Meet the Major Scales
The major scale is foundational in music theory. Imagine the satisfaction of transforming a simple melody into rich chords! To master this skill, you need fluency in all 12 keys. Instead of memorising scales blindly, focus on understanding their structure to play any scale effortlessly.
Major Scales: Principles and Application
The major scale is foundational in music theory. Imagine the satisfaction of transforming a simple melody into rich chords! To master this skill, you need fluency in all 12 keys. Instead of memorising scales blindly, focus on understanding their structure to play any scale effortlessly.
We’ll use the Circle of Fifths—a fun and logical tool—to simplify learning all major scales.
Circle of Fifths: The Ultimate Key Signature Tool
The Circle of Fifths is a circular diagram that organises all major keys by their sharps or flats.
How It Works
- Clockwise: Adds one sharp per key (e.g., C → G → D → A…).
- Counterclockwise: Adds one flat per key (e.g., C → F → B♭ → E♭…).
Sharp Key Order (Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle):
F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯
Flat Key Order (Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father):
B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭
Piano Fingerings
Proper finger movement is crucial. The following finger motions apply to playing major scales with both the left hand (LH) and right hand (RH).
- When playing a major scale, always place the 5th finger of your left hand on the first note of the scale.
- The same rule applies to the 1st finger of your right hand.
If you’re playing the C major scale (with both hands simultaneously), the image above shows the correct starting positions for each hand. That is:
- Left hand begins with the 5th finger.
- Right hand begins with the 1st finger.
Major Scale Fingerings
Right Hand Fingering
Left Hand Fingering
Right-Handed Scale Fingerings for Major Keys
| Major Key(s) | Fingering |
|---|---|
| C, D, E, G, A, B | 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5 |
| F | 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 |
| B♭ | 2-1-2-3-1-2-3-4 |
| E♭ | 2-1-2-3-4-1-2-3 |
| (Unlabeled) | 2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3 |
| D♭ | 2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2 |
| G♭ | 2-3-4-1-2-3-1-2 |
Left-Handed Scale Fingerings for Major Keys
| Major Key(s) | Fingering |
|---|---|
| C, D, E, F, G, A | 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1 |
| B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ | 3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3 |
| G♭ | 4-3-2-1-3-2-1-2 |
| B | 4-3-2-1-4-3-2-1 |
Summary
- Theory: Major scales = fixed interval pattern; Circle of Fifths = key signature guide.
- Fingering: Right hand starts with thumb (1), left hand with pinky (5); master finger crossings.
- Goal: Play all 12 major scales fluently by understanding patterns, not memorisation!
