I've noticed that E is in every natural key of the major scale. No matter what key you play the major scale in, E is the only note that is in each scale. Is there any significance to this?

It is just arbitrary. If you follow the cycle of fifths through major keys starting with F, E will be the last note to be raised a half step.

No matter what key you play the major scale in, E is the only note that is in each scale.


Well that sentence is not strictly true - Bb,Eb,Ab,Db etc. - all major scales with Eb and no E !

It is just arbitrary. If you follow the cycle of fifths through major keys starting with F, E will be the last note to be raised a half step.

E raised a half step is F!! :p

It is just arbitrary. If you follow the cycle of fifths through major keys starting with F, E will be the last note to be raised a half step.

Not B?

I've noticed that E is in every natural key of the major scale. No matter what key you play the major scale in, E is the only note that is in each scale. Is there any significance to this?
Yes, it proves there was a conspiracy by CIA, NSA and FBI to assasinate J.F.K.









:hiding:

That's not true at all if you're talking about the pitch "E-natural". It's not in the major keys of Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, F#, C#...what exactly are you talking about?

Yea. I don't understand.

What about F# Major?

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

Or even C# for that matter.

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

I don't understand what you're saying. If you're saying there's an E in every scale, there isn't.
Once you get into Pentatonic and stuff, there might not be an E.

Er...I think I get it.

What about B? That's natural in every natural key.

Er...I think I get it.

What about B? That's natural in every natural key.

No, for instance in C# major you will have B#, (the enharmonic equivalent of C natural, but it's called B# in this key).

Here's some basic theory:

The key of C has no sharps or flats. If you proceed in a cycle of fifths, one sharp is added in each new key. i.e. key of C= no sharps, key of G= one sharp (F#), key of D= two sharps (F# and C#), key of A= three sharps (F# C# and G#)...etc.

If you you proceed in a cycle of fourths, one flat is added in each new key. i.e. key of C= (no flats), key of F= one flat (Bb), key of Bb= two flats (Bb and Eb), key of Eb= three flats (Bb Eb and Ab) ...etc.

A major scale always has the same intervals between the notes(w=whole step, h=half step):
I - w - II - w- III - h - IV - w - V - w - VI - w -VII - h - Octave

In a major scale, you only use a letter name once, so you won't for instance have A and Ab in the same scale. The key of A would use G#.

In the key of C# major the tones would be:

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

Db major, the enharmonic equivalent of C#major, has two less accidentals so it's easier to deal with.

Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db

Likewise, G# major would be:

G# A# B# C# D# E# F## (double sharp)G#

But Ab is:

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

I've noticed that E is in every natural key of the major scale. No matter what key you play the major scale in, E is the only note that is in each scale. Is there any significance to this?

By all the "natural keys", you mean A B C D E F & G majors, right? Not any flat or sharp majors.

In that case yes E would be in all of those keys.

E is the last note to be sharped going in the circle of fifths (C-G-D-A-E-B) once you sharp the E (F# major) you're no longer in a "natural" key.

E raised a half step is F!! :p

No, it's not. It's E#. Just like F lowered a half step is Fb. B raised a half step is B# and C lowered a half step is Cb.

Semantics and floccinaucinihilipilification.



:hiding:

Is there any significance to this?

No, you just happened to pick E. Any natural note will be in 7 keys. Let's pick another one; let's say A.

In: C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb =7

or F

In: C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb =7

Now E

C, F, G, D, A, E, B =7

Er...I think I get it.

What about B? That's natural in every natural key.

F major dude.

Last I checked, F major has a Bb in it, and the OP said 'natural keys' (ie no sharps or flats). :ninja:

No, it's not. It's E#. Just like F lowered a half step is Fb. B raised a half step is B# and C lowered a half step is Cb.

You call it what you like - I'll play an F and nobody will know!! :p

Semantics and floccinaucinihilipilification.



:hiding:


.

Well that sentence is not strictly true - Bb,Eb,Ab,Db etc. - all major scales with Eb and no E !

Don't forget key of C# and we get a E#.

I've noticed that E is in every natural key of the major scale. No matter what key you play the major scale in, E is the only note that is in each scale. Is there any significance to this?

