Writing Scales

There are a number of scales you can be asked to write.  The major scale is the first that you are likely to meet, followed closely by the harmonic minor scale.

How many letters does the musical alphabet have in it?  SEVEN

At first, you will have to write scales over one octave.  The basic structure of a scale is very easy to set out.  They all use every letter names once only, with the exception of the first note, which is given one extra appearance (once at the beginning and once at the end).  This note is called the “tonic” or “key note”.

WRITING SCALES OVER TWO OCTAVES.  A one octave has eight notes in it.  So, how many notes does a two octave scale have?  FIFTEEN

WHY?  A one octave scale contains every note of the musical alphabet played ONCE, with one exception: the key note, which gets ONE extra playing - at the top as well as the bottom.  A two octave scale contains every note of the musical alphabet TWICE, with one exception: the key note which gets ONE extra playing, not two extra playings.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B9JdpU-tw7FuQW5NdEEyTEdDcFk