How to play a major scale on the Piano

May 14, 2007

A major scale is a series of notes composed of whole and half steps. A half step is simply the distance from one note to the very next. For example, E to F is a half step. Ab to A is also a half step. A whole step is just two half steps. Bb to C and F to G are two examples of whole steps. With this in mind, you can easily construct a major scale if you know the formula.

Why you should learn major scale first before minor scale or blue scale? The main reason is that most pop songs and classical songs are written in Major scales.
Starting with
C >
D (D is a whole step from C)
E (E is a whole step from D)
F (F is an half step from E)
G (G is a whole step from F)
A (A is a whole step from G)
B (B is a whole step from A)
C (C is an half step from B)
Watch this simple video to learn the basic of major scale:

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPnS6lDL2MA]

Follow this simple guidance of sequence to practice your major scale:

Start with C major scale
Transpose the scale a perfect 5^th above and you will get G major. Practice G major scale.
Keep transposing 5^th above, you will get back to C major at the end
The sequence goes like this : C – G – D – A – E – B – F#/Gb –Db – Ab – Eb – Bb – F – C