How to Calculate Musical Scales

A music scale is a set of organized pitches used to construct a melody. In Western scales, pitches are organized into patterns of whole steps and half steps. Different patterns of pitches constitute different scales. Calculating scales is quite easy when you are using a piano; the pitches are laid out for you, there is no need to memorize finger positions as would be necessary for wind and brass instruments. Nevertheless, if you do not have an instrument handy, the only requirement is a basic knowledge of whole steps and half steps.

Instructions

1. Calculate a major scale by beginning on any pitch and following the major scale formula: two whole steps, one half step, three whole steps, and one half step.

2. Calculate the minor scale by beginning on any pitch and following the natural minor scale formula:one whole step, one half step, two whole steps, one half step, and two whole steps.

3. Calculate the Dorian scale, a popular scale used in jazz, by beginning on any pitch and following the formula:one whole step, one half step, two whole steps, and three whole steps. This is similar to the natural minor scale, except the fifth step is a whole step instead of a half step.

4. Calculate the chromatic scale, a set of twelve pitches, by beginning on any pitch and moving up eleven half steps.

References

• Music Theory
• Scales in Music
• The Major Scale