12/18/2017 JAZCLASS - Jazz scales lesson : Major scale in all Keys

Jazz Scales
MAJOR SCALE
C | C# = Db | D | Eb | E | F | F# = Gb | G | Ab | A | Bb
|B
Description         Keyboard fingerings : p.1 - p.2
Derivative Bebop scales

SCALES CHORDS
major triad chords
pentatonic 7th chord qualities
minor scale-tone chords
pentatonic IIm7 - V7 - Imaj7
blues scale progression
major scale IIø - V7 - Imin
natural minor progression
harmonic
minor Key signatures   Jazclass
melodic Links
minor

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Description of the major scale

A major scale consists of 7 different notes.
The intervals from note to note of the major scale in any key are :

tone - tone - semitone - tone - tone - tone - semitone

The major scale can also be described as two major tetrachords (tone - tone -
semitone), separated by a tone.
[Tetrachord = 4 notes covering an interval of a perfect 4th (5 semitones)]

The C major scale consists of all white keys on the keyboard.

The two tetrachords for the C major scale are :

(major tetrachord) C - D - E - F <-- tone --> G - A - B - C (major tetrachord)

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12/18/2017 JAZCLASS - Jazz scales lesson : Major scale in all Keys

Audio 1

Likewise the two tetrachords for the G major scale are :

(major tetrachord) G - A - B - C <-- tone --> D - E - F# - G (major tetrachord)
Audio 2
(I first play the C major scale, then the G major scale)

Notice that the two major scales are interlocking. The upper tetrachord of the major
scale is the same as the lower tetrachord of the G major scale.

Likewise the G and D major scales also share one tatrachord, so do the D and A major
scales, and so on, all around the Circle of Fifths.

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Here are the major scales in all 12 keys listed in Circle of Fifths order.

1. C major scale   Key signature : no sharp or flat

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

2. G major scale   Key signature : 1 sharp

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G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G

3. D major scale   Key signature : 2 sharps (Down - Up - Top)

D - E - F# - G - A - B - C# - D

4. A major scale   Key signature : 3 sharps

A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A

5. E major scale   Key signature : 4 sharps

E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D# - E

6. B major scale   Key signature : 5 sharps (Down - Up - Top)

B - C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A# - B

7. F# and Gb major scales   Key signature : 6 sharps , 6 flats

F# - G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E# (=F) - F#
Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb (=B) - Db - Eb - F - Gb

8. Db and C# major scales   Key signature : 5 flats , 7 sharps

Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C - Db
C# - D# - E# (=F) - F# - G# - A# - B# (=C) - C#

9. Ab major scale   Key signature : 4 flats (Down - Up - Top)

Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - G - Ab

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10. Eb major scale   Key signature : 3 flats

Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C - D - Eb

11. Bb major scale   Key signature : 2 flats

Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G - A - Bb

12. F major scale   Key signature : 1 flat (Down - Up - Top)

F - G - A - Bb - C - D - E - F

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Copyright © 2002 Michael Furstner. All rights reserved.

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