Major Scales

some major scales.... note: major scales always follow a consistant pattern of whole steps and halfsteps. here is the pattern of a major scale: w w h w w w h (whole, half) =================== c scale (no sharp) -------c d e f g a b c e|-------------------------------------------b|------------------------0---1--------------g|-----------------0--2----------------------d|-----0---2---3-----------------------------a|---3---------------------------------------e|-------------------------------------------g scale (1 sharp) -------g a b c d e f# e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|-------------------------------------------d|-------------------------------------------a|-------------------------------------------e|-------------------------------------------d scale (2 sharps) -------d e f g a b c d w w h w w w h ------------------d e f# g a b c# d e|-------------------------------------------b|----------------------0----2---3-----------g|---------------0--2------------------------d|---0---2---4-------------------------------a|-------------------------------------------e|-------------------------------------------a scale (3 sharps) -------a b c d e f g a w w h w w w h -----------------a b c# d e f# g# a e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|-----------------------------1----2--------d|----------------0----2----4-----------------

a|--0----2---4-------------------------------e|-------------------------------------------e scale (4 sharps) -------e f g a b c d e w w h w w w h --------------------e f# g# a b c# d# e e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|-------------------------------------------d|------------------------------1---2--------a|-----------------0----2---4----------------e|----0---2---4------------------------------b scale (5 sharps) -------b c d e f g a b w w h w w w h ----------------b c# d# e f# g# a# b e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|------------------------1----3-----4-------d|----------1---2----4-----------------------a|-2----4------------------------------------e|-------------------------------------------f# scale (6 sharps) --------f g a b c d e f w w h w w w h ---------------f# g# a# b c# d# e# f# e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|-------------------------------------------d|-----------------------------1----3----4---a|--------------1----2----4------------------e|---2----4----------------------------------c# scale (7 sharps) --------c d e f g a b c w w h w w w h ----------------c# d# e# f# g# a# b# c# e|-------------------------------------------b|--------------------------1---2------------g|------------------1---3--------------------d|------1---3---4----------------------------a|---4---------------------------------------e|--------------------------------------------

========================= f scale (1 flat) -------f g a b c d e f w w h w w w h ---------------f g a bb c d e f e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|-------------------------------------------d|--------------------------0---2--3---------a|-----------0----1----3---------------------e|---1---3-----------------------------------bb scale (2 flats) -------bb c d eb f g a bb e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|---------------------------0----2---3------d|------------0----1----3--------------------a|---1----3----------------------------------e|-------------------------------------------eb scale (3 flats) -------eb f g ab bb c d eb e|-------------------------------------------b|-----------------------------1----3----4---g|-------------0----1-----3------------------d|----1---3----------------------------------a|-------------------------------------------e|-------------------------------------------ab scale (4 flats) -------ab bb c db eb f g ab e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|----------------------------0---1----------d|--------------------1---3------------------a|--------1---3---4--------------------------e|----4--------------------------------------db scale (5 flats) -------db eb f gb ab bb c db e|-------------------------------------------b|---------------------------1---2-----------g|------------------1---3--------------------d|------1---3---4----------------------------a|--4-----------------------------------------

e|-------------------------------------------gb scale (6 flats) --------gb ab bb cb db eb f gb e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|-------------------------------------------d|---------------------1---3---4-------------a|----------1---2---4------------------------e|---2---4-----------------------------------cb scale (7 flats) --------cb db eb fb gb ab bb cb e|-------------------------------------------b|-------------------------------------------g|----------------------1---3---4------------d|-----------1---2---4-----------------------a|----2---4----------------------------------e|--------------------------------------------

=========================================================== i ii iii iv v vi vii major minor minor major major minor diminished --------------------------------------------------------c d e f g a b g a b c d e f# d e f# g a b c# a b c# d e f# g# e f# g# a b c# d# b c# d# e f# g# a# f# g# a# b c# d# e# c# d# e# f# g# a# b# f g a bb c d e bb c d eb f g a eb f g ab bb c d ab bb c db eb f g db eb f gb ab bb c gb ab bb cb db eb f cb db eb fb gb ab bb using this chart is a great way to practice all the primary chords in every key. if you come across a chord you don't know, look it up in a chord chart. add it to your practice session by first playing it alone. then try it with another chord in the same key. take note of the chords that are easy for you to play and then experiment with trying different chord progressions. here are some basic ones to get you started: i v i

i iv v i i vi iv v i ii v i vi now you know the secret of how to transpose guitar chords! ================================================================================== ======================= e f f# g g# a a# b c c# d d# e --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------a a# b c c# d d# e f f# g g# a --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------d d# e f f# g g# a a# b c c# d --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------g g# a a# b c c# d d# e f f# g --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------b c c# d d# e f f# g g# a a# b --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------e f f# g g# a a# b c c# d d# e (open) (3rd) (5th) (7th) (9th) (12th) ================================================================================== ====================== =============================================================== | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | | |c||d| | |`||`||`| | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | | |#||#| | |`||`||`| | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | |`||`| | |`||`||`| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |c |d |e |f |g |a |b |c |d |e |f |g |a |b |c |d |e |f |g |a |b | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ================================================================ when i say, "combine chords" you need to understand i am speaking of moving from one chord to another in this harmonic framework i spoke of earlier. all the chord progressions we will be learning are based upon major scales and the scale tone chords. this means that the the 1st, 4th, and 5th tones (notes) will always be major chords, the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th tones (notes) will always be minor chords and the 7th tone (note) will always be a diminished chord. these will be our 3-note or triad chord progression chords. a diminished chord is composed of a 1st, b3rd (flatted third), and b5th (flatted fifth) tones (notes) of a major scale. this means the 3rd and 5th tones (notes) are lowered one half step. using the key of "c" as an example the b diminished chord (triad) would contain the tones (notes) b, d, and f. for our 7th chord progression chords, the 1st and 4th tones (notes) will always be major 7th chords, the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th tones (notes) will always be minor 7th chords, the 5th tone (note) will always be a dominant 7th chord and the 7th tone (note) will always be a half diminished 7th chord.

a dominant 7th chord is formed by combining the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and b7th (flatted seventh) tones (notes) of a major scale. this means you would lower the 7th tone (note) one half step. a half diminished 7th chord is formed by combining the 1st, b3rd (flatted 3rd), b5th (flatted fifth), and b7th (flatted seventh) tones (notes) of a major scale. this means you would lower the 3rd, 5th, and 7th tones (notes) one half step. using the key of "c" as an example a g dominant 7th chord would contain the tones (notes) g,b,d, and f and a b half diminished 7th chord would have the tones (notes) b,d,f, and a. click on the links below to get a description of the different chord progressions and a chart showing the corresponding chords. ================================================================================== ========================= on this page you will find the 3-note (triad) i-iv-v chord progression chords for each of the twelve (12) keys. we shall begin with the key of "c" and proceed through to "b". practice the i-iv-v chord progression in all twelve keys...and have fun! scale i chord iv chord v chord -----------------------------------------------------------c major c major f major g major c#/db major c#/db major f#/gb major g#/ab major d major d major g major a major d#/eb major d#/eb major g#/ab major a#/bb major e major e major a major b major f major f major a#/bb major c major f#/gb major f#/gb major b major c#/db major g major g major c major d major g#/ab major g#/ab major c#/db major d#/eb major a major a major d major e major a#/bb major a#/bb major d#/eb major f major b major b major e major f#/gb major

remember, while you are forming the chords and practicing the i-iv-v chord progression you can always go to chordhouse.com piano chord/scale finder if you need help or want to see how a chord looks on the piano keyboard. experiment with all the new chords you now know how to make on the keyboard! try playing the 3note (triad) i-iv-v chord progression chords with your left hand, while playing the major scale for each chord with your right. ================================================================================== ========================= scale ii chord v chord i chord c major d minor g major c major c#/db major d#/eb minor g#/ab major c#/db major d major e minor a major d major d#/eb major f minor a#/bb major d#/eb major e major f#/gb minor b major e major f major g minor c major f major f#/gb major g#/ab minor c#/db major f#/gb major g major a minor d major g major g#/ab major a#/bb minor d#/eb major g#/ab major a major b minor e major a major a#/bb major c minor f major a#/bb major b major c#/db minor f#/gb major b major ================================================================================== ==========================

the iii-vi-ii-v-i chord progression is made up of the 3rd, 6th, 2nd, 5th, and 1st (root) steps of a major scale. this would give the chord progression 3 minor triad and 2 major triad chords. in the key of "c" major the chord progression would be e minor (iii), a minor (vi), d minor (ii), g major (v), and ending on c major (i). for variety you can also begin on c major (i) instead of e minor (iii). on this page you will find the 3-note (triad) iii-vi-ii-v-i chord progression chords for each of the twelve (12) keys. we shall begin with the key of "c" and proceed through to "b". practice the iii-vi-ii-v-i chord progression in all twelve keys...and have fun! scale iii chord vi chord ii chord v chord i chord c major e minor a minor d minor g major c major c#/db major f minor a#/bb minor d#/eb minor g#/ab major c#/db major d major f#/gb minor b minor e minor a major d major d#/eb major g minor c minor f minor a#/bb major d#/eb major e major g#/ab minor c#/db minor f#/gb minor b major e major f major a minor d minor g minor c major f major f#/gb major a#/bb minor d#/eb minor g#/ab minor c#/db major f#/gb major g major b minor e minor a minor d major g major g#/ab major c minor f minor a#/bb minor d#/eb major g#/ab major a major c#/db minor f#/gb minor b minor e major a major a#/bb major d minor g minor c minor f major a#/bb major b major d#/eb minor g#/ab minor c#/db minor f#/gb major b major