Grade Three Music Theory - Lesson 3: Scales

Major Scales

All major scales, you will remember, are built using this pattern of tones and semitones:
T-T-S-T-T-T-S.

The first new scale in grade three music theory is E major. E major has four sharps – F#, C#, G# and D#.

What do you notice about the sequence of sharps?

If you look closely you’ll discover that each sharp is exactly one 5th higher than the previous one.

Start at F(#) and count 5 notes:

F, G, A, B, C. Then start at C and count up 5 notes:
C, D, E, F, G. Start at G and count up 5 notes:
G, A, B, C, D.

This is an easy way to remember the order of sharps – it’s called the “Circle of 5ths” (because if you keep on going, you’ll eventually end up back at the beginning!)

Here’s the scale or E major, ascending and descending, in treble and bass clef:

The other new major scale we’re going to learn is Ab major. Ab has got four flats – Bb , Eb, Ab, and Db.

An easy way to remember the order of flats is to count down five notes from the first one. The first flat is Bb:

B, A, G, F, E.
E, D, C, B, A.
A, G, F, E, D.

The circle of 5ths works in both directions – if you count upwards, you get the order of sharps. If you count downwards, you get the order of flats!

Here is the scale of Ab major, ascending and descending in treble and bass clef:

Minor Scales

In grade two music theory we learnt that there are two types of minor scales, the harmonic minor and the melodic minor.

The harmonic minor has the pattern T-S-T-T-S-3S-S (3S = 3 semitones).

The melodic minor has one pattern on the way up and another on the way down:
Ascending: T-S-T-T-T-T-S
Descending (from top): T-T-S-T-T-S-T

At grade two, you were given a free choice about which version of the minor scale you wanted to write. But at grade 3, you will be told which version you have to write, so you must learn both versions of each scale.

Here are all the new minor scales you need to know for grade 3 music theory:

B minor harmonic

B minor melodic

G minor harmonic

G minor melodic

F# minor harmonic

F# minor melodic

C minor harmonic

C minor melodic

C# minor harmonic

C# minor melodic

F minor harmonic

F minor melodic