the E#...that's really just the note F...it's customary to not use the same letter name in a scale twice, so, since we already had an F#, we refer to the F as E#)

Remember, no matter how complicated a scale looks,,, ALL major scales have the same exact structure.... WWHWWWH...they all sound exactly alike.

going by 4ths we get....

C Major = C D E F G A B C

F Major = F G A Bb C D E F

Bb Major = Bb C D Eb F G A Bb

Eb Major = Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb

Ab Major = Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Db Major = Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db

Gb Major (which is the same as F# Major)

Gb Major = Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb
(note that Cb is just the note B - we avoid using the letter B twice in the scale)

Ask if you've got questions....and please someone let me know if I've got typos.....I need a bigger monitor.

Don't freak out about trying to memorize things.....just make sure you can MAKE the scales properly....

In general, the vast majority of guitar music "happens" in the keys of C,G,D,A, E and their relative minors(whatever those are). There really isn't as much to remember as you might think.....remember...metal heads learn this stuff....doped up metal heads learn this stuff....it can't be that tough....just make sure you can make the scales on paper and up a single string on your guitar....ask.....

[ 03-02-2001: Message edited by: mapletrees ]