Actually look a little closer there is a A, B, C, D, E, F, G letter name in every scale. Just in the 12 keys sometimes the letter name have a sharp or flat so they fit the scale formula.

Semantics and floccinaucinihilipilification.



:hiding:


floccinaucinihilipilification = WOW! What a word!

F major dude.

I was thinking in comparison to Being Sharp. but good point.

By all the "natural keys", you mean A B C D E F & G majors, right? Not any flat or sharp majors.

In that case yes E would be in all of those keys.

Congratulations! Somebody actually understood what the OP was saying. Not that difficult, everybody else.

Once you get into Pentatonic and stuff, there might not be an E.

but we're not talking about pentatonics, are we?

someone suggested to me that I should learn how to play the major scale on one string. Starting on the lowest note, which is E. Its just something that I noticed and thought it was some undisclosed information that would enlighten me. Something that would tie alot of other things together.

What than is the importance of doing the exercise over the E string starting with the lowest note? I suppose doing the exercise over the other strings too would be useful?

steve

You start at the lowest note available on that particular string. If the scale had an Eb instead of E natural then you would start on the F.

Playing scales and arpeggios on just one string is good practice for shifting and learning your fretboard.

someone suggested to me that I should learn how to play the major scale on one string. Starting on the lowest note, which is E. Its just something that I noticed and thought it was some undisclosed information that would enlighten me. Something that would tie alot of other things together.

What than is the importance of doing the exercise over the E string starting with the lowest note? I suppose doing the exercise over the other strings too would be useful?

steve

Learning how to play a major scale on one string is a great exercise for learning the formula for a major scale. Also helps work on shifting. Then going to other keys the open E might not work. Another great thing to work on to really know your neck, is play scales from the lowest usable note on the bass too the highest.

Do exercises like this help in Walking Bass, Soloing, and Sightreading anything that makes you shift positions.

Yeah, I've also noticed that E is in every American English Alphabet as well!

Weird Huh??? :-P

Well that sentence is not strictly true - Bb,Eb,Ab,Db etc. - all major scales with Eb and no E !

I thought it's still an E, but then given that every scale must not repeat a note, aren't all notes in all scales? Or is my lack of theory hindering my understanding of the actual question being asked?

I thought it's still an E, but then given that every scale must not repeat a note, aren't all notes in all scales? Or is my lack of theory hindering my understanding of the actual question being asked?

:confused:

K,

Listen up children. I noticed E in every Natural key. Not an accidental key. No other note is in every natural key. I'm talkin about Major scale. sorry if i wasn't clear. Its no big deal. But I thought it might be. Thats why I posted it.

Could you list your natural keys?

I've noticed that E is in every natural key of the major scale. No matter what key you play the major scale in, E is the only note that is in each scale. Is there any significance to this?

Well, hmmm...

Technically speaking a variation of an E would turnup in the unaltered major scales...mostly because the musical alphabet, at the outset, has 7 letters A-G. And...you need to have all of them, in one form or another, in every unaltered major.

Variation= Eb, E#, E

So yup, I guess you be raht. :ninja:

K,

Listen up children. I noticed E in every Natural key. Not an accidental key. No other note is in every natural key. I'm talkin about Major scale. sorry if i wasn't clear. Its no big deal. But I thought it might be. Thats why I posted it.

In the key of F Major, the E is the VII. You can count it if you want to...

Jus Kiddin'

E is in every Major key. It's just an observation.

In the key of G Major, the E is a minor 6th. Still a note in the Major but not used too often (unless you play blues :crying: )

- bsb

You call it what you like - I'll play an F and nobody will know!! :p

no doubt!!:D

For the starter of this thread, id like to suggest to learn your scales:D

Could you list your natural keys?


natural keys: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.

That's an interesting observation, but you seem to be making up your own terminology.

How are these natural keys?

"natural keys: A, B, C, D, E, F, G."

