SCALES & SCALE DEGREES

INTRODUCTION

Now that we know about the most foundational relationship between two notes (whether close notes are a half step or whole step apart and how to determine a generic interval between notes of any distance apart), we can use these basic tools to start building scales. A musical SCALE is an established pattern of notes - usually between an octave - that is utilized in composing melodies and harmonies. All world cultures use scales but for the purposes of this class, we will continue to look at the scales most used in the Western Classical Music canon since these are the scales we can play on the piano keyboard.

Pieces of music are composed using different scales to convey different moods. This is similar to how a visual artist would select different color palettes to convey different scenes. Dark blues, greens, and white would convey an ocean scene better than pinks, yellows, and light greens which would be better used for flowers. So, too, do composers select musical scales to paint scenes with notes - like using a major scale to compose a song with a happy mood versus a minor scale to write something that sounds sad.

Scales that increase in frequency and raise in pitch are said to ASCEND. Scales that decrease in frequency and lower in pitch DESCEND. All of these scales can be performed ascending and descending but most are written ascending in music theory for examination. If you are a practicing musician, you should always practice your scales ascending and descending!!!

THE CHROMATIC SCALE

The CHROMATIC SCALE is a scale that uses ALL the half steps in order (ascending and descending) between an octave. If you start on any key on the piano and play every black and white key in order up to the next octave of the starting key, you have performed a chromatic scale. The word “chromatic” is used in music a lot and the prefix “chroma” is derived from the Greek chrôma meaning “color”. Having a lot of half steps in your music makes it more “colorful.”

When writing a chromatic scale, one usually uses all naturals and sharps or all naturals and flats. If using all naturals and flats while ascending, you must cancel out the flats with a natural sign on the next note. Generally, we do not use both sharps and flats to compose a chromatic scale, but if you did, it would still sound the same.

The distance between each note of the chromatic scale is a half step and there are twelve notes before you hit the second octave. The pattern for this scale - no matter what note you start on - is: H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H.

THE MAJOR SCALE

While the Chromatic Scale is the most basic/easy to understand scale, it is not the most commonly used in Western Classical Music Theory. The MAJOR SCALE is a septatonic (seven-note) scale that conveys a positive mood like happiness, energy, love, hope, etc.

This scale begins on its ROOT (first note), which we could call “1” and moves through the notes in this pattern:

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 1

*We could call the top octave “8” instead of “1” but “8” and “1” are the same pitch, so its easier just to call it “1” again unless you want to make a distinction that the top note is an octave above the bottom note. Another way to move through this pattern is with SOLFEGE, the musical syllable language we have been using to practice sight-singing. In solfege, the major scale moves like this:

Do - Re - Mi - Fa - Sol - La - Ti - Do

You probably recognize that pattern from several pop cultural references including the “Do Re Mi” song in The Sound of Music which is a song written to help learn solfege.

When looking at a piano keyboard, we could play all the white notes in order starting and ending on C and play a C Major Scale. If we do so, we see this pattern of distances between notes emerge: W - W - H - W - W - W - H. This is because there are black keys between some of the white keys and not others (such as E-F or B-C). When there are no black keys between two white keys, these white keys are only a half step apart from each other. Consider the pattern above a mathematical proof for building any major scale. There are twelve major scales in Western Classical Music Theory because there are twelve distinct notes that can be scale roots.

WHAT IS A ROOT?

The ROOT of a scale is the first and last note of the scale (the octave caps of the scale). In the last unit, we used the root to label each key signature because it is the most important note of the scale. The root is abbreviated to “R” and can also be referred to as the TONIC of a scale or key or the FIRST SCALE DEGREE (discussed below).

