Making Music Easy: Practical Ways To Learn Scales - Learning Scales As Numbers

This certainly seems to be an arduous test at best. But it doesn't need to be that difficult and, in fact, I am hoping to outline that you will see it can be very easy.

As I outlined in the introduction, there are only twelve keys in music and for each of those twelve keys there is a corresponding scale. First of all, it is important to note that that really isn't that many notes to remember. Secondly, how we remember all of the notes is by numbering the notes of the scale instead of learning their note names.

What I mean is, take one of the twelve keys, say E major. Now E major goes as follows:

E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E.

So far so good you may think. But then when you move to A major you have:

A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A

Now you have an entirely new series of chords, although when you play the two scales they will both sound like a major scale. Then consider that there are another ten key to commit to memory.
Not to worry! Try listing the E scale instead as numbers:

E= 1,
F#= 2,
G#= 3,
A= 4,
B= 5,
C#= 6,
D#= 7,
E= 8,

And do the same for A:

A= 1,
B= 2,
C#=3,
D= 4,
E= 5,
F#=6,
G#=7,
A= 8,

Notice now that the numbers are the same. The notes have changed but the numbers are the same and the pattern between the notes of the scale and where they fall is also the same. This is what makes the two scales sound like a major scale. As you read this try playing the two scales. Notice how they sound the same, and as you play them consider the number of the note as you play it.

This is what musicians refer to when they say, play a 4,5,1 in E. What they mean is play an A, a B and an E. E being the root note or 1, the 4 being an A and the 5 being a B. Similarly, a 4, 5, 1 in C, is simply F, G and C. Pick the same chord progression, 4,5,1 and try it a few other keys.

Now memorizing chords and keys isn't so difficult. Learn the chord pattern for the major scale as numbers, and then you can work out the chords from the pattern of the now numbered chord chart! Much easier and much less work!

Check out all of the Scales in Detail and Really Master How To Play in Any Key at
http://www.guitar4free.com/scales/majorscales

Guitar Lessons and Resources: http://www.guitar4free.com/

View the original article here