An introduction to Music Scales & Scale Degrees

1. Songwriting
Scales & Scale Degrees
Christopher Baker
musicstudentinfo.com

2. The Major
Scale
Recap
• The major scale is one of the most used scales
in Western music.
• Like many musical scales, it is made up of
seven notes: the eighth duplicates the first at
double its frequency so that it is called a
higher octave of the same note.
• The simplest major scale to write is C major, the
only major scale not requiring sharps or flats

3. What formula can we apply to construct the
C Major scale?
recap
1. Starting on the note C
2. Where do we find C ?

4. Diatonic & Chromatic (scales or chords)
1. A major scale is a diatonic scale.
2. What is meant by the term diatonic?
3. A diatonic scale is not a specific scale, but a way a scale is constructed.
4. A diatonic scale is constructed from a mix of whole and half steps in a contrary way
to chromatic which are constructed only by half steps.

5. Chromatic – C Chromatic

6. Diatonic - C Major

7. The formula for Major Scale construction is….
RECAP
The Major Scale has this formula: FROM L to R
• Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half or
• Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone
• To count a Whole tone, count by two physical piano keys, either white or black.
• To count a Half-tone (semitone), count from the last note up by one physical piano key,
either white or black
• and to construct the Minor scale……..

8. The formula
for (natural)
Minor Scale
construction
is….
The Minor Scale has this
formula: FROM L to R
Whole, Half, Whole, Whole,
Half, Whole, Whole or
Tone, Semitone, Tone,
Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone

9. Scale Degrees - Numbers & Names
• The notes of Major and Minor scale have specific names, called Scale Degrees.
• They have both a number and a name.
• The Scale Degree numbers are:
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

10. Names of the Scale Degrees
• Tonic
• Supertonic
• Mediant
• Subdominant
• Dominant
• Submediant
• Leading Tone

11. Mnemonic
to
remember
Scale
Degree
names
Tonic To
Supertonic See
Mediant More
Subdominant Sheep
Dominant Don’t
Submediant Say
Leading Tone Lunch
Tonic (octave)
To See More Sheep Don’t Say Lunch.

12. Lesson Review
Diatonic Chromatic
Major Scale
construction
formula
Minor Scale
construction
formula
Scale Numbers are
called..
Mnemonic to
remember name of
each step of the
scale..
Name of each scale
number
Important scale
numbers in popular
music & why….