Greetings, everyone! Let's talk some more about the Chromatic Scale, and why it's so cool.
Remember this thing is also called the 12-tone scale. It's also called the half-step scale because the distance or interval between each note is 1/2 (one-half) step.
Okay, c'mon... How does that make the Chromatic Scale "cool"?
It's cool because this scale is the starting point for a whole bunch of stuff.
Like, what stuff?
We'll get there. But first... Let's do some math!
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww....
I know, I know. Bear with me here.
One of the things that you need to do with this scale is to start adding 1/2 steps and testing yourself. For example:
Question - What's 1 whole step up from A?
Answer - B (B is 2 half-steps up from A. 1/2 + 1/2 = 1)
Question - What is a step and a half up from C#/Db?
Answer - E (E is 3 half-steps up from C#/Db)
Question - What is 2 steps DOWN from F?
Answer - C#/Db (4 half-steps)
You want to be able to do in your head at least 1 1/2 steps in any direction from any note. Even better - 2 steps!
Relax! IT WON'T TAKE LONG FOR YOU TO DO THIS if you first memorize the scale -- forward and backward.
Now... Let's talk some more about intervals. Remember I said that an interval was the same as the distance between two notes?
I only told you half of the truth.
The truth is that an interval has two parts to it. The first part is the numeric distance (like 1/2 step for example). You already know about this. But the second part of an interval is the "quality" of that interval.
Whaaaaaaaaaatttt?
Simmer down... Theoretically, all intervals have these two parts. But for now, the most important intervals involves adding three half-steps together ( 1 1/2 steps ), and four half-steps together ( 2 steps ).
But before we do that, let's just look at the musical alphabet together -- NOT the chromatic scale.
A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A.....
Remember that I can start this from any note -- not just "A".
D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D....
But let's start from A and give each note a number.
A B C D E F G A B C D ...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.......
Or... A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4 etc...
Again, I could have started this from ANY note.
Looking at this, we can say that:
B is the 2nd of A
C is the 3rd of A
D id the 4th of A
E is the 5th of A etc...
Got it?
WE can ALSO say that (and this is important):
C besides being the 3rd of A, is also the 2nd of B.
D besides being the 4th of A, is also the 3rd of B, and the 2nd of C
Did you get that?
The intervals that I'm really interested in ya'll knowin' right now is the 3rd and the 5th. Especially the 3rd!
Thirds (3rds) have two different types of qualities. First, there's something called the "major 3rd". The second type is called the "minor 3rd".
Now, above, we used the plain ordinary musical alphabet scale (A - G). Now let's test drive these 3rds on the Chromatic Scale. See the picture below.
What, in the musical alphabet scale scale (ABCDEFG), is the 3rd of A?
The answer is C, right?
What, in the musical alphabet scale (ABCDEFG), is the 3rd of C?
The answer is E, right?
Now, let's look at the chromatic scale below. How many HALF-STEPS are there between A and C?
The answer is 3.
Using the chromatic scale, how many HALF-STEPS are there between C and E?
The answer is 4.
Uh oh... Houston, we have a problem. C is the 3rd of A, and E is the 3rd of C, but the number of half-steps are different!
Nooooooo problemo! The interval between A and C is called a "minor 3rd" BECAUSE it has 3 half-steps.
The interval between C and E is called a "major 3rd" BECAUSE it has 4 half-steps.
Very interesting....
Okay. I gave you more than enough to chew on for now. Study this. Understand this. Memorize the chromatic scale. Know what 3rds are. Unlock the secrets to the universe! Well, maybe not that last one... Trust me. There is a reason for this.
Get crackin'
Professor Bruno Noteworthy
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Contributor's Note
Professor Bruno Noteworthy is a toon music professor who loves teaching the guitar to kids.
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