Scales

A Review
You need to learn how many sharps and flats there are for each major
scale for this grade (up to 6 sharps and 6 flats).
Relative minors are formed from the 6th letter of the major scale
o The harmonic minor has a raised 7th note ascending and descending
o The melodic minor has a raised 6th and 7th ascending ONLY.
Questions will ask you to write 1 major and 1 minor scale either
o Ascending or descending
o With a key signature or using accidentals
o In treble, bass, alto or tenor clef
o starting on a given key note or key signature
 Keys Tree
No sharps and no flats
C - Am
Keys with flats/count in 4ths Keys with sharps/count in 5ths

Relative Minor Relative Minor

Major Major (the 6th note of the major)
(the 6th note of the major)
F (Bb) Dm G (F#) Em
B (Bb, Eb) Gm D (F#, C#) Bm
E (Bb, Eb, Ab) Cm A (F#, C#, G#) F#m
A (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db) Fm E (F#, C#, G#, D#) C#m
D (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb) Bm B (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#) G#m
G (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb) Em F# (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#) D#m

PRACTICE WRITING THIS OUT DAILY

 Example 1
QUESTION: Using semibreves, write one octave ascending of the melodic minor scale that has this key signature.
Begin on the tonic and remember to include any additional sharp, flat or natural signs

ANSWER: The sharps tell us D major or B minor, since the question asked for a minor scale, we will start on the
note B. Then simply raise the 6th and 7th note of the scale. Observe that scale is ascending.

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 Example 2
QUESTION: Put sharps or flats in front of the notes that need them to form the scale od D flat major. Do not use a
key signature.

ANSWER: This is straight forward, you need to know that D flat major has Bb, Eb, Ab, Db and Gb.
Again observe the clef and that this scale is descending.
 Example 3
QUESTION: Using semibreves, write one octave descending of the melodic minor scale begins on the given note.
Do not use a key signature but out in all necessary sharp or flat signs

ANSWER: The given note is F#, so we need to write F# melodic minor. All that is needed here is to include
accidentals that in the key of the relative major with is A (F#, C#, G# ONLY) Do not raised the 6th and 7th
notes when descending.
 Example 4
Write a key signature of four sharps and one octave descending of the harmonic minor scale which has this
QUESTION: key signature.
Using semibreves and begin on the tonic and remember to include any additional sharp, flat or natural signs

ANSWER: The major scale that has four sharps is E major, the relative minor starts on the 6th note of the E major
scale which C#. Remember the raise the 7th note. Please note that the scale is always counted from the
lowest note, this is important when writing descending scales.

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