Question on basic scales.

[Genophonics]

Okay music theory kind of confuses the living day lights out of me but I'm trying to understand it the best i can. I've learned the C-major scale T-T-SM-T-T-T-SM I learned this is how you find out what notes work with one another in the C-Major scale. I just am kind of confused. I learned you can start on any note and it will always be the same going up T-T-SM-T-T-T-SM.


But what about when going down? is it just reversed? like SM-T-T-T-SM-T instead? and how do you know you're root note? is it always just the first note you start with that's your root?

[AllNightDayDream]

Yes, yes, and if you're just playing on 1 instrument your first note would be the root (assuming you're just going up/down the scale), however in the context of a song you need to listen and find what key it's in.

[nowaysj]

Sometimes in moments of retardation, it helps to see the scale laid out in a particular key:

C SCALES

C D E F G A B C
Major
C D D# F G G# B C
Harmonic minor
C D D# F G A B C
Melodic minor
C D E F# G# A# C
Whole tone
C D D# F F# G# A B C
Diminished
C D E G A C
Pentatonic major
C D# F# G A# C
Pentatonic minor
C C# F G A# C
Japanese
C D# F F# A A# C
Blues
C D E F G G# A B C
Bebop
C C# E F F# G# B C
Persian
C D D# F# G G# B C
Hungarian Minor
C D# E F# G A A# C
Hungarian Major
D# G A C D D# G A C
Kumoi
D# G G# C D D# G G# C
Hirojoshi
G G# B C D# E G G# B
Augmented
A# C C# D# E F F# G# A
8 Tone Spanish
G# A# B C C# E F# G# A#
Enigmatic


C# SCALES

C# D# F F# G# A# C C#
Major
C# D# E F# G# A C C#
Harmonic minor
C# D# E F# G# A# C C#
Melodic minor
C# D# F G A B C#
Whole tone
C# D# E F# G A A# C C#
Diminished
C# D# F G# A# C#
Pentatonic major
C# E G G# B C#
Pentatonic minor
C# D F# G# B C#
Japanese
C# E F# G A# B C#
Blues
C# D# F F# G# A A# C C#
Bebop
C# D F F# G A C C#
Persian
C# D# E G G# A C C#
Hungarian Minor
C# E F G G# A# B C#
Hungarian Major
E G# A# C# D# E G# A# C#
Kumoi
E G# A C# D# E G# A C#
Hirojoshi
C# G# A C C# E F G# A
Augmented
C# B C# D E F F# G A A#
8 Tone Spanish
C# A B C C# D F G A B
Enigmatic




D SCALES

D E F# G A B C# D
Major
D E F G A A# C# D
Harmonic minor
D E F G A B C# D
Melodic minor
D E F# G# A# C D
Whole tone
D E F G G# A# B C# D
Diminished
D E F# A B D
Pentatonic major
D F G# A C D
Pentatonic minor
D D# G A C D
Japanese
D F G G# B C D
Blues
D E F# G A A# B C# D
Bebop
D D# F# G G# A# C# D
Persian
D E F G# A A# C# D
Hungarian Minor
D F F# G# A B C D
Hungarian Major
F A B D E F A B D
Kumoi
F A A# D E F A A# D
Hirojoshi
D A A# C# D F F# A A#
Augmented
D C D D# F F# G G# A# B
8 Tone Spanish
D A# C C# D D# F# G# A# C
Enigmatic


D# SCALES

D# F G G# A# C D D#
Major
D# F F# G# A# B D D#
Harmonic minor
D# F F# G# A# C D D#
Melodic minor
D# F G A B C# D#
Whole tone
D# F F# G# A B C D D#
Diminished
D# F G A# C D#
Pentatonic major
D# F# A A# C# D#
Pentatonic minor
D# E G# A# C# D#
Japanese
D# F# G# A C C# D#
Blues
D# F G G# A# B C D D#
Bebop
D# E G G# A B D D#
Persian
D# F F# A A# B D D#
Hungarian Minor
D# F# G A A# C C# D#
Hungarian Major
F# A# C D# F F# A# C D#
Kumoi
F# A# B D# F F# A# B D#
Hirojoshi
D# A# B D D# F# G A# B
Augmented
D# C# D# E F# G G# A B C
8 Tone Spanish
D# B C# D D# E G A B C#
Enigmatic




