Believe me, this might be the easiest approach to the formation of the major scale that you’ve ever come across and this is because you’re basically putting identical tetrachords side-by-side to form the major scale.<\/p>\n
Before we go into this approach to the formation of the major scale, let’s start by refreshing our minds on the tetrachord.<\/p>\n
A Short Note On The Tetrachord<\/h2>\n
The term tetrachord<\/em> has a Greek origin and can be broken down into two Greek words: tetra <\/em>and chord<\/em>.<\/p>\n It’s easier to understand the concept of the tetrachord on a string instrument like the violin. Therefore permit me to use the violin as a reference.<\/p>\n If you’ve been privileged to stand close to a violinist, you’ll observe that while they’re playing the major scale, they play four notes to a string. So for the entire major scale (let’s say the C major scale): The term tetrachord is derived from the approach to scale playing where four notes (tetra) are played to a string (chord). So, the term tetrachord<\/em> literally means “four notes to a string”.<\/p>\n On the keyboard, the C major scale (which consists of eight notes): The lower tetrachord (first four notes): “Here Are All The Tetrachords On The Keyboard…”<\/em><\/p>\n C tetrachord: Attention:<\/strong> To learn more about this, I recommend our 500+ page course: The “Official Guide To Piano Playing.”<\/strong> [thrive_2step id=’18141′]Click here for more information.<\/span>[\/thrive_2step]<\/p>\n Using the music clock:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n …you can know the two tetrachords that should be played sided by side to form the major scale.<\/p>\n The tetrachord of two adjacent letter names on the music clock can be played side by side to produce a major scale.<\/p>\n “Here’s How It Works…”<\/em><\/p>\n You’re looking out for two notes (the root notes of the tetrachords) and using two simple steps they can be determined. So using step #1, you’ll determine the first note and step #2 to determine the second note.<\/p>\n Step #1 – Find the letter name of the major scale in the music clock.<\/p>\n Step #2 – Find the second note; which is ALWAYS adjacent to the first in the clockwise direction.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Using the steps given, you can find the two notes, play the tetrachords side-by-side and have the major scale.<\/p>\n To form the C major scale, you’ll have to find the letter name (which is at the 12 o’clock position), then adjacent to C in the clockwise direction is G (at the 1 o’clock position).<\/p>\n So, playing the C and G tetrachords side by side:<\/p>\n C tetrachord: …produces the C major scale: To form the Eb major scale, you’ll have to find the letter name (which is at the 9 o’clock position), then adjacent to Eb in the clockwise direction is Bb (at the 10 o’clock position).<\/p>\n So, playing the Eb and Bb tetrachords side by side:<\/p>\n Eb tetrachord: …produces the Eb major scale: Attention:<\/strong> To learn more about this, I recommend our 500+ page course: The “Official Guide To Piano Playing.”<\/strong> [thrive_2step id=’18141′]Click here for more information.<\/span>[\/thrive_2step]<\/p>\n To form the A major scale, you’ll have to find the letter name (which is at the 3 o’clock position), then adjacent to A in the clockwise direction is E (at the 4 o’clock position).<\/p>\n So, playing the A and E tetrachords side by side:<\/p>\n A tetrachord: …produces the A major scale: Depending on how well you know the music clock, you can form the major scale in 5 seconds (or less) just by playing two tetrachords side-by-side.<\/p>\n No major scale is an exception to this approach; therefore, it is absolute.<\/p>\n Are you ready for the next lesson on minor scales?<\/p>\n See you then!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Discover the secret to the formation of the major scale using tetrachords.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":22434,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[252,9,229],"tags":[17,2701,528,1065,1425,1056],"class_list":["post-18435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beginners","category-piano","category-scales-theory-piano","tag-basic-songs","tag-formation-of-major-scales","tag-major-scale","tag-major-tetrachords","tag-tetrachord","tag-tetrachords","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"yoast_head":"\n
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\nThey’ll play the first four notes (which are C, D, E, and F):
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\n…on a string, and the last four notes (which are G, A, B, and C):
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\n…on another string.<\/p>\n
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\n…can be divided into two tetrachords:<\/p>\n
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\nThe upper tetrachord (last four notes):
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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\nDb tetrachord:
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\nD tetrachord:
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\nEb tetrachord:
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\nE tetrachord:
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\nF tetrachord:
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\nF# tetrachord:
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\nG tetrachord:
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\nAb tetrachord:
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\nA tetrachord:
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\nBb tetrachord:
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\nB tetrachord:
\n<\/p>\n
The Formation Of The Major Scale Using Tetrachords<\/h2>\n
Formation Of The C Major Scale<\/h3>\n
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\nG tetrachord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Formation Of The Eb Major Scale<\/h3>\n
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\nBb tetrachord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Formation Of The A Major Scale<\/h3>\n
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\nE tetrachord:
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Final Words<\/h2>\n