Find the Notes in a Scale

In a music theory test, it can often be hard to memorize what notes are in which scales. For example, if a test asks you to write the major scale with 4 sharps in it, it would be hard to do. This shows a rule to follow, so you don't have to memorize every scale.

Steps

  1. Write the letters F C G D A E B, down the middle of a page, like an acrostic poem. You can use a phrase to help you remember the letters e.g. Father Christmas Gets Drunk At Every Ball.
  2. Put a horizontal line to the left in line with C and a line to the right in line with A.
  3. Then put a flat sign (b) on the bottom 2 sections and a sharp sign (#) on the top 2.
  4. The left side will be for major scales. The right is for minor.
  5. If I wanted to find the key signature of D Major. First I find D on the sheet. Because we want to find D major, we will only use the major side, which is on the left. It is in the sharps section, because everything below C on the list has sharps (for major scales). C major has no sharps. G major has 1 sharp because it is 1 below C. D major has 2 sharps because it is 2 below C. So we know it has 2 sharps.
  6. To find out which 2 sharps, simply count down from the top of the list all major scales with sharps (any with flats you count from the bottom). It has 2 sharps so it has F sharp and C sharp. If the scale we were trying to find had one sharp it would be F sharp only. And if it had four sharps, it would have F, C, G and D sharp, because you count down from the top of the list.
  7. To find a minor scale (e.g. G minor). Find the note on the sheet, in this case it is G. We will use the right side of the sheet because the scale is minor. The scale A minor has no sharps or flats. The section above A concerns flats. D minor has 1 flat note, and G minor has 2 flat notes.
  8. To find the flat notes in a minor scale, count the notes from the bottom (to find sharps in a minor scale, count from the top). G minor has 2 flat notes, so we take the 2 notes counting up from the bottom. This would make the key signature B flat and E flat.

Tips

  • If you need to learn what sharp notes or flat notes are, find a music teacher or someone who is knowledgeable about music.
  • This doesn't include accidentals, for minor scales.
  • Seriously, you're going to find it easier in the long run to remember the flats and sharps than to memorize these rules if you play any instrument and have been taught to play all the scales on your instrument, because then you only have to imagine playing the scales on your instrument and in the case of the one with 4 sharps, eliminate in your mind the keys which don't use sharps, and you're about done.

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