C Major Scale

by | May 21, 2024 | Guitar Lessons

 

The C Major Scale - The Starting Point in Music Theory

I’ve included a tablature version of the finger position which can be download here.

The C major scale is fundamental in music and consists of the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. It is a diatonic scale, which means it contains seven distinct pitches per octave, following a specific pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H):

  • C to D (W)
  • D to E (W)
  • E to F (H)
  • F to G (W)
  • G to A (W)
  • A to B (W)
  • B to C (H)

This pattern (W-W-H-W-W-W-H) makes the C major scale a great starting point for beginners because it consists only of natural notes (no sharps or flats). Understanding this scale is crucial for learning basic music theory and for playing many pieces of music.

Scale Degrees, Scale Steps and Their Qualities

  1. C - (Do) Major (I)
  2. D - (Re) Minor (ii)
  3. E - (Mi) Minor (iii)
  4. F - (Fa) Major (IV)
  5. G - (So) Major (V)
  6. A - (La) Minor (vi)
  7. B - (Ti) Diminished (vii°)

Modes of the C Major Scale

  1. Ionian (C to C): C, D, E, F, G, A, B (Major scale)
  2. Dorian (D to D): D, E, F, G, A, B, C (Minor with a major sixth)
  3. Phrygian (E to E): E, F, G, A, B, C, D (Minor with a flat second)
  4. Lydian (F to F): F, G, A, B, C, D, E (Major with a sharp fourth)
  5. Mixolydian (G to G): G, A, B, C, D, E, F (Major with a flat seventh)
  6. Aeolian (A to A): A, B, C, D, E, F, G (Natural minor scale)
  7. Locrian (B to B): B, C, D, E, F, G, A (Minor with a flat second and fifth)

Building Chords Using the C Major Scale:

Here’s how you can build different types of chords using C as the root note:

  1. Major Chord:
    • Formula: Root (1), Major Third (3), Perfect Fifth (5)
    • Example: C Major = C (Root), E (Major Third), G (Perfect Fifth)
  2. Minor Chord:
    • Formula: Root (1), Minor Third (♭3), Perfect Fifth (5)
    • Example: C Minor = C (Root), E♭ (Minor Third), G (Perfect Fifth)
  3. Diminished Chord:
    • Formula: Root (1), Minor Third (♭3), Diminished Fifth (♭5)
    • Example: C Diminished = C (Root), E♭ (Minor Third), G♭ (Diminished Fifth)
  4. Augmented Chord:
    • Formula: Root (1), Major Third (3), Augmented Fifth (#5)
    • Example: C Augmented = C (Root), E (Major Third), G# (Augmented Fifth)
  5. Major Seventh Chord:
    • Formula: Root (1), Major Third (3), Perfect Fifth (5), Major Seventh (7)
    • Example: C Major Seventh = C (Root), E (Major Third), G (Perfect Fifth), B (Major Seventh)
  6. Minor Seventh Chord:
    • Formula: Root (1), Minor Third (♭3), Perfect Fifth (5), Minor Seventh (♭7)
    • Example: C Minor Seventh = C (Root), E♭ (Minor Third), G (Perfect Fifth), B♭ (Minor Seventh)
  7. Dominant Seventh Chord:
    • Formula: Root (1), Major Third (3), Perfect Fifth (5), Minor Seventh (♭7)
    • Example: C Dominant Seventh = C (Root), E (Major Third), G (Perfect Fifth), B♭ (Minor Seventh)

Common Chord Progressions in C Major:

Chord progressions are sequences of chords that sound pleasing together. Here are some common progressions in the key of C major:

  1. I - IV - V: C - F - G
  2. ii - V - I: Dm - G - C
  3. I - vi - IV - V: C - Am - F - G
  4. I - V - vi - IV: C - G - Am - F
  5. vi - IV - I - V: Am - F - C - G

These progressions form the foundation of many popular songs and are a great starting point for learning to play and compose music.

Understanding these components of the C major scale helps build a solid foundation in music theory, crucial for both improvisation and composition.