How to Read Scales
Scales are the method by which the twelve tones of the musical language are divided and arranged for the purpose of creating melody and harmony in a musical composition. Major and minor scales are the most frequently used, although many variations of these scales exist. A scale in Western music is typically seven notes with the first note of the scale repeated at the end, a range of a full octave. Understanding musical scales and how to read them is easy once you understand the basics of scale structure.
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Instructions
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Understand the ways scales are notated. A scale can be written on the music staff or written in letter form: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. Scales also can be written by the distance between them, in whole or half steps. The is the step structure for all major scales is whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. You could start on any note and follow this structure to find the notes in any key.
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Locate the sixth note of any major scale and follow the notes in ascending order. This gives you the relative minor key. Because the sixth note of the C major scale is an A, starting from that note and reading in ascending order would give you: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A.
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Practice playing your scales. The best way to become familiar with reading them is to play them. You can purchase a scale book in a music store and keep it handy as you learn to read scales. If it helps, sing the melody most of us are familiar with as you practice: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. Keeping this melody in your head as you read scales may help you visualize them better.
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Tips & Warnings
There are many scale variations. You can purchase a scale book at a music or book store. You also can find free scale studies online (see the Resources section of this article).