E SCALES

E F# G# A B C# D# E
Major
E F# G A B C D# E
Harmonic minor
E F# G A B C# D# E
Melodic minor
E F# G# A# C D E
Whole tone
E F# G A A# C C# D# E
Diminished
E F# G# B C# E
Pentatonic major
E G A# B D E
Pentatonic minor
E F A B D E
Japanese
E G A A# C# D E
Blues
E F# G# A B C C# D# E
Bebop
E F G# A A# C D# E
Persian
E F# G A# B C D# E
Hungarian Minor
E G G# A# B C# D E
Hungarian Major
G B C# E F# G B C# E
Kumoi
G B C E F# G B C E
Hirojoshi
E B C D# E G G# B C
Augmented
E D E F G G# A A# C C#
8 Tone Spanish
E C D D# E F G# A# C D
Enigmatic


F SCALES

F G A A# C D E F
Major
F G G# A# C C# E F
Harmonic minor
F G G# A# C D E F
Melodic minor
F G A B C# D# F
Whole tone
F G G# A# B C# D E F
Diminished
F G A C D F
Pentatonic major
F G# B C D# F
Pentatonic minor
F F# A# C D# F
Japanese
F G# A# B D D# F
Blues
F G A A# C C# D E F
Bebop
F F# A A# B C# E F
Persian
F G G# B C C# E F
Hungarian Minor
F G# A B C D D# F
Hungarian Major
G# C D F G G# C D F
Kumoi
G# C C# F G G# C C# F
Hirojoshi
F C C# E F G# A C C#
Augmented
F D# F F# G# A A# B C# D
8 Tone Spanish
F C# D# E F F# A B C# D#
Enigmatic



F# SCALES

F# G# A# B C# D# F F#
Major
F# G# A B C# D F F#
Harmonic minor
F# G# A B C# D# F F#
Melodic minor
F# G# A# C D E F#
Whole tone
F# G# A B C D D# F F#
Diminished
F# G# A# C# D# F#
Pentatonic major
F# A C C# E F#
Pentatonic minor
F# G B C# E F#
Japanese
F# A B C D# E F#
Blues
F# G# A# B C# D D# F F#
Bebop
F# G A# B C D F F#
Persian
F# G# A C C# D F F#
Hungarian Minor
F# A A# C C# D# E F#
Hungarian Major
A C# D# F# G# A C# D# F#
Kumoi
A C# D F# G# A C# D F#
Hirojoshi
F# C# D F F# A A# C# D
Augmented
F# E F# G A A# B C D D#
8 Tone Spanish
F# D E F F# G A# C D E
Enigmatic


G SCALES

G A B C D E F# G
Major
G A A# C D D# F# G
Harmonic minor
G A A# C D E F# G
Melodic minor
G A B C# D# F G
Whole tone
G A A# C C# D# E F# G
Diminished
G A B D E G
Pentatonic major
G A# C# D F G
Pentatonic minor
G G# C D F G
Japanese
G A# C C# E F G
Blues
G A B C D D# E F# G
Bebop
G G# B C C# D# F# G
Persian
G A A# C# D D# F# G
Hungarian Minor
G A# B C# D E F G
Hungarian Major
A# D E G A A# D E G
Kumoi
A# D D# G A A# D D# G
Hirojoshi
G D D# F# G A# B D D#
Augmented
G F G G# A# B C C# D# E
8 Tone Spanish
G D# F F# G G# B C# D# F
Enigmatic




