The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

Chapter 3:Scales

The Intervals of the Major Scale

Note Half Steps to Next Note

Tonic 2

Second 2

Third 1

Fourth 2

Fifth 2

Sixth 2

Seventh 1

Put another way, the intervals in a major scale go like this: whole, whole, half,
whole, whole, whole, half.

If you start your major scale on C (the C Major scale), you end up playing all
white keys on the piano. C Major is the only major scale that uses only the
white keys; all the other scales have black keys in them.

To make things easier for you, the following table shows all the notes in the 15
major scales:

The 15 Major Scales

Scale Notes

C Major

C-sharp Major

D-flat Major

D Major

E-flat Major

E Major

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continues