Major Scales and Bass...Part Two

Major scales and bass...So lets review... what is the formula of the major scale?  W-W-H-W-W-W-H....so if you start on a C you would play this notes...C D E F G A B and back to C.  Then we went over a few other major scales.  Remember, whatever note you start on if you apply the formula you will know what notes to play for that key.  So lets go over the keys that have the sharps in them...

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G              1 sharp  F#
D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D            2 sharps F#, C#
A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#-A          3 sharps F#, C#, G#
E-F#-G#-A-B-C#-D#-E        4 sharps F#, C#, G#, D#
B-C#-D#-E-F#-G#-A#-B      5 sharps F#, C#, G#, D#, A#
F#-G#-A#-B-C#-D#-E#-F#  6 sharps F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#,

Theoretically you could continue on with more scales.  I want you to notice something...Notice as I go from C major scale to G major scale then to Dand then to A to E to B there is a intervalic relationship.  From C to G is a fifth.  From G to D is a fifth.  From D to A is a fifth, so on and so on.  Each time you go up a fifth you add a sharp.  Also notice that there is a order of sharps that develops as you go up a fifth.  The order is F,C, G, D, A, E, B.  This is the sharp side of the "circle of fifths", which is another phrase for key signatures. 


 Now lets look at the flat side. 

F-G-A-Bb-C-D-E-F                1 flat Bb
Bb-C-D-Eb-F-G-A-Bb            2 flats Bb, Eb
Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C-D-Eb          3 flats Bb, Eb, Ab
Ab-Bb-C-Db-Eb-F-G-Ab        4 flats Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
Db-Eb-F-Gb-Ab-Bb-C-Db      5 flats Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb
Gb-Ab-Bb-Cb-Db-Eb-F-Gb    6 flats Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb

You might have noticed that there is a order of flats as well.  B, E, A, D, G, C, F

This will complete the "circle of fifths".  I highly recommend that all musicians study the key signatures and learn them inside and out.  Knowing the key signatures is the foundation for so many things in music.  For a bass player it will teach you how to build chords quickly and help you understand other scales you will learn.