Major Scales & Key Signatures

This lesson is part of the Fundamentals of Twelve-Tone Equal Temperament category.

Objectives

• Students will be able to write a major scale beginning on a given note.
• Students will be able to write the key signature for a given major key in treble and bass clef.
• Students will be able to identify the major key represented by a given key signature.
• Students will be able to identify the key of a short melodic segment.
• Students will be able to label melodies with solfege (fixed and moveable do)

Resources

Readings

• Handout on Deriving Scales and Key Signatures
• R. Hutchinson. "Major Scales and Key Signatures." (Music Theory for the 21st Century Classroom).
• T. Rush. "The Major Scale." (Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People).
• T. Rush. "Keys Signatures." (Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People).
• T. Rush. "The Circle of Fifths." (Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People).
• K. Schaffer. "Key Signatures." (Open Music Theory).
• Teoria.com Tutorial:
  • Major and Minor Scales
  • Whole and Half Steps in Scales
• MusicTheory.net Tutorial:
  • The Major Scale
  • Scale Degrees
  • Key Signatures
  • Key Signature Calculation

Tools

• R. Scullard: Interactive Circle of Fifths
• Teoria.com Scale Constructor
• MusicTheory.net Scale Calculator
• MusicTheory.net Key Calculator

Class Activities

• Discussion and definition of the major scale
• Discussion and definition of major key signatures, their usage and their proper notation
• Proper notation in treble and bass clef of the key signature for a given major key
• Identification of key signature for music from different genres and time periods
• Discussion of fixed vs. moveable do solfege systems and their use in major

Assignments

• Writing major scales
• Identifying key signatures
• Writing key signatures

Drills

• Teoria.com:
  • Key Signature Construction
  • Key Signature Identification
  • Scale Construction
  • Scale Identification
• Musictheory.net:
  • Key Signature Construction
  • Key Signature ID
  • Scale Construction
  • Scale ID
  • Keyboard Scale ID
  • Fretboard Scale ID