Harmonizing

the Major Scale

The major scale is a series of notes with the following pattern of half-steps and whole-steps:

1 w 2 w 3 h 4 w 5 w 6 w 7 h 1

All major scales have the same pattern, but will have different notes (some number of sharps or flats)
depending on what note you start on. The notes of a given scale are the same as the notes in that key.

Since the major scale is a fixed set of intervals, if we harmonize each note of the major scale with a triad
(stacking two 3rds above that note using notes from the scale) we get a fixed pattern of triads; Roman
numerals are used to indicate triads built on a given note of the scale:

I (major) - ii (minor) - iii (minor) - IV (major) - V (major) - vi (minor) - vii° (diminished)
Score
Harmonizing the Major Scale
Once you figure out the notes of a given triad (e.g. A - C# - E = A major), you can space those notes out
over multiple octaves and/or repeat notes. Here are a few patterns of triads in parallel motion on the

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guitar in A major and G major (note the key signatures):

# # # 4 œœ œœ œœœ œœœ œ œ œœ œœ n
œ œ œœ œœ œœ n#

& 4 œ œ œœ œœ œ œ

Guitar
œœ œ œ œ



0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 2 4 5 7 9
T 2
2
3
4
5
6
7
7
9
9
10 12 14
11 13 14
2 3 5
2 4 6 7 9
A 2 4 6 0 2 4 6 7
B 0 2 4

œœ œœ

# œœ œœ œœ œœ œœ

œœ œœ œœ œœœ œœ
5

& œœœ œœ œ œ œ

Gtr.
œœœ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ

5
0 2 3 5 7 8 10
0 1 3 3 1 3 5 7 8 10 12
0 2 0 2 4 4
0 2 4 2 4 2 4 5
2
3
3
5
5
7
3 5
3
0 2 3 5 7 9 10

#
9

& ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
It’s helpful to see the triads in parallel motion to get a sense for how they relate to their scale, but you
Gtr. usually don’t see this in music. More often, a few of the chords in a given key are used to create a chord
progression. I, IV, and V are the most commonly used chords in both classical and popular music. The
relationship between the I and V (sometimes called the “dominant”) chords is especially important.
9

13
# ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
Gtr. &


Here are the chords for a few keys. Because of the way guitars are tuned, we are very likely to come
across songs in one of these keys (as opposed to ones with flats).

I ii iii IV V vi vii°
C Dm Em F G Am B°
G Am Bm C D Em F#°
D Em F#m G A Bm C#°
A Bm C#m D E F#m G#°
E F#m G#m A B C#m D#°


Here are a few common chord progressions. Try playing these in each key. Loop them around a few times
and experiment with different rhythmic/strumming patterns. I bet you will recognize some!


I - IV - I - V

I - vi - IV - V

I - V - vi - IV

I - ii - V - I

I - iii - IV - V



Notice that each of these is 4 chords long. In the vast majority of Western popular and classical music,
phrases (the musical equivalent of a sentence) are written in multiples of 4 measures (4, 8, 12, or 16).

Also notice that most of these end with the V chord, which then returns to I when the progression is
repeated.