Question regarding the major scale

[aor]

i've been learning through a book for the past few days and I've got the hang of the C major scale.

starting note - whole step, whole step, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

ok, so for C major that's C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.

now my main question is this. is the major scale called the major scale because it only plays natural notes, or is it called a major scale because of your finger placement? it says if i start anywhere on the fretboard it will continue to be a major, but if i start off with A it goes...

A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A... now the thing i'm wondering, is that simply a A major, or do i have to arrange the steps so it goes to A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A?

[finalrequiem]

Yes, that is A major (the first one). Major scales are whole step, whole step, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

Edit to add: To answer your question, it isn't natural notes or finger placement. It's the pattern of steps (incorrect terminology).

[Beepo]

Originally Posted by aor

A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A... A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A?

Yep, this would be an A Major scale, it is so because of it has this specific whole/half step pattern. The "major" scale is also a modal scale by the name of "ionian".

Originally Posted by aor

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A?

This is an A Minor scale, again because of it's whole/half step pattern. The natural minor scale like this one is also called "aeolian" in the modal system. The aeolian/minor scale always begins on the 6th step of the Major scale(in the case of C Major, this 6th step is A).
If you play an A Major scale, the natural minor scale consisting of the same notes will be the F Minor.

So now you know how to play both natural major and natural minor scales

If you begin on different steps in the major scale, and play a whole scale up to the octave above, you will discover the other modal scales. For example(in C Major, but of course this works in all major scales): D(2nd step) E F G A B C D. THis scale from the 2nd step is called a "dorian" scale.

The rest are as follows:
1st step: Ionian
2nd step: Dorian
3rd step: Phrygian
4th step: Lydian
5th step: Mixolydian
6th step: Aeolian(natural minor scale)
7th step: Locrian

Have fun!

[Shovelbone]

The major scale is the most common scale in western or modern music. If you play it in sequence the notes of the scale make up the famous do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do that we learned as little kids.

This familiar sound of the Major scale is created by the pattern of intervals between each of its notes. There are seven notes in the Major scale and seven intervals between them. The pattern goes like this -
Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Semitone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Semitone.

If you list out the chromatic scale -
C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B you will have 12 notes. If you impose the major scale pattern on top of the chromatic scale you will get a major scale.

So it is the intervals that make up the sound we know as the major scale.

[JTE]

It's very useful (critical in fact) to learn all the scales you learn by the intervals. W W H W W W H is the major scale, no matter which note you start on.

To "know" a scale to me means:

A. You know the whole-step and half-step formula for making the scale
B. You can figure out the notes for that scale in in any using the correct enharmonics. NOT that you can find them on a chart or list, but that you can sit down with pencil and paper and come up with the right notes.
C. You know what it sounds like- you know what the next note will sound like before you play it
D. You can find it and play it over two octaves ascending and descending in any key.

Otherwise, you don't KNOW the scale.

John

[MarkTAW]

Originally Posted by aor

i've been learning through a book for the past few days and I've got the hang of the C major scale.

starting note - whole step, whole step, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

ok, so for C major that's C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.

now my main question is this. is the major scale called the major scale because it only plays natural notes, or is it called a major scale because of your finger placement? it says if i start anywhere on the fretboard it will continue to be a major, but if i start off with A it goes...

A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A... now the thing i'm wondering, is that simply a A major, or do i have to arrange the steps so it goes to A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A?

You've got it right. It's the RELATIONSHIP of the notes to the root note that's important.

The major scale is called a major scale because of the major third (whole whole) relationship of the root to the third. C to E or A to C#.

The minor scale is called minor because of the minor third (whole half) relationship. C to Eb or A to C.

Major in this case simply means "larger" - it's the larger, major interval (whole whole) not the smaller, minor (whole half) interval.