Some tricks on remembering scales

One annoying thing about music theory is that, because the way notes are written out is so janky (twelve notes are written with seven letters: A B C D E F G, plus sharps except we don't have sharps for B and E for some reason) is that learning the major scale, which should just be as easy as remembering tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone, ... isn't.

However, there's a bit of a trick. If you play violin (or mandolin like I do) you will know about the fifths, and the circle of fifths: C G D A E B etc.

The easy way to remember a scale therefore is: a scale has each letter of the alphabet. Starting at the C major scale, which has no sharps or flats, you can work your way up the circle of fifths, and each time a sharp is added which is on the leading tone of the tonic note.

So:

• C major has no sharps or flats.
• G major has one sharp which is the leading tone F. Therefore it is: G A B C D E F# G.
• D major has one extra sharp which is the leading tone C. So: D E F# G A B C# D.
• A major has an extra sharp G: A B C# D E F# G#.
• E major has an extra sharp D: A B C# D# E F# G#.
• B major has an extra sharp A: A# B C# D# E F# G#.
• F# major has an extra sharp E: A# B C# D# E# F# G#
• C# major has an extra sharp B: A# B# C# D# E# F# G#

Going the other way down from C, you need to flat the fourth degree:

• C major has no sharps or flats.
• F major has a flat B: F A Bb C D E F.
• Bb major has a flat E: Bb C D Eb F G A Bb.
• Eb major has a flat A: Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb.
• Ab major has a flat D: Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab.
• Db major has a flat G: Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db.
• Gb major has a flat C: Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb.
• Cb major has a flat F: Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Bb Cb.

Also notice how the order of notes to flat is the reverse of the notes to sharp.

Minor scales

The minor scale is quite easy to work out from the major scale. The relative minor of a scale is always the minor third below the scale. So if you want to know what minor scale has no sharps or flats, it has to be the minor third of the C major scale, as such it is the A minor scale. The minor scale with F#, C# and G# must be a minor third below the major scale with these sharps. That is the A major scale, so it must be F# minor (a minor third, so it is F# not F).