G# SCALES

G# A# C C# D# F G G#
Major
G# A# B C# D# E G G#
Harmonic minor
G# A# B C# D# F G G#
Melodic minor
G# A# C D E F# G#
Whole tone
G# A# B C# D E F G G#
Diminished
G# A# C D# F G#
Pentatonic major
G# B D D# F# G#
Pentatonic minor
G# A C# D# F# G#
Japanese
G# B C# D F F# G#
Blues
G# A# C C# D# E F G G#
Bebop
G# A C C# D E G G#
Persian
G# A# B D D# E G G#
Hungarian Minor
G# B C D D# F F# G#
Hungarian Major
B D# F G# A# B D# F G#
Kumoi
B D# E G# A# B D# E G#
Hirojoshi
G# D# E G G# B C D# E
Augmented
G# F# G# A B C C# D E F
8 Tone Spanish
G# E F# G G# A C D E F#
Enigmatic


A SCALES

A B C# D E F# G# A
Major
A B C D E F G# A
Harmonic minor
A B C D E F# G# A
Melodic minor
A B C# D# F G A
Whole tone
A B C D D# F F# G# A
Diminished
A B C# E F# A
Pentatonic major
A C D# E G A
Pentatonic minor
A A# D E G A
Japanese
A C D D# F# G A
Blues
A B C# D E F F# G# A
Bebop
A A# C# D D# F G# A
Persian
A B C D# E F G# A
Hungarian Minor
A C C# D# E F# G A
Hungarian Major
C E F# A B C E F# A
Kumoi
C E F A B C E F A
Hirojoshi
A E F G# A C C# E F
Augmented
A G A A# C C# D D# F F#
8 Tone Spanish
A F G G# A A# C# D# F G
Enigmatic



A# SCALES

A# C D D# F G A A#
Major
A# C C# D# F F# A A#
Harmonic minor
A# C C# D# F G A A#
Melodic minor
A# C D E F# G# A#
Whole tone
A# C C# D# E F# G A A#
Diminished
A# C D F G A#
Pentatonic major
A# C# E F G# A#
Pentatonic minor
A# B D# F G# A#
Japanese
A# C# D# E G G# A#
Blues
A# C D D# F F# G A A#
Bebop
A# B D D# E F# A A#
Persian
A# C C# E F F# A A#
Hungarian Minor
A# C# D E F G G# A#
Hungarian Major
C# F G A# C C# F G A#
Kumoi
C# F F# A# C C# F F# A#
Hirojoshi
A# F F# A A# C# D F F#
Augmented
A# G# A# B C# D D# E F# G
8 Tone Spanish
A# F# G# A A# B D E F# G#
Enigmatic


B SCALES

B C# D# E F# G# A# B
Major
B C# D E F# G A# B
Harmonic minor
B C# D E F# G# A# B
Melodic minor
B C# D# F G A B
Whole tone
B C# D E F G G# A# B
Diminished
B C# D# F# G# B
Pentatonic major
B D F F# A B
Pentatonic minor
B C E F# A B
Japanese
B D E F G# A B
Blues
B C# D# E F# G G# A# B
Bebop
B C D# E F G A# B
Persian
B C# D F F# G A# B
Hungarian Minor
B D D# F F# G# A B
Hungarian Major
D F# G# B C# D F# G# B
Kumoi
D F# G B C# D F# G B
Hirojoshi
B F# G A# B D D# F# G
Augmented
B A B C D D# E F G G#
8 Tone Spanish
B G A A# B C D# F G A
Enigmatic

[faultier]

that's a long ass post

op you could check this site, shows you any chord or scale you want laid out on a keyboard:

http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/piano/

[melodium747]

that post is gonna help me a lot! thanks man!

[RmoniK]

that's a long ass post with a lot of crap. Wrong names for wrong scales. if you know you major, minor, melodic minor, harmonic minor, major pentatonic and blues scale, you should be just fine.

