Key SignaturesĪ key signature, consisting of either sharps or flats, appears at the beginning of a composition, after a clef but before a time signature. The notes of the A♭ major scale arranged to show the derivation of scale-degree names. (Note that in this text, we prefer the term leading tone instead of “subtonic” when referring to the scale-degree that is a half step below tonic, so named because it is often thought of as “leading” toward the tonic.)Įxample 6. The Latin prefix sub means “below” the subtonic, submediant, and subdominant are the inverted versions (i.e., below the tonic) of the supertonic, mediant, and dominant respectively.The Latin prefix super means “above,” so the supertonic is a second above the tonic.The word mediant means “middle,” and refers to the fact that the mediant is in the middle of the tonic and dominant pitches.The word dominant is inherited from medieval music theory, and refers to the importance of the fifth above the tonic in diatonic music.The curved lines above the staff show the intervallic distance between each scale degree and the tonic. An A♭ major scale with scale-degree names.Įxample 6 shows the notes and scale-degree names of the A♭ major scale in an order that shows how the names of the scale degrees were derived. Scale-degree numbers, solfège syllables, and scale-degree names.Įxample 5 shows these scale-degree names applied to an A♭ major scale:Įxample 5.
The first note of a scale is \hatĮxample 4. Scale degrees are solmization syllables notated by Arabic numerals with carets above them. Musicians name the notes of major scales in several different ways. Scale Degrees, Solfège, and Scale-Degree Names Note that the pattern of half and whole steps is the same in every major scale, as shown in Example 1 and Example 2.Įxample 2.
Example 2 shows a B♭ (B-flat) major scale-not a B major scale, which would use a different collection of pitches. The name of a scale includes any accidental that applies to the first and last note. Therefore, Example 1 depicts a C major scale because its first and last note is a C. Each whole step is labeled with a square bracket and “W,” and each half step is labeled with an angled bracket and “H.”Ī major scale always starts and ends on notes of the same letter name, one octave apart, and this starting and ending note determines the name of the scale. Listen to Example 1 to hear an ascending major scale. Major ScalesĪ major scale is an ordered collection of half- (abbreviated H) and whole steps (abbreviated W) in the following ascending succession: W-W-H-W-W-W-H. All of the major key signatures are placed on a circle in order of number of accidentals.Ī scale is an ordered collection of half and whole steps (see Half and Whole Steps and Accidentals to review). The circle of fifths is a convenient visual for remembering major key signatures.In flat key signatures, the second-to-last flat is the tonic. In sharp key signatures, the last sharp is a half step below the tonic (the first note of a scale).
The order of sharps in key signatures is F, C, G, D, A, E, B, while the order of flats is the opposite: B, E, A, D, G, C, F.A key signature, consisting of either sharps or flats, appears at the beginning of a composition, after a clef but before a time signature.Each note of a major scale is also named with scale-degree names: tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, and leading tone.The syllables are do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and ti. Solfège solmization syllables are another method of naming notes in a major scale.Scale degrees are solmization syllables notated by Arabic numerals with carets above them.Major scales are named for their first note (which is also their last note), including any accidental that applies to the note.A major scale is an ordered collection of half and whole steps with the ascending succession W‑W‑H‑W‑W‑W‑H.
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