This chapter will be helpful to all musicians serious about their development. The chapter illustrates and explains the Circle of 5ths and it’s primary function in modern music theory. Once studied thoroughly this device will allow you to build all of the 12 major scales used in the Western system of music. Why do I need to know Major scales? The Major scale is the basis from which every aspect of our Western music system is derived (excepting the elements of Rhythm - time signatures, note and rest values etc.). Everything else can be traced back to the Major scale and theorised in such a manner that a simple formula, or a number of simple steps, can be applied to the relevant major scale to determine the same outcome.

The large Sharp (#) and Flat (b) signs on either side of the circle represent what the scale consists of (sharps or flats). All scales clockwise from C to the bottom of the circle have Sharps in them, scales anti-clockwise from C to the bottom of the circle have Flats in them. The line drawn across the circle between F and Bb is the point from which the notes that are to be sharpened or flattened are determined. The numbers inside the circle indicate how many Sharps or Flats are in the scale.

For example, if you wish to know the notes of the G major scale:

Step 1: Write one octave ascending from the root note (the note the scale is built from) in letter form.

Step 2: Is the root note Clockwise or Anti-clockwise from C? In the case of G it is clockwise from C, therefore G has sharps in it.

Step 3: How many sharps are in G? The number inside the circle represents this. Your answer should be 1 sharp.

Step 4: Which note is sharp? Starting from the line drawn across the circle and moving clockwise, you should get F. This is the note to be sharpened. (Only 1 note is to be sharpened, remember?)

Step 5: On the one octave from G you wrote in Step 1, put a sharp (#) sign next to F.

Now let’s try one a little harder. The E Major scale.

Step 1:

Step 2: Clockwise from C, so sharps are in the scale.

Step 3: The number inside the circle next to E is 4, so there are 4 sharps in the E major scale.

Step 4: Which 4 notes must be sharpened? Starting from the line drawn across the circle and moving clockwise until you have 4 notes to sharpen, these notes are F, C, G and D. These are the notes to be sharpened on your scale from Step 1. Your scale should look like this :

Now let’s try one on the other side of the circle, for instance the Eb Major scale.

Step 1:

Step 2: Eb is anti-clockwise from C, so therefore the Eb Major scale will have flats in it.

Step 3: There are 3 flats in the scale. (The number inside the circle next to Eb is 3).

Step 4: Work anti-clockwise from the line drawn through the circle until you have the 3 flats for your scale. You should get Bb, Eb, and Ab for your scale. Place the flats next to those notes on your scale from Step 1. (Eb will already be flattened). Your scale should look like this:

Be sure and work through the steps very slowly, reading each carefully. Build the scales in the 3 examples a few times until you think you’ve got the hang of it, then try one of your own.

Compare it with the list of all twelve major scales found at the end of Chapter 1.

Remember - knowing your major scales or knowing how to work them out quickly will only benefit you in the future.

The following are the major scales constructed in this lesson for guitar in root position:

This is the "box pattern" for two octaves of the Major scale: