The key of A has those three sharps, C sharp, F sharp, and G sharp, because of that rule of whole steps and half steps. Whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. If I’m playing in the key of A, same thing. Typically, most of the chords that I play in B flat will be based on that scale. That’s the B flat major scale, When I’m playing in the key of B flat, I’m basing my playing on that scale. If I start on B flat, whole step above B flat is C, whole step to D, half step to E flat, whole step to F, whole step, whole step, B flat. But you get anywhere else, and you have to think about, “Am I going up a whole step or a half step?” All the notes are white, aren’t they? White keys, so it’s easy to see. Now, that’s very easy to see when you’re starting on C, because whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. Why? Because I have to go up a whole step, not a half step. If I start on a given note : let me start on B : the formula for a major scale is to go up a whole step, and then another whole step, and then a half step, and a whole step, a whole step, whole step, half step. Let’s take a look at a major scale and see what it’s made out of. We won’t get into modes today, but we’ll look at all the other kinds of scales. Now, there’s major scales, and there’s minor scales, and there’s chromatic scales, and there’s whole tone scales, and there’s pentatonic scales. A ladder of notes that runs from one note up to the octave note, octavo, eight higher.

The word “scale” comes from the Latin la scala, which means a ladder. All of what I was just playing, and everything you play, is based on a scale of some sort.

Today, I’d like to look at Music Scales Galore! Major, Minor, Chromatic, Whole Tone & Pentatonic Scales. Music Scales Galore! Major, Minor, Chromatic, Whole Tone & Pentatonic Scales

B flat major chromatic scale