Major Scale Construction

The Major Scale Formulae

Constructing The C Major Scale

constructing a major scale
 constructing a major scale

The major scale is made up of a

sequence of whole step and half
step intervals
 major scale formulae
root to 2nd =whole step
2nd to 3rd =whole step
3rdto 4th =half step
4th to 5th =whole step
5th to 6th =whole step
6th to 7th =whole step
7th to root =half step
major scale formulae
whole step
whole step
half step
whole step
whole step
whole step
half step
constructing the C major scale
 The root note of C
C
rise a whole step to the 2 note
nd

C
 the 2 = D
nd

C D
rise a whole step to the 3rd note
C D
 the 3 = E
rd

C D E
rise a half step to the 4 note
th

C D E
 the 4 = F
th

C D E F
rise a whole step to the 5 note
th

C D E F G
 the 5 = G
th

C D E F G
rise a whole step to the 6 note
th

C D E F G
 the 6 note = A
th

C D E F G A
rise a whole step to the 7 note
th

C D E F G A
 The 7 note = B
th

C D E F G A B
rise a half step to the root
C D E F G A B
 we are back to C again
C D E F G A B C
 checklist for scale construction
• Letter names (A to G) appear in alphabetic
sequence
• Each letter name appears only once (apart
from the root note which is found on the
first and last note of each scale)
• Keys contain either #’s or b’s (never both)
Constructing Other Major Scales
C D E F G A B C

If we can use the formulae above to

create a major scale starting from a
note of C then we can use it to
construct more major scales starting
from other notes?
 The G Major Scale

G
 The G Major Scale

G A B C D E F# G
 The F Major Scale

F
 The F Major Scale

F G A Bb C D E F
 The D Major Scale

D
 The D Major Scale

D E F# G A B C# D
 The Bb Major Scale

Bb
 The Bb Major Scale

Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
constructing the C major scale
constructing a major scale