The second note is the second degree of the scale, the next is the 3rd degree, etc.

Each position in a scale is called a degree.

We add a note to the end of the scale that is the same as the tonic, only an octave higher.

In any major scale, each letter of the musical alphabet can only be used once.

In other words, the first letter (or tonic) of the F major scale is F.

The first note of a major scale is called the tonic, and it’s the note that the scale is named for.

Many scales are derived from the major scale, or at least explained and learned in terms of how they differ from that pattern.

It has seven pitches per octave, separated by 5 tones and 2 semitones.

When you’re comfortable with it, you should be ready to apply that knowledge in the next lesson. Check each one and make sure it follows our rules for a Major Scale. I don’t imagine that the exercise for this lesson is any surprise. However, it’s an important concept, and as I explained in the beginning paragraphs, there are a lot of places to go from here. If you break this lesson down to just the main points, all we really learned here was a simple pattern, and how to apply it to musical notes to build a major scale. So it’s not a mistake – The Gb major scale does have a Cb. If you happen to see a double sharp or a double flat, just raise or lower the note by 2 half steps. In written music you may also come across a double sharp (#), or a double flat (bb). While it’s not that common, you may see the odd Cb or E# etc.

I also stated that any note could be made sharp or flat. And, there’s no sharp or flat in between those notes. What I did say is that there is only a half step between B and C, and a half step between E and F. Then you’re going to say, “What’s up? You said there’s no such thing as a C-flat or a B-sharp”. You’re going to get to some keys like Gb, and find that, to meet our rules for a major scale, the fourth degree of that scale needs to be a Cb. Here are all the major scales for you to consider:Ī –B–C–D–E–F–G–Bb–Eb–Ab-Db-Gb Something to think about… So we stick with the flats to name those scales. But, they’re almost impossible to write out, especially in music notation. I’m not saying that there is no such thing as a D#, or a G#, or an A#-Major scale, because there is! We know those notes are correct. All the flats will work to name major scales, but the sharps, not so friendly. Diagram 10 – The Bb Major Scale So that works.

B flat major scale degree numbers