Major Scale Structure

The structure of the major scale follows a pattern; tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone. In the picture below the whole step is a tone and a half step is a semitone.

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When the C major scale is written, it starts on C, then up a tone to D, another tone to E, then a semitone to F, a tone to G, another tone to A, tone to B and finally a semitone to C. All major scales are structured in the same way. The top stave in the picture above shows us C major scale, the second stave is D major scale. It starts on D, up a tone to E, another tone to F#, then a semitone to G, three more tones up A, B and C#, then the semitone to D. The scale on the third stave is the Bb major scale. It starts on Bb, then up a tone to C, another tone to D, then a semitone to Eb, a tone to F, a tone to G, another tone to A and finally a semitone to Bb.

There are 12 major scales in music and by following this pattern, we can work out each scale. Below is a picture of the cycle (circle) of 5ths. It shows all the twelve major scales.

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The picture below shows us the cycle of 5ths and all their key signatures in the bass clef.

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Below is the cycle of 5ths and all their key signatures in the treble clef.

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Warburton, Annie O. Basic Music Knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Print, pp. 30 to 33.