Major Scale Construction

October 29th, 2005 Print Tip E-mail Tip

Here once again is the Chromatic Scale (remember, it goes fret-by-fret):

A   A#   B   C   C#   D   D#   E   F   F#   G   G#   A
    Bb           Db       Eb           Gb       Ab

Okay, to create a major scale we need to extract certain notes based on a "step" formula or pattern. On guitar a half-step is the distance from one fret to the very next fret, while a whole-step is from one fret to the fret two frets higher or lower on the neck. So here is the formula: (W= Whole-step, H= Half-step):

   W   W    H   W   W    W    H
(A   B   C#   D   E   F#   G#   A)

So, if we start with the note A, we count up two frets and get the note B, then two more and get C#, a half-step or one fret takes us to D, a whole-step to E, another "W" to F#, and another "W" to G#, and finally an "H" = one-step=one fret takes us to the A-note an octave higher and completes the scale.

The chromatic scale above repeats over and over to in infinity, so you can start on any note, and applying the "W H'' pattern above extract a major scale. The name of the scale will be based upon your starting or "root" note.

If you understand this pattern, life gets simpler, since from here on in we'll look at scale formula calculation from an Arabic numeral standpoint. So check out Arabic Numeral Scale Formula Derivations.