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key of F major ?

Author: bob gardner
Date: 2001-04-22 00:26

Why is the key of F major called F major? Only the B is b.
thanks

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RE: key of F major ?

Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-22 00:38

A major scale has a certain pattern of whole steps and half steps. If you start on the note F for the "Do" then the note B will have a flat to get the correct pattern. Thus you have the F major scale which contains the note Bb.

The pattern of whole and half steps for a major scale is (using the F major scale):

Whole step - F to G
Whole step - G to A
Half step - A to Bb
Whole step - Bb to C
Whole step - C to D
Whole step - D to E
Half step - E to F

Now let's do the C major scale:

Whole step - C to D
Whole step - D to E
Half step - E to F
Whole step - F to G
Whole step - G to A
Whole step - A to B
Half step - B to C

Now let's do the same thing with the G major scale:

Whole step - G to A
Whole step - A to B
Half step - B to C
Whole step - C to D
Whole step - D to E
Whole step - E to F#
Half step - F# to G

The sequence of whole and half steps is the same in each case. Flats or sharps are used as appropriate to get the right pattern for the note that you are using as "Do" in the scale. To determine whether it should be a sharp or a flat simply remember that each letter is only used once in the scale. i.e. a G major scale will have an F# *not* a Gb.

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RE: key of F major ?

Author: jerry
Date: 2001-04-22 04:24

Bob,

I found that Gary Ewer's music theory (I found it at http://musictheory.halifax.ns.ca/ ) is a tremendous help. He uses the piano keyboard (of which I have no understanding either) as a medium and it is pretty simple.

I hope I have the correct url. If not, you might do a search for his name (here on sneezy, maybe - I forgot how I got there).

I think you'll like the way he spells it out for you. As I recall you can also hear the sound of the (piano) notes as you progress through his lessons.

Good luck.

~ jerry
Still in clarinet Boot Camp.

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RE: key of F major ?

Author: bob gardner
Date: 2001-04-22 13:20

Dee: thanks--I got it
whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole,half.
2 wholes and a half
3 wholes and a half

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RE: key of F major ?

Author: Willie
Date: 2001-04-23 20:12

Its called F Major 'cuz the tonic note, the one you start out on is F, is written with one flat ( Bb ) and uses the Major scale sequence mentioned above. The same key signature is also used for the d natural minor scale, but your tonic note is now d and the note spacing will change to whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole. Then there's the harmonic minor and melodic minor too, but they may totally confuse you unlees you can see them as written.

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