The Young Composer

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Cover of The Major Scales
Reference Chart

The Major Scales

The major scale's tone/semitone pattern applied to all fifteen keys in common use, with sharp and flat keys, relative minors, and naming rules.

A4 · 1 page · 267 KB ⤢ View ⬇ Download PDF

What's inside

  • The major scale pattern (tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone) shown on C
  • All 8 sharp-key major scales with sharp count and relative minor
  • All 7 flat-key major scales with flat count and relative minor
  • Naming a sharp key and a flat key straight from the signature
  • The three enharmonic pairs composers choose between
major-scaleskey-signaturessharpsflats

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Writing for Four Voices

Comfortable ranges for soprano, alto, tenor and bass, four rules that do most of the work in SATB writing, and habits for building a chord and setting words.

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Accidentals & Enharmonics

The five signs that raise or lower a note, how long an accidental lasts, and why the same pitch can be spelled two different ways.

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Aural Training

A two-sheet guide to aural tests — telling major from minor, chords and cadences by ear, finding the metre, writing down a rhythm you've heard, and how to answer decisively in the exam room.

A4 · 2 pages · 352 KB ⬇ Download
✧ Prefer it interactive? The Scale Explorer covers the same ground on screen — open the tool →

Looking for step-by-step lessons instead? Head to Music Theory. Want composing ideas? Try Composing.