How to Learn Scale Degrees

Any musician must master scales in order to learn the relationship of notes to one another and build pleasing melodies. What's not commonly known is that each type of scale consists of a set pattern of scale degrees, the progression of notes up and down the scale. The most common scales are major and minor heptonic scales.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Begin by identifying the tonic of the scale. This is the first and last note of the scale.

2. Identify the other notes of the scale. In order from the first tonic, they are the supertonic, the mediant, the subdominant, the dominant, the submediant or superdominant.

3. Notice the interval between the seventh note and the tonic. If the seventh note is a half step below the tonic, it is called the leading tone and the scale is a major, harmonic or melodic minor scale. If it a full step below the tonic, it is called the subtonic and the scale is a natural minor.

4. Work from the tonic upward in this pattern for all major scales: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone and semitone (the tonic). Each tone is one step higher than the note before, and each semitone is a half step higher.

5. Use the following pattern for all natural minor scales: tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone and tone (the tonic).

6. Alter the minor scale pattern for all harmonic scales: tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone and semitone (the tonic).

7. Change the minor scale pattern for all melodic minor scales: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, tone and semitone (the tonic). Repeat the tonic, then descend as follows: tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone and tone (the tonic).

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to determine the key signature for each scale, and to employ naturals when playing melodic minor scales.
• To learn more about scales, learn about the pentatonic scales, which are employed by many cultures around the world.

Resources

• See and hear minor scales at Virginia Tech's music dictionary.