4/12/2020 Piano music scales – major & minor piano scales

Piano Music Scales – Major & Minor

Let’s learn major and minor piano music scales in all keys. To understand how to form music scales,
you need to understand the concept of whole steps and half steps.

Let’s learn how to form a major scale on piano using a simple formula. The formula is whole –
whole – half – whole – whole – whole – half or w-w-h-w-w-w-h. “Whole” stands for a whole step on
your piano and “half” stands for a half step.

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Whole steps and half steps describe the distance from one key or pitch to another.

A whole step always skips a key. For instance, the distance between C and D is a whole step, the
distance between B at and C is a whole step, and so on. The note C sharp (D at) has been skipped
in the rst example, and B has been skipped in the second.

A half step never skips a key – you go to the next key. For instance, the distance between C and C
sharp (D at) is a half step, the distance between E and F is a half step, and so on.

There are 8 notes in a scale. You may also remember the scale notes by roman numerals. For
instance in the key of C the pitches of scale are C D E F G A B C. In roman numerals it’s I II III IV V VI VII
VIII.

So to form major piano music scales, you start with the key name (the root note), then move a whole
step, another whole step, a half step, followed by a whole step, whole step, whole step, and nally a
half step.

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Video: How To Form Major Scales On Piano

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Piano Scales: How To Form Major Scales On Piano

C major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/c-major-scale.html)

Take the key of C as an example.

1. The rst note is C.

2. A whole step from C takes us to D.
3. Another whole step takes us to E.
4. A half step takes us to F.
5. One whole step higher is G.
6. Another whole step higher is A.
7. Another whole step take us to B.
8. And nally, a half step higher than B is C.

The C major key signature has no sharps and no ats.

Now that we have this sorted out, let’s form piano music scales in the other 11 major keys.

C sharp major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/c-sharp-major-scale.html)

1. The rst note is C#.

2. A whole step from C# takes us to D#.
3. Another whole step takes us to E#.
4. A half step takes us to F#.
5. One whole step higher is G#.
6. Another whole step higher is A#.
7. Another whole step take us to B#.
8. And nally, a half step higher than B# is C#.

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major to improve
key signature your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you
has 7 sharps.

D major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/d-major-scale.html)

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4/12/2020 Piano music scales – major & minor piano scales

The D major scale consists of the pitches D, E, F#, G, A, B, and C#. The D major key signature consists
of two sharps.

E at major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/e- at-major-scale.html)

The E at major scale consists of the pitches Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, and D. Its key signature has three
ats: Bb, Eb, Ab.

E major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/e-major-scale.html)

The E major scale consists of the pitches E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, and D#. Its key signature has four sharps

F major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/f-major-scale.html)

The F major major scale consists of the pitches F, G, A, Bb, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one at.

F sharp major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/f-sharp-major-scale.html)

The F-sharp major consists of the pitches F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, and E#. Its key signature has six
sharps.

G major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/g-major-scale.html)

The G major scale has the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F#. Its key signature has one sharp, F#.

A at major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/a- at-major-scale.html)

The A- at major scale consists of the pitches Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, and G. Its key signature has four
ats.

A major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/a-major-scale.html)

The A major piano music scale consists of the pitches A, B, C#, D, E, F#, and G#. Its key signature has
three sharps, C sharp, F sharp, and G sharp.

B Flat Major Scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/b- at-major-scale.html)

The B at major scale consists of the pitches Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two ats, B
at and E at.

B major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/b-major-scale.html)

The pitches of the B major scale are B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, and A#. Its key signature has ve sharps.