If by natural you mean no double flats or sharps, you're leaving out the rest of the keys: F# C# Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb

(as a side note, E also appears in the following minor keys: F#min G#min Amin Bmin C#min Dmin and Emin)

"E is in every Major key. It's just an observation. (bbehrens)"

No it's not...if you're talking about E natural (plain old E), again, what about the rest of the major keys? E isn't in F# C# Bb Eb Ab Db Gb or Cb


Here's an observation: F# is in all of the sharp keys (G D A E B F# C#) and Bb is in all of the flat keys (F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb)....

No, it's not. It's E#. Just like F lowered a half step is Fb. B raised a half step is B# and C lowered a half step is Cb.

All depends on who or why your writing notes. For theory test or illustrating theory then enharmonics are usually not used. In real world situations people tend to use enharmonic to make reading faster. This is especially true for double sharps or flats. Even in the studio when money is on the line the copist job is to make music as easy to read as possible. It's like not writing rhythms that cross the imaginary line in the middle of a measure, it all about making music easy to read and understand.

Personally, I am a BIG fan of the Fb

Let's hear it for the Fb!!!

Yeah!!!

:D

- bsb

natural keys: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.

Okay, so you're saying every major key whose first degree is contained in the C major scale...has an "e" note in it's scale.

Interesting observation.

I've noticed that E is in every natural key of the major scale. No matter what key you play the major scale in, E is the only note that is in each scale. Is there any significance to this?

What? No, E is not in every major scale. There is no significance to this because it is not true.

K,

Listen up children. I noticed E in every Natural key. Not an accidental key. No other note is in every natural key. I'm talkin about Major scale. sorry if i wasn't clear. Its no big deal. But I thought it might be. Thats why I posted it.

So you mean a major scale with no accidentals. That leaves you C major.

natural keys: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.

All of these except for C has accidentals. (A 3#'s; B 5#'s; D 2#'s; E 4#'s; F 1b; G 1#). Or are you trying to say that major scales that have a natural (unaltered) root all have an unaltered E in them? If that's what you're saying then it's true and I guess that would make for a good trivia question. I think the confusion of what you were trying to say and what we were reading were caused by a difference in terminology.

As for learning your scales, it has become apparant that you are learning them and really looking at them for commonality and differences. Keep going.

The OP is saying that E natural (not E# or Eb) can be found in every major scale that doesn't start with a flat or sharp note. And no other note does this.

A: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A
B: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B
C: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
D: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
E: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E
F: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F
G: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G

The OP is saying that E natural (not E# or Eb) can be found in every major scale that doesn't start with a flat or sharp note. And no other note does this.

A: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A
B: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B
C: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
D: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
E: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E
F: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F
G: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G


YES!!!!

This is all I am saying. Man:rollno:


Thanks Vic

I see an Fb in Every Major scale as well! :smug:

- bsb

I see an Fb in Every Major scale as well! :smug:

- bsb

I don't. You can only have one of each note in a major scale.

Congratulations! Somebody actually understood what the OP was saying. Not that difficult, everybody else.

Last time I checked, there was only one all-natural key, which is C. What am I misunderstanding?

K,

Listen up children. I noticed E in every Natural key. Not an accidental key. No other note is in every natural key. I'm talkin about Major scale. sorry if i wasn't clear. Its no big deal. But I thought it might be. Thats why I posted it.

Ok... so other than C, what natural major keys are you talking about?

All depends on who or why your writing notes. For theory test or illustrating theory then enharmonics are usually not used. In real world situations people tend to use enharmonic to make reading faster. This is especially true for double sharps or flats. Even in the studio when money is on the line the copist job is to make music as easy to read as possible. It's like not writing rhythms that cross the imaginary line in the middle of a measure, it all about making music easy to read and understand.

Hi Steve - with all respect, as you certainly deserve mine - my understanding is that enharmonic is a type of relationship, i.e. E# and F are enharmonic - not one is and the other isn't - so I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. But if I understand you correctly, I disagree with a situationally-acceptable usage of the "wrong" notational name for a note - using a note name that doesn't fit the key in a studio situation can lead to confusion and I would say a reason for serious bitching to whoever did the arrangement. I don't run into it myself, so maybe it's a circle of friends kind of thing.

The OP is saying that E natural (not E# or Eb) can be found in every major scale that doesn't start with a flat or sharp note. And no other note does this.

