The Basics:Music theory is exactly how it sounds like. It’s the theory behind music. How it works and what is the point of it. We will look at a piano to discuss theory because it is the most simple. The piano is set up with white keys and black keys. A white to a black key is considered a half step and a white to a white key is a whole step. The only exception is from B to C and E to F. These are 2 sets white keys that are always together. This is because B sharp is C flat. They are the same thing. A black key is always a sharp and a flat. It isn’t either/or because one note’s sharp is another’s flat. For example A sharp is the same as B flat. To get to a sharp you go up one half step or to the next key. To get to a sharp you go back one half step, or to the next key.  Notes are Everything in Music. Without a Note there is no Sound. Our Notes go From A - GThe notes ranging from A - G with sharps. A, A sharp, B, C, C sharp, D, D sharp, E, F, F sharp, G, G sharp. The notes ranging from A - G with flats. A, B flat, B, C, D flat, D, E flat, E, F, G flat, G, A flat. Scales:Scales are the single most important part of theory. You need to know how to make a scale and how to play them on the instrument you own. A major scale is 8 notes and the first and last note are always the same. The formula for a scale is whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. We will take the C major scale for example. The C scale is this: C D E F G A B CTake a look at the scale. Do you see the pattern? - C to D is a whole step.
- D to E is a whole step.
- E to F is a half step.
- F to G is a whole step.
- G to A is a whole step.
- A to B is a whole step.
- B to C is a half step.
C is the only major scale to have no sharps or flats in it. This pattern can be down with any note. At the very end of this article I will have all the major scales for you. The next type of scale I will explain is a minor scale. To make a minor scale all you have to do is flat the third. This is very simple. For C the E would be E flat and that’s it. There are many other scales you need to learn. These include Dorian, pentatonic, and many others. There just isn’t enough time for me to go through and explain every single one. One other thing you must know is an octave. An octave is from one note down the scale to the same note. So in the C scale that would be going from C to C. In the A scale it’s A to A. Chords:Chords are the next step in theory. Chords are more than one note played together. To make a chord you play the first, third, and fifth note of the scale. For a C chord that would mean C, E, and G. At the end I will put all the major chords with their scales. There are many different chords. Major chords, minor chords, 7th chords, 6th chords, and many other different notes. It some are very complicated and others are very simple. For example to make a 7th chord you add the 7th note of the scale. A minor chord has a flatted 3rd. Things such as 6/9th chords and minor 7th flat 5 are much more complicated. One thing that is very useful about chords and scales is that with this knowledge you can more easily figure out the chords in a song. Songs generally have the 1st , 4th, and 5th chord in it. So if you figure out that the song has a C chord in it, then you can try to play an F and a G chord to see if the song is in the key of C. So this is why theory is important. It helps you find the key of songs. You can also use this knowledge to help improvise. You can play the C scale during a part of the song that’s in the key of C. With all these little bits of knowledge about theory you can improve your playing skills, your improvising skills, and you will be able to figure songs out quicker and easier. Scales and Chords:C- Scale - C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
- Chord - C, E, G
C sharp/D flat- Scale - C sharp, D sharp, F, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, C, sharp
- Chord - C sharp, F, G sharp
D- Scale - D, E, F sharp, G, A, B, C sharp, D
- Chord - D, F sharp, A
D sharp/ E flat- Scale - D sharp, F, G, G sharp, A sharp, C, D, D sharp
- Chord - D sharp, G, A sharp
E- Scale - E, F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C sharp, D sharp, E
- Chord - E, G sharp, B
F- Scale - F, G, A, A sharp, C, D, E, F
- Chord - F, A, C
F sharp/G flat- Scale - F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, B, C sharp, D sharp, F, F sharp
- Chord - F sharp, A sharp, C sharp
G- Scale - G, A, B, C, D, E, F sharp, G
- Chord - G, B, D
G sharp/A flat- Scale - G sharp, A sharp, C, C sharp, D sharp, F, G, G sharp
- Chord - G sharp, C, D sharp
A- Scale - A, B, C sharp, D, E, F sharp, G sharp, A
- Chord - A, C sharp, E
A sharp/B flat- Scale - A sharp, C, D, D sharp, F, G, A, A sharp
- Chord - A sharp, D, F
B- Scale - B, C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, B
- Chord - B, D sharp, F sharp
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