Major Piano Music Scales Chart:

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(http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/piano-music-scales-
major.png)

Natural Minor Scales

ThisLet’s now uses
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minor piano music scales.
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The formula to form a natural minor scale = whole step – half step – whole step – whole step – half
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step – whole step – whole step or w-h-w-w-h-w-w.
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4/12/2020 Piano music scales – major & minor piano scales

Here are the minor piano music scales in every key:

C minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/c-minor-scale.html) = C – D – Eb – F – G –

Ab – Bb – C
D minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/d-minor-scale.html) = D – E – F – G – A –
Bb – C – D
E minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/e-minor-scale.html) = E – F# – G – A – B –
C–D–E
F minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/f-minor-scale.html) = F – G – Ab – Bb – C –
Db – Eb – F
G minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/g-minor-scale.html) = G – A – Bb – C – D –
Eb – F – G
A minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/a-minor-scale.html) = A – B – C – D – E – F – G
–A
B minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/b-minor-scale.html) = B – C# – D – E – F#
–G–A–B
C sharp minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/c-sharp-minor-scale.html) = C# –
D# – E – F# – G# – A – B – C#
E at minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/e- at-minor-scale.html) = Eb – F –
Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – Db – Eb
F sharp minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/f-sharp-minor-scale.html) = F# –
G# – A – B – C# – D – E – F#
A at minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/a- at-minor-scale.html) = Ab – Bb –
Cb – Db – Eb – Fb – Gb – Ab
Bb minor scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/b- at-minor-scale.html)= Bb – C – Db – Eb –
F – Gb – Ab – Bb

Piano Music Scales Video: How To Form Natural Minor Scales

Piano Scales: How To Form Natural Minor Scales On Piano…

Piano…

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NaturalRead
MinorMore
Scales(http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/privacy-policy.html)
Chart: 

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4/12/2020 Piano music scales – major & minor piano scales

(http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/05/minor_scales_piano.png)

There are three types of minor scales. The one above is the natural or pure minor scale. You can
learn how to form other melodic and harmonic minor scales at our main piano music scales
This(http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/piano-scales.html) section.
website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you
Every major key has its relative can
minor key. Theif relative
opt-out minorAccept
you wish. for a major key falls on the 6th tone of 
the major scale (http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/major-scales.html). For instance the relative
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minor for C major is A minor. A major key and its relative minor has the same key signature. The
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4/12/2020 Piano music scales – major & minor piano scales

notes of a minor scale are the same as its relative major.

Here are the major keys and their relative minor.

Sharps (major – relative minor)

C major – A minor
G major – E minor
D major – B minor
A major – F-sharp minor
E major – C-sharp minor
B major – G-sharp minor
F-sharp major – D-sharp minor
C-sharp major – A-sharp minor

Flats (major – relative minor)

C major – A minor
F major – D minor
B- at major – G minor
E- at major – C minor
A- at major – F minor
D- at major – B- at minor
G- at major – E- at minor
C- at major – A- at minor

For more information on piano scales visit our main piano music scales (http://www.piano-keyboard-
guide.com/piano-scales.html) section.

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Dikran Balian can opt-out if you wish. Accept 
Very Helpfull
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Charity Bradley
Love this helped me alot.
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Sreekanth Bantu
Thank u....Very Helpful.
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Hon Abiola Awo's

i love music
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Sudhakar Mahajan
THANKS U..... I LIKE U...... PLEASE SEND HINDI NOTES I AM
NEW STUDENT FOR PIANO
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Dominic Gazx
cool stuff
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AL Hajj Jam Andal

i know i could learn it in a few months...im just practicing and this
help me a lot...thanks...
Like · Reply · 1 · 6y

Dikran Balian
Very Helpfull
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Charity Bradley
Love this helped me alot.

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Sreekanth Bantu
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S ee a t a tu
Thank u....Very Helpful.
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Jones Thomas
vry usefull imformation...thank you.
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Chen Xiongjie
Very good diagram...
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Piano-Keyboard-Guide.com
Thank you, Chen. All the best.
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Chen Xiongjie
Piano Keyboard Guide.com Just let you know I printed
them(the major and minor diagrams) out and pasted it in
front of my piano. Thank you :)
Like · Reply · 1 · 5y

Piano-Keyboard-Guide.com
Chen Xiongjie Oh, great. Good stuff. And you're most
welcome. :)
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Matilal Debbarma
MUSICAL GROUP (ORCHESTRA)
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