A: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A
B: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B
C: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
D: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
E: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E
F: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F
G: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G

Ah!

That *is* interesting.

Last time I checked, there was only one all-natural key, which is C. What am I misunderstanding?

All he means is major keys whose names are notes that lack flats or sharps (i.e., "natural" notes), as he said earlier. IOW, A B C D E F G. Not major keys with flatted names, like Bb or Eb, and not major keys with sharped names, like F# or C#.

Hi Steve - with all respect, as you certainly deserve mine - my understanding is that enharmonic is a type of relationship, i.e. E# and F are enharmonic - not one is and the other isn't - so I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. But if I understand you correctly, I disagree with a situationally-acceptable usage of the "wrong" notational name for a note - using a note name that doesn't fit the key in a studio situation can lead to confusion and I would say a reason for serious bitching to whoever did the arrangement. I don't run into it myself, so maybe it's a circle of friends kind of thing.

I have been around the studios on both sides of the glass since the 70's and for non-classical music enharmonics are the the norm, they make reading less confusing and especially double accidentals.

Classical is a different thing reading is their whole life and except for the few big names the rest their careers all are based on being able to read anything. If there is a reading mistake in the studio its their fault. In commercial date if a mistake and MD or arranger see an enharmonic would of helped or writing a rhythm differently you have copyist or music preparer in todays terms looking for work.

All I can say is what I've seen.

That's an interesting observation, but you seem to be making up your own terminology.

How are these natural keys?

"natural keys: A, B, C, D, E, F, G."

If by natural you mean no double flats or sharps, you're leaving out the rest of the keys: F# C# Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb

(as a side note, E also appears in the following minor keys: F#min G#min Amin Bmin C#min Dmin and Emin)

"E is in every Major key. It's just an observation. (bbehrens)"

No it's not...if you're talking about E natural (plain old E), again, what about the rest of the major keys? E isn't in F# C# Bb Eb Ab Db Gb or Cb


Here's an observation: F# is in all of the sharp keys (G D A E B F# C#) and Bb is in all of the flat keys (F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb)....

Those would be the unaltered "white Key" scales. Named after the white keys on the piano.

This thread is hilarious. It's been explained so many times what he meant. Why is there still argument?

Yes. The OP is working through these scales and has an AHA! moment and he explains it one way and we look at what he says in another way, then it takes 3 pages for the rest of us to understand. :)

Yes. The OP is working through these scales and has an AHA! moment and he explains it one way and we look at what he says in another way, then it takes 3 pages for the rest of us to understand. :)

That happens all the time around TB many times the other answers bring out information of use for others reading the threads. It's all good.

every major key whose first degree is contained in the C major scale...has an "e" note in it's scale.


This pattern is true for each major key, BTW.

Every major key whose first degree is contained in the Db major scale...has an "f" note in it's scale.

Every major key whose first degree is contained in the D major scale...has an "f#" note in it's scale.

every major key whose first degree is contained in the Eb major scale...has an "g" note in it's scale.

etc...

This thread is hilarious. It's been explained so many times what he meant. Why is there still argument?
People are people :)
I thought the same reading through trying to decipher.

Not B?

Well - I was thinking in terms of notes in F major, Bb being to first to be sharpened. You could argue that B############ (etc.) would be the last note to be raised, but that isn't really a note - at least in practice. So B# might be the last pitch in practice to be sharpened (to B##).

Those would be the unaltered "white Key" scales. Named after the white keys on the piano.

Oh yeah, the famous white key scales....

Is there any significance to this?

Oh yeah, I forgot about the second question...

Well, it means that in the rock 'n roll keys of G, A, C, D, & E, guitar players can write songs using only the "dotted" frets, and always find a way to get a pick squeal down to the open low E string!
:D

This pattern is true for each major key, BTW.

Every major key whose first degree is contained in the Db major scale...has an "f" note in it's scale.

Every major key whose first degree is contained in the D major scale...has an "f#" note in it's scale.

every major key whose first degree is contained in the Eb major scale...has an "g" note in it's scale.

etc...
This explains it all.

I always got a B# in music theory. I could never get an A.

:D

- bsb