To the topic starter; i'm not too sure what you want to hear, but to find the root note of a song, it's usually the last chord of that song.

[-[2]DAY_-]

Diminished scale easiest to learn -- whole, half, whole, half, whole, half, etc. No tonal center, fully symmetrical. awesome sound

[JBE]

Your major and minor scales are pretty easy to figure out.

Major Scale formula:

Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Whole-half

or if you wanna go by numbers

2-2-1-2-2-2-1

Minor Scale Formula:

Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole

or

2-1-2-2-1-2-2

The 13 Major scales:
C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb

The 13 Minor scales:
C, C#, D, D#, Eb, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, and B.

[makerowner]

Okay music theory kind of confuses the living day lights out of me but I'm trying to understand it the best i can. I've learned the C-major scale T-T-SM-T-T-T-SM I learned this is how you find out what notes work with one another in the C-Major scale.

Obviously it depends on what works for you, but to me this seems like a bad way of learning. You don't really want to have to count the semitones every time you use a scale do you? And if you're using the scale in a melody, the notes aren't necessarily going to be in order from lowest to highest. If you're using a keyboard, you should probably just practice playing the scales over and over again, going through the circle of 4ths/5ths (it's the same thing just depends on whether you go up or down). The C major scale is all the white keys, starting on C and ending on C an octave higher. Next you go to G major, with one sharp (one black key), etc.

I just am kind of confused. I learned you can start on any note and it will always be the same going up T-T-SM-T-T-T-SM.

You can start a major scale on any note, with the same sequence of tones and semitones, yes. But some of the actual notes in the scale will be different (different sharps or flats). A major scale starting on a different note (C major vs. D major) is not the same thing as playing the same group of notes starting on a different note. Eg. C major is C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C; if you play the same set of notes, but starting on D (D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D), this is not the D major scale. The D major scale has the same pattern of intervals as the C major scale, not the same set of notes: D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D. I think that might be what's confusing you?

But what about when going down? is it just reversed? like SM-T-T-T-SM-T instead? and how do you know you're root note? is it always just the first note you start with that's your root?

Yes they're the same backwards and forwards. Again, its the set of notes you use that matters, not what order you play them in. The root isn't necessarily the first note of a melody. The root is just the note that has a particular pattern of intervals with all the other notes (T-T-SM-etc.). But again, you don't want to be counting semitones to find your root. If you just practice scales a lot, you'll find that when you get to the root, the scale sounds "complete". Just try playing the C major scale, but stop at B and you'll feel that it "wants" to go to the C that comes next.

Also, don't go learning the "Hungarian Minor" and "Hirojoshi" scales. In fact there's mistakes in several of the previous posts, so maybe you should stick to Wikipedia or theory books, rather than what some guy on a forum says.
I think people get confused cause they're scared of the word 'theory'. It's really not that complicated, it's just a set of tools that you use to get a certain sound. I tried to explain this here, don't know if that helps. Really though, I think trying out lots of different melodies is going to help you a lot more than learning theory. The point fo theory is not to acquire a piece of knowledge, (ie. a major scale is T-T, etc.) but to be able to translate what you hear in your head into notes on the screen without having to mess around on the keyboard.

[makerowner]

Your major and minor scales are pretty easy to figure out.

Major Scale formula:

Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Whole-half

or if you wanna go by numbers

2-2-1-2-2-2-1

Minor Scale Formula:

Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole

or

2-1-2-2-1-2-2

The 13 Major scales:
C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb

The 13 Minor scales:
C, C#, D, D#, Eb, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, and B.

There are only 12 notes in an octave, therefore only 12 different scales. F# and Gb are two different names for the same note, same thing with D# and Eb.
I know you're trying to help, but if you don't really know what you're talking about, you shouldn't be answering the question. And I'm not trying to be an internet dick here, I just mean that I would never answer a question about resampling or compression or something like that because I know that I don't know anything about it and would only cause more problems for whoever was asking it.