So starting on any root, we can figure out the major scale by using the proof scale pattern W - W - H - W - W - W - H. Here is the step-by-step process:

• Write out just the natural notes from root to root (one octave)

• Move from the root to the second note to the third, etc. checking that each new note adheres to the whole step/half step pattern. When it does not, add the proper accidental to the next note so it fits the pattern

• By following the two steps above, you should reach the top octave in exactly seven notes

The two scales below should be D Major and Ab Major. Here is what they look like without any sharps or flats:

We know this is wrong because only the key of C Major has all natural notes (no sharps or flats). To figure out where to add sharps or flats, follow the second step above until the pattern doesn’t fit, then select the right accidental of the note to make it fit.

SCALE DEGREES

When we look at any scale (we’ll use the major scale for these examples), we can label each note’s position on the scale by its scale degree. A SCALE DEGREE is the fixed role/position a note occupies in a given scale. The degree remains constant even if you choose a different scale root. So while “D” is the 1st scale degree in the D Major Scale above, “Ab” is the first scale degree in the Ab Major Scale. While the note “G” serves as the 4th scale degree in D Major, it is the 7th scale degree in Ab Major. In major, the set scale degrees are always 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 1. This won’t be the case for non-major scales (as we will see in the next unit). Knowing scale degrees is important for things like: memorizing scale patterns, knowing the difference between scales, understanding melodies, harmonies, and chords, and transposing melodic and harmonic content from one key/scale to another.

Check out the second movement, II. Andantino, of Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major. Since we know the piece is in A Major, we can identify the notes with scale degrees which helps us to understand patterns, movement, and harmony within the piece. If you don’t understand why I circled the cluster of sharps at the beginning and labeled it A Major, that is called a key signature (and we will learn about it next unit).

THE PENTATONIC SCALE

Most melodies in Western Classical and popular music are comprised of notes from the septatonic major scale (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1) as described above. However, there is a “simpler” scale that is used in much of the Classical and popular music canon as well as in many folk and world music traditions. This scale is called the PENTATONIC SCALE - “penta” meaning 5 because it only has five notes. The five-note pentatonic major scale has the same notes as the seven-note septatonic major scale but the half steps are removed so the scale is missing the 4th and 7th scale degree. Because 4 and 7 are removed, the scale degrees for the major pentatonic scale are: 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6 - 1. Notice that we don’t just say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1. That would just be the first five notes of the septatonic major scale. When we frame the pentatonic scale’s degrees using the scale degrees of the base major scale, we demonstrate the layout of the pentatonic including where the gaps between scale degrees are.

When the 4th and 7th scale degrees are removed, the remaining 5 notes (plus the octave) only interact in distances of whole steps and thirds (specifically, minor thirds as we will learn about below). This has the effect of removing chromatic dissonance from the scale and creating a much more pleasant tonality. An easy way to play around with a pentatonic scale is to play only the black keys on the piano. These keys technically build the F#/Gb major pentatonic.

Pentatonic scales are commonly used in simple music: children’s songs, folk songs, improvisatory or call-and-response because of the ease with which the human ear seems to wrap around this scale. If you don’t believe it, check out this cool video featuring vocalist Bobby McFerrin and sing along!

SPECIFIC INTERVALS

We have learned how to identify positions in scales (scale degrees) and also gauge the distance between any two notes (generic intervals). Now we will learn SPECIFIC INTERVALS: the exact, written and sounding distance between any two notes. For the sake of this course, we will only look at the specific intervals of Perfect Unisons through Perfect Octaves but there are wider intervals than octaves …

Remember that an INTERVAL (two notes sounded in relationship to each other) can be harmonic (sounding at the same time) or melodic (sounding one and then the other). Melodic intervals can ascend (second note higher than first) or descend (second note lower than first).

Imagine putting your right thumb on middle C of the piano. Play that note twice. That is called a PERFECT UNISON. Next, play the C followed by the black key to its immediate right (C#/Db). This is a half step - but it also has an interval name we will learn below. Then play C followed by the next white key to the right (D). This is a whole step - this also has an interval name. Continue with this pattern until you hit the interval of thumb C to pinky C one octave above. This is a PERFECT OCTAVE. You have just played the 13 specific intervals between a given octave. Each are labeled and explained below …

PERFECT UNISON

The PERFECT UNISON (P1) is when two or more instruments play the same exact pitch simultaneously or the same exact note is repeated in succession. Even though the note names stay the same, this is not the same as an octave (which leaps to the same note name up or down the keyboard or instrument).

