Basic Knowledge of Music
Nobody can learn music in one day, similarly nobody can teach it in one day. I will keep updating this page regularly as I come across new things about music.
The "C" Scale
C Scale is known as the natural scale.
Its easier to grasp.
Why is this called the C scale?
Because it starts with the alphabet C.
What if I start with alphabet A?
Its the A scale.
Simple enough?
Revision:
So now we know that C scale has the following notes.C D E F G A B C.
Now lets take one step further.
Are there any other notes?
Yes. We have #(sharp) notes.
We have C#, D#, F#, G#, A#.
C# follows C
D# follows D
F# follows F
G# follows G
A# follows A.
So if we write all the notes together, the sequence will be:
Its easier to grasp.
Why is this called the C scale?
Because it starts with the alphabet C.
What if I start with alphabet A?
Its the A scale.
Simple enough?
Revision:
So now we know that C scale has the following notes.C D E F G A B C.
Now lets take one step further.
Are there any other notes?
Yes. We have #(sharp) notes.
We have C#, D#, F#, G#, A#.
C# follows C
D# follows D
F# follows F
G# follows G
A# follows A.
So if we write all the notes together, the sequence will be:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B | C |
Now lets go back to the C scale, our natural scale.
Of the 13 notes listed above the notes we play are highlighted.
If you see, it does not have any # notes. Hence it is called the natural scale.
Of the 13 notes listed above the notes we play are highlighted.
If you see, it does not have any # notes. Hence it is called the natural scale.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B | C |
The other scales
If you notice above we play alternate notes in the scale, except that we don't have any gap between the 3rd and 7th note.
If you notice, you come back to your starting note when you do that.
Now you can derive any scale using this background.
Lets practice.
Lets derive the A scale.
Lets go back to our 13 scales. and now rearrange them in such a fashion that A is the 1st note.
Why should A be the 1st note?
Because A is the 1st note of A scale. And remember, the sequence remains the same.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | A# | B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A |
Again, highlight alternating notes. Only there will no gap after 3rd & 7th note.
So what we should get is:
So what we should get is:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | A# | B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A |
Congratulations! You have just derived the A scale.
Similarly, you can derive other scales too.
Similarly, you can derive other scales too.
B Scale
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B |
D Scale
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B | C | C# | D |
E Scale
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E | F | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B | C | C# | D | D# | E |
F Scale
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F |
G Scale
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | G# | A | A# | B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G |
Notice that every scale starts and ends with the same alphabet. That is a good way to test if you have got the scale right.
The difference between the 1st and last alphabet is that, the 1st note sounds lower than the last.
Whats lower and higher?
Try saying E from your throat. It sounds more masculine.
Now, try saying E using more nasal effect. It sounds more feminine.
E from throat is lower than E from nose. Nasal E has a high pitch, more like a screech.
And the E from throat more base like the effect of a huge gong.
We will touch this topic later, but for now I hope you understand the difference between 1st and last note of a scale.
Pluck the 6th String of your guitar, thats the lower E. The 1st string, the thinnest one is the higher E.
The difference between the 1st and last alphabet is that, the 1st note sounds lower than the last.
Whats lower and higher?
Try saying E from your throat. It sounds more masculine.
Now, try saying E using more nasal effect. It sounds more feminine.
E from throat is lower than E from nose. Nasal E has a high pitch, more like a screech.
And the E from throat more base like the effect of a huge gong.
We will touch this topic later, but for now I hope you understand the difference between 1st and last note of a scale.
Pluck the 6th String of your guitar, thats the lower E. The 1st string, the thinnest one is the higher E.
The flat notes
This is just a footnote.Now you know the # notes.
You may also hear someone say B-flat.C# follows C.
B-flat preceeds B.
So B-flat is nothing but A#, just a different notation.
Just remember your basic sequence and try to derive the flats.
You may also hear someone say B-flat.C# follows C.
B-flat preceeds B.
So B-flat is nothing but A#, just a different notation.
Just remember your basic sequence and try to derive the flats.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | D-flat | D | E-flat | E | F | G-flat | G | A-flat | A | B-flat | B | C |