This bass lesson will cover the formulas of scales, harmonization, and keys. With this guide, you’ll easily be able to write any scale and turn it into a key (i.e. harmonize it!).
Major & Minor Scales
A scale is a set of seven carefully chosen notes. To build a scale, we use a scale formula that will guide us through selecting notes from the musical alphabet.
Major Scales – The Major Scale Formula
The formula for the major scale is W-W-H-W-W-W-H.
W means whole step, H means half step.
So, to start, we just pick a root note for our scale. To build a C major scale, we start on the C note in the musical alphabet:
A-A#-B-C-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G-G#
Remember that each of these notes are a half step apart.
- From C, we go up a whole step, which gives us D. So far: C-D.
- Now we go up another whole step from D, giving us E. So far: C-D-E.
- Now we go up a half step from E. So far: C-D-E-F.
- Now a whole step from F gives us: C-D-E-F-G.
- A whole step from G gives us: C-D-E-F-G-A.
- A whole step from A gives us: C-D-E-F-G-A-B.
- Finally, a half step brings us back to our root note, giving us the C major scale: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C.
You can build any scale by following these steps (note that C major is the only major scale without any sharp or flat notes).
Minor Scales – The Minor Scale Formula
The formula for the minor scale is W-H-W-W-H-W-W.
To build an A minor scale, we start on the A note in the musical alphabet:
A-A#-B-C-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G-G#
- From A, we go up a whole step to B.
- From B, we go up a half step to C.
- From C, we go up a whole step to D.
- From D, we go up a whole step to E.
- From E, we go up a half step to F.
- From F, we go up a whole step to G.
- From G, we go up a whole step to get back to our root: A.
Giving us our A minor scale: A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A (note that the A minor scale is the only minor scale without any sharp or flat notes).
Turning Scales into Keys (AKA Harmonizing Scales)
Scales are made up of seven notes, keys are made up of chords.
If you’re playing a song, you’re using a key. To get from a scale to a key, we apply a quality formula.
Major Scale Quality Formula
The quality formula for a major scale is: M-m-m-M-M-m-diminished.
M means major chord, m means minor chord, and diminished is obviously a diminished chord.
So, to turn the scale of C major into the key of C major, we just apply this quality formula to our scale notes.
The C major scale has the notes: C-D-E-F-G-A-B. When we apply this quality formula, we get the chords:
C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor, and B diminished.
Minor Scale Quality Formula
The quality formula for a minor scale is: m-diminished-M-m-m-M-M.
So, when we apply this to the A minor scale (A-B-C-D-E-F-G), we get the chords:
A minor, B diminished, C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major.
Major Keys
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Minor Keys
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Relative Minor
Relative minor is a somewhat advanced concept to wrap your head around, but once you get it, learning (and relating) major to minor will be much easier!
Basically, every major scale has a relative minor scale (same with keys). We find the relative minor by simply starting on the sixth note.
Just remember: The sixth note of any major scale gives you the relative minor.
Notice that C major and A minor are the only scales without any sharp or flat notes. That’s because they use the same notes, A is the relative minor of the C major scale.
Instead of building minor scales with a formula and harmonizing it to get a key, it’s easier to memorize the 12 major keys, then you’ll already know all the minor ones! Just start on the sixth note.
All of this will make more sense once you learn the modes, but for now, just know that you can find the relative minor of any major scale or key by simply starting on the sixth note.
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