Scales: major and minor

In short: A scale is a sequence of notes at fixed intervals. Major usually sounds bright and cheerful, minor rather sad or serious. The difference lies in the arrangement of whole and half steps.

In more detail: The major scale follows the pattern whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. C major consists only of white piano keys.

In detail

• C major: C D E F G A B C.
• A minor (natural): A B C D E F G A, same notes as C major but a different tonic.
• Third: The major third makes major, the minor third makes minor.
• Circle of fifths: Arranges all keys; each fifth upward adds a sharp.
• Pentatonic: Five-note scale, popular in rock, blues and folk music.
• Modes: Church modes such as Dorian or Mixolydian have their own colours (akkorde-grundlagen, noten-lesen-grundlagen).