MINOR SECONd

The MINOR SECOND (m2) is the distance of a half step with the note names a second apart (between the bottom note and top note). In this way, C - Db is a minor second while C - C# is technically not (because each note has the same letter name). Minor seconds are very DISSONANT (aurally clashing) because the notes are so close to each other.

MAJOR SECOND

The MAJOR SECOND (M2) is the distance of a whole step with the note names a second apart. In this way, E - F# is a major second while E - Gb is technically not (because the distance between letters E to G is a third). Major seconds are dissonant, but less dissonant than minor seconds.

MINOR THIRD

The MINOR THIRD (m3) is the distance of 3 half steps with the note names a third apart. To find a minor third, start on your bottom note and count three half steps up - then choose the enharmonic of the note that is a third above the root. Minor thirds begin to be more CONSONANT (pleasant-sounding), but have a sad, minor quality to them.

MAJOR THIRD

The MAJOR THIRD (M3) is the distance of 4 half steps with the note names a third apart. If you think of the bottom note as the root of a major scale, the major third above will be the third scale degree of that scale (Do - Re - Mi). Major thirds are consonant and fairly bright and happy sounding.

PERFECT FOURTH

The PERFECT FOURTH (P4) is the distance of 5 half steps with the note names a fourth apart. The perfect fourth is one of a few intervals that exist mathematically in nature. It is therefore referred to as “perfect”. The perfect fourth is the root and fourth scale degree of a major scale and the interval sounds consonant and settled if not a bit hollow.

TRITONE

PERFECT FIFTH

The PERFECT FIFTH (P5) is the distance of 7 half steps with the note names a fifth apart. The perfect fifth is one of a few intervals that exist mathematically in nature. It is therefore referred to as “perfect”. The perfect fifth is the root and fifth scale degree of a major scale and the interval sounds consonant and hollow, even a bit cold.

MINOR SIXTH

The MINOR SIXTH (m6) is the distance of 8 half steps with the note names a sixth apart. Even though minor sixths are “minor,” they still sound fairly pleasant and consonant because there is so much space between the notes. In addition, the minor sixth is the INVERSION of the major third (if you flip the two notes in a minor sixth, you get a major third) which is the “happiest” sounding interval.

MAJOR SIXTH

The MAJOR SIXTH (M6) is the distance of 9 half steps with the note names a sixth apart. You can find a major sixth by starting with the bottom note as the root and adding the sixth scale degree from a major scale above. Major sixths are consonant and wide.

MINOR SEVENTH

The MINOR SEVENTH (m7) is the distance of 10 half steps with the note names a seventh apart. Minor sevenths are somewhat dissonant because they are only a whole step off an octave and are the inversion of a major second, taking on some of the dissonant qualities of a major second.

MAJOR SEVENTH

The MAJOR SEVENTH (M7) is the distance of 11 half steps with the note names a seventh apart. You can find a major seventh by starting with the bottom note as the root and adding the seventh scale degree from a major scale above - a shortcut is to take the root and the half step below it, then move the half step up the octave. Major sevenths are pretty dissonant because they are only a half step off an octave and are the inversion of a minor second, taking on some of the dissonant qualities of a minor second.

PERFECT OCTAVE

The PERFECT OCTAVE (P8) is the distance of 12 half steps with the second note sounding the exact same note as the first up or down the octave. This is not the same as a perfect unison where the pitch stays on the same exact tone/frequency.

RECAP VIDEO …

MEMORIZE THIS WEEK …

• Chromatic Scale

• Major Scale (W - W - H - W - W - W - H pattern)

• All 12 Major Scales (start memorizing)

• Scale Degrees

• All 12 Specific Intervals (start memorizing)