The Music Scale

An introduction to the music scale. Here you will learn what musical scales are and how to find different scales easily on the piano keyboard.

A Music Scale [Scala in Greek/Italian means ladder or stairs] is a row of notes organized in a specific pattern of steps, or music intervals.

Much like an artist who uses a palette of colors to paint, musicians and composers use scales as "frameworks" for creating music. The scales gives the characteristic sounds of different styles of music.

Throughout time, scales, tonalities, or modes have been used for different purposes.

The impact of music on people’s feelings has at times been taken extremely seriously. In ancient Greece for example, during the time of Aristotle and Plato, certain scales were encouraged and others were not- since the music was considered to have a huge impact on people’s ethics or morale!

Today we often refer to Major as “happy” and Minor as “sad”.

In Indian classical music the scales are called “Ragas”. Each Raga has a specific purpose, for example it should be played at a certain time of the day; like sunrise or sunset, or during different seasons.
Raga

In a lot of traditional music all over the world the scale is often improvised over as an introduction to the piece, to introduce the mode or the tonality. In Greece and Turkey this is called “taksimi or taksim”.

There are numerous forms of scales or modes throughout the world.

On the piano we are limited to those scales that use steps no smaller than a ½ step.

In many cultures the scales use “micro” intervals that are much, much smaller.

In for ex. Byzantine music, a half step can consist of many different micro steps. This can be a real challenge to be able to hear-or sing!

The use of these “blue” or “bent” notes in traditional music is common all over the world.

The Blues scale is another such example. Originally it uses these “blue” notes as well- but to be able to play the Blues scale on the piano certain “compromises” were made. The result is great anyway and even though the real "blue notes" can not be played, here is fantastic example on how to "bend" the blue notes on a piano:

On the piano we have plenty of scales to choose from.

Most music we play on the piano is made from either major or minor scales , but make sure to explore other scales and modes as well, as you learn to play the piano!

Get Your Free Printable Piano Scales Here!

Continue to part 1 and 2 of "Major, minor, and modal scales" and learn how to play the scales on the piano:

Major, minor, and modal scales. Part 1

Pentatonic, Chromatic, Whole tone, and Blues Scales. Part 2

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