UNDERSTANDING BASIC SCALES IN MUSIC (NOTES 3)

SCALE THEORY OF MUSIC

Topics:

PART 1

1. Importance of Scale in Music

2. Linear Representation of Scale

3. Equivalency of musical scale in Indian and Western Music

4. Types of Scale

 Chromatic, Major, Minor

Some Important Points to Note.

At the end of the session, we will do a QnA doubt sessions and some workouts.

PART 2

5. Visual Understanding of Scale in a Keyboard

6. Playing all Major, Minor, Harmonic and Melodic scales in keyboard.

7. How to Identify a scale of any song

8. Concept of Transpose and its pros and cons.

9. Relation between major and minor scales

10. Building Chords from major and minor Scales

Some Important Points to Note.

At the end of the session, we will do a QnA doubt sessions and some workouts.

Definition:

A scale is a group of notes that are arranged by ascending or descending order of pitch. 

Watch this video:

A contestant asking for a SCALE in Indian Idol Audition. Why??? This means that SCALE is somehow important!

There are various types of Scale. 

According to English alphabets, we denote/represent music scale as:

A  B  C  D  E  F  G (universally accepted)

But first lets start knowing all types of 12 chromatic scales from 12 notes.

Simply, a chromatic scale means playing all the 12 notes/key( Natural + Flat/Sharp) in an octave in 12 scales.

Formula:

Semitone - Semitone- Semitone- Semitone- Semitone- Semitone - Semitone - Semitone - Semitone - Semitone- Semitone - Semitone

Or

Half - Half - Half - Half - Half - Half - Half - Half - Half - Half - Half - Half

Example:

If starting note is C, then notes arrangements of chromatic scale is

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

If a particular solo has D, D# and E notes played in sequence, it is said that this section has chromaticism.

12 CHROMATIC SCALE ARRANGEMENTS IN INDIAN vs WESTERN

A  SCALE

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

सा    रे     रे   ग   ग   म    म    प  ध  ध  नी  नी  सां   

                (2nd म is तीव्र)

  A# SCALE    

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

  सा   रे    रे   ग    ग   म    म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां   

                  (2nd म is तीव्र)         

              B  SCALE                            

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

 सा   रे    रे   ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां  

                                   (2nd म is तीव्र)

            C SCALE                          

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

सा   रे    रे   ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

 C#  SCALE

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

  सा   रे    रे   ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

D SCALE

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

   सा   रे    रे   ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

  D# SCALE

D#  E  F  F# G  G# A  A# B  C C# D D#

  सा   रे   रे  ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

 E SCALE

E  F  F# G  G# A  A# B  C C# D D# E

 सा   रे   रे  ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

  F SCALE

F  F# G  G# A  A# B  C C# D D# E F

  सा   रे   रे  ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

     F# SCALE

F# G  G# A  A# B  C C# D D# E F  F#

 सा   रे   रे  ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

    G SCALE

G  G# A  A# B  C C# D D# E F  F# G

सा   रे   रे  ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

       G# SCALE

G# A  A# B  C C# D D# E F  F# G G#

सा   रे   रे  ग    ग   म   म  प  ध   ध  नी  नी  सां

(2nd म is तीव्र)

             A SCALE (returns)

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

सा    रे     रे   ग   ग   म    म    प  ध  ध  नी  नी  सां   

                 (2nd म is तीव्र)

Look at the picture below to understand the Key Position of each note in the keyboard instrument:👇

FORMULA OF MAJOR AND MINOR SCALE:

12 MAJOR SCALE: (7 NOTES)

The major scale is a seven note scale that consists of a series of whole steps and half steps. The half steps exist between the 3rd and 4th, and 7th and 8th scale degrees.

Formula:

Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Tone – Semitone

                                             OR

Whole – Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Whole – Half

EXAMPLE: C MAJOR

C  D  E  F  G  A  B  C

EXPLANATION:

Our starting note will be C

From the C, we will take a whole step to D.

From D, we will take another whole step to E.

Next, we will go half step from E to F

From F, the whole step will take us to G.

Next is another whole step to A

The last whole step takes up to B

Finally half step returns us to C.

 

12 MINOR SCALE: (7 NOTES)

The minor scale is the scale which sounds negative – it is used by composers to depict sad, melancholic or even angry/dramatic moods.

A) NATURAL MINOR

B) MELODIC MINOR  (6th and 7th notes raised by a semitone)

C) HARMONIC MINOR (7th note raised by a semitone)

EXAMPLE OF A-TYPE MINOR SCALE: A NATURAL MINOR

A B C D E F G A

Our starting note will be A

From A, we will take a whole step to B.

Then, we will take a half step to C.

From C, a whole step takes us to D

Another whole step takes us to E

From E, we go up a half step to F

From F, a whole step takes us to G.

Finally the last whole step returns us to A.

A NATURAL MINOR SCALE

HENCE, THE FORMULA OF NATURAL MINOR IS:

Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone

                                             OR

Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Half – Whole - Whole

FORMULA FOR HARMONIC NATURAL MINOR:

Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone and a half – Semitone

FORMULA FOR MELODIC NATURAL MINOR:

Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Tone – Tone – Semitone

Important Points to Note:

1. Male and Female have their different scale of singing.The scale varies upon the vocal range of an individual. 

2. The visual understanding of given chromatic scales that contains all 12 pitches are found in western music and we can understand it equivalency by comparing with Indian Music Notation. 

In other words, its value, its meaning and its importance are equivalent.

CONCEPT OF TRANSPOSE IN A SCALE:

To transpose a piece of music, you then play the corresponding note in the new scale. For instance, if the piece is in C major and you wish to transpose it to F major, you would recognize C as the first note in the C major scale and play F instead since it is the first note in F major.

Linear Representation of Scale/Key Transposition:

(Assuming C# as default Key (00) in a keyboard)

Concept of Transpose (In Relation To):

1. Original Scale of the song/Piece/Composition

2. Singer's Scale

3. Default Playing Position of the Player/Accompanist

Progression:

1. Transpose :   Major - Major

2. Transpose:    Minor - Minor

You can make other scale transposition with same formula!

YOUR HOMEWORK:

1. Given Scale:

C SCALE

Write Scale E in relation to Scale C in Indian vs Western style. Try to find out other scales on your own.

2. Write all 12 chromatic scale in your copy in both Indian and Western equivalence.

3. Write all 12 Major scale in your copy in both Indian and Western equivalence.

4. Write all 12 Natural Minor scale in your copy in both Indian and Western equivalence.

5. Write all 12 Harmonic Minor scale in your copy in both Indian and Western equivalence.

6. Write all 12 Melodic Minor scale in your copy in both Indian and Western equivalence.

If you like this tutorial or lesson, please let me know in the comment!