The major scale formula

Build a major scale from whole tones and semitones and name its degrees from the tonic.

Scales and degrees

A scale is the notes of a key in order, from the home note up to the same note an octave higher. The home note is the tonic: music sounds finished on it.

The notes of a scale are its degrees, numbered from the tonic in Roman numerals: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII. The eighth degree is the tonic again, only higher.

The major scale on C: white keys only

C major on the keyboard

Look at the distances between neighbouring degrees: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone. The semitones are between degrees III and IV and between VII and I. This pattern is the major formula: any scale built on it sounds major.

Remember the formula as two equal halves: "tone-tone-semitone", then one more tone, then "tone-tone-semitone" again.

Practice: Where are the semitones?

Practice: Build a step of the scale: tone or semitone

Practice: Major by ear

Major from any note

Let's build a major scale on G, following the formula: G, a tone up to A, a tone to B, a semitone to C, a tone to D, a tone to E, a tone to... not F but F♯. The last step is a semitone to G.

So a major scale on any note needs its own sharps or flats. And every degree gets a letter of its own: a scale uses seven different letters in a row, none repeated or skipped.

G major: one sign, F♯

G major on the keyboard: one black key

D major: two signs, F♯ and C♯

Practice: The sign of G major

Practice: Is it major?