SCALES

The word ‘scale’ comes from the Latin word ‘scala’ meaning ‘ladder.’ A scale is a progression
of single notes upwards or downwards from any note to the eighth note or octave.

Types of Scales

1. Pentatonic scale
2. Pentachord scale
3. Diatonic major scale
4. Diatonic minor scale
a) Natural minor scale
b) Harmonic minor scale
c) Melodic minor scale
5. Chromatic scale

Pentatonic Scale

‘Penta’ means five and tonic means key. Pentatonic scale is a key with five notes; doh, ray, me,
soh, lah.

Pentachord Scale

‘Penta’ means five and ‘chord’ means key. Pentachord scale is a key with five notes; doh, ray,
me, fah, soh.

Diatonic Major Scale

Major scales are referred to as diatonic because they consist of tones and semitones arranged
according to a regular plan (Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone and Semitone).

In a major scale, semitones occur between 3rd-4th and 7th-8th notes; forming two similar
tetrachords with a tone between them.

If we play the white keys on the piano from C to the higher C’ we get a major scale.

      

T T ST T T T ST

The scale of C major is the basis of all major scales, that is, a major scale must have semitones
between the 3rd-4th and 7th-8th notes.
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The notes of scale represent definite pitches. There are names used to describe each degree of the
scale. These are summed up as follows;

Scale degree Solfa name Technical name

I doh Tonic
II ray Supertonic
III mi Mediant
IV fah Subdominant
V soh Dominant
VI lah Sub median
VII ti Leading note (Subtonic)
VIII doh Tonic

A major scale with solfa-notation in C major will be represented as;

C D E F G A B C

doh ray mi fah soh lah ti doh

Construction of major scales with sharps.

G A B C D E F G

T T ST T T ST T

However, the interval between 6th and 7th (E & F) degree is a semitone while that between
7th and 8th is a tone. This order is wrong for a major scale. To achieve the correct order we must
alter the pitch of the 7th degree from F to F sharp so that the scale can be completed thus:

G A B C D E Fsharp G

T T ST T T T ST <Name>
G major ascending without key signature

     
 

2
 <Name>

       
G major ascending with key signature


Keys with sharps on both treble and bass clef

   
      
    
        
Construction of major scales with flats

When constructing scales with flats the formula is the same as for major scales with sharps. The
order of tones and semitones must remain TTstTTTst. This therefore means that notes must be
adjusted backwards to get the required order.

F G A B C D E F

T T T ST T T ST

However, the interval between 3rd-4th (A-B) is a tone and 4th-5th (B-C) is a semitone. This order is
wrong for a major scale. To achieve the correct order we must alter the pitch of the 4th degree
from B to Bflat so that the scale can be completed thus:

F G A Bflat C D E F
<N
T T ST T T T ST

F major ascending without key signature

    
  
3
 <N
F major ascending with key signature

     
   
Keys with Flats

   
     
    
    
Diatonic Minor Scale.

There exists a close relationship between major and minor scales. This is because a minor scale
has its tonic (home key-key note) on the note a minor 3rd below the tonic of a given major scale.
There are three types of minor scales; namely,

a) Natural Minor scale

This is derived from the relative major scale without any alteration of the scale notes.
Semitones occur between 2nd-3rd and 5th-6th degrees of the scale.
A B C D E F G A
T ST T T ST T T
rd
Minor 3
below C
C major therefore is the relative major scale of A minor and A minor is thr relative minor
of C major. Minor scales are therefore derived from their related majors by counting an
interval of a minor 3rd from the tonic ‘doh’ down to ‘lah’. All minor scales have their
tonic note as ‘lah’ of their relative major scale.

In practical composition, some notes of the minor scale have to be altered to achieve a
strong harmonic or melodic effect.

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 b) Harmonic Minor Scale
The harmonic minor scale has the 7th degree of the scale raised in both ascending and
descending order. This creates semitones between 2nd-3rd, 5th-6th and 7th-8th notes of the
scale. There is 1½ tones between 6th-7th notes.
A B C D E F Gsharp A
<Name>
1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1½ ½

 
A minor harmonic ascending without key signature

     
c) Melodic Minor Scale
The melodic minor scale has both the 6th and 7th notes of the scale raised when ascending.
On descending, the 6th and 7th notes are restored to their natural minor state. Semitones
occur between 2nd-3rd and 7th -8th degrees on ascending and 2nd-3rd, 5th-6th degrees on
descending. This therefore gives a smoother effect to the scale, making it more melodious
and easier to sing, compared to the harmonic minor scale.
<Name>
A B C D E Fsharp Gsharp A when ascending


1 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½

     
 
A B C D E F G A when descending

1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1

     
 
Key signatures of minor scales

Minor scales do not have key signatures of their own. They take the key signatures of their
relative major scales. When writing a minor scale on the staff (with key signature), the tonic is
‘lah’ of the relative major key. The alterations in the harmonic and melodic minors must be
reflected accordingly.