Basic Keyboard Scales

The distance in pitch between two tones is called an interval. Intervals are measured in half steps and whole steps. A half step is the distance in pitch between two adjoining tones. The symbol for half step is H. A whole step is the distance in pitch between two adjoining half steps. The symbol for whole step is W.

Tones may be played in an organized sequence. An organized sequence of tones is called a scale. An eight tone organized sequence is called a major scale. Major scales are organized according to the following pattern:

Keynote,   W,   W,   H,   W,   W,   W,   H,   Octave.

The keynote is the first note of the major scale. It is also called the tonic note. In the major scale pattern, two whole steps, one half step, three whole steps and one half step follow the keynote. The last note of a major scale is called the octave.

Numbers are used to identify the notes of a scale. These numbers are called scale degrees. A scale degree identifies the position of a note in a scale. Therefore, the third note of a scale is the third degree. The fifth note of a scale is the fifth degree and so on.

Raising or lowering a tone pitch alters the pitch. A tone pitch raised one half step is called a sharp. The tone C raised one-half pitch is called C-sharp. A tone pitch lowered one half step is called a flat. The tone B lowered one-half pitch is called B-flat. A tone pitch raised one whole step is called a double sharp. C-double sharp is the same as the tone D. A tone pitch lowered one whole step is called a double flat. B-double flat is the same as the tone A.

Symbols are used to denote the alteration of a pitch. These symbols are called accidentals. The symbol for a sharp pitch is #. Therefore C-sharp is notated as C^#. The symbol for a flat pitch is b. B-flat is notated as B^b. The symbol for a double sharp pitch is x. The symbol for a double flat pitch is ^bb. Similarly, C-double sharp is notated as C^x. B-double flat is notated as B^bb.