As a beginner in learning musical keyboard, you might be wondering about ,"What are scales ?"
There's so much to remember when you are first learning how to play the musical keyboard. You need to sure , you learn the basics correctly the first time. so that you will not to go in wrong way to learn musical keyboard. When it comes to learning how to play the musical keyboard, learning things right the first time is much easier than trying to unlearn poor practices and relearn best practices in the future.So you can become a pro in keyboard.
Scales are often a keyboard student's, first step in learning how to play to the musical keyboard. While practicing scales can seem to be a tedious, routine exercise, scales provide the fundamentals for understanding music and mastering practicing techniques.
In general, it's a good idea to start with the major scales first, then move on to the natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales. Once you master those you can move onto things like chromatic scales, ​blues scales, pentatonic scales and whole tone scales.
What Is A Scale?
You have a doubt while introducing these scale ,"What exactly is a scale and why is it important to learn?"
A scale is a set of musical notes arranged in order which starts from a particular note to the same note repeated.
Scales make up the backbone of most musical pieces, with a single scale providing the melody and harmony.
The scales are in many types.one type of scale acts as a one type of speciality in music.
In types of scales many different scales are there like
- Major scales
- Natural minor scales
- Melodic minor scales
- Hormonic minor scales
- Blues scales
- Pentatonic scales etc.
In above scales,firstly the beginners have to learn mainly two types of scales.
- Major scales
- Natural minor scales
Because,these two types of scales that major and natural minor scales are the building blocks of learning to play the musical keyboard and also for piano.
There are other types of scales that advanced students may wish to study, including harmonic and melodic.
The remaining scales above we saw can be learn after the beginners level
Major scales
Major scales are basic to your understanding of musical keys and are the scales that most musical students learn first.This scale consists of 7 notes or tunes
There are 12 major scales
- C major :
C D E F G A B C - D major :
D E F# G A B C# D
D E Gb G A B Db D - E major :
E F# G# A B C# D# E
E Gb Ab A B Db Eb E - F major :
F G A A# C D E F
F G A Bb C D E F - G major :
G A B C D E F# G
G A B C D E Gb G - A major :
A B C# D E F# G# A
A B Db D E Gb Ab A - B major :
B C# D# E F# G# A# B
B Db Eb E Gb Ab Bb B - C# major :
C# D# F F# G# A# C C#
Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db
- D# major :
D# F G G# A# C D D#
Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb - F# major :
F# G# A# B C# D# F F#
Gb Ab Bb B Db Eb F Gb - G# major :
G# A# C C# D# F G G#
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab - A# major :
A# C D D# F G A A#
Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
Finding The Major Scale
While you observe the 12 major scales above you got a doubt that how this scales are finded.
To find the major scales first of all we should know about chromotic scale
To find a major scale we have a formula given below
Formula: 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 or
W-W-H-W-W-W-H
By use thes formula we can find any of 12 scales.How means the scale which we want,that the scale first note find first.After use this formula.
Example for finding major scale:
- W = Whole note (whole note means the note after note we have leave and move to another next note.whole note means the note after two step front we have to the note.) example for whole note:
- H = half note (half note mean it indicate only one step we have to move front)
if we take a note like "G" note ,now we have apply W(whole note).the note "A" was occurs.so you can understand that two step front we have two move .
if we take note "G" ,now if apply the half note ,then G# note was occured because half step mean one step move front.
what is chromatic scale?
In addition to major and minor scales, there are many other scales in the world of music.
One scale we have to learn that is chromatic scale.It contains all the notes of Western music.
The chromatic scale contains all 12 notes in keyboard that notes such as "C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C".
To play chromatic scales on a piano keyboard, you must play all the white keys and all the black keys in order, one after another.
Natural minor scale
The natural minor scale is one of the three minor scales which are below.
1.natural minor scale
2.melodic minor scale
3.hormonic minor scale
In the above three minor scales the beginner have to learn firstly,natural minor scale.After became advaced student you learn remaining scales.
Natural scale contains 7 tunes or notes.Natural minor scale is a basic minor scale which have to first.
There are 12 natural minor scales.There are:
- C natural minor scale:-
C D D# F G G# A# C
C D Eb F G Ab Bb C - D natural minor scale:
D E F G A A# C D
D E F G A Bb C D - E natural minor scale:
E F# G A B C D E
E Gb G A B C D E - F natural minor scale:
F G G# A# C C# D# F
F G Ab Bb C Db Eb F - G natural minor scale:
G A A# C D D# F G
G A Bb C D Eb F G - A natural minor scale:
A B C D E F G A - B natural minor scale:
B C# D E F# G A B
B Db D E Gb G A B - C# natural minor scale:
C# D# E F# G# A B C#
Db Eb E Gb Ab A B Db - D# natural minor scale:
D# F F# G# A# B C# D#
Eb F Gb Ab Bb B Db Eb - F# natural minor scale:
F# G# A B C# D E F#
Gb Ab A B Db D E Gb - G# natural minor scale:
G# A# B C# D# E F# G#
Ab Bb B Db Eb E Gb Ab - A# natural minor scale:
A# C C# D# F F# G# A#
Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb
Finding of natural minor scale
To find any of 12 natural minor scale , we have formula given below.
Formula:W-H-W-W-H-W-W
(OR) 2-1-2-2-1-2-2
To find any natural minor scale use the formula above.And once observe the chromatic scale to understand better.
Example for finding natural minor scale
the C natural minor scale was found by using formula. you can see in below picture.
These are scales need to learn and memorise by the beginner students.