Intervals
This is a subsection of a keyboard, featuring notes spanning one octave. If
you count them, you'll find there are thirteen notes total, but since C is
counted twice—at the very beginning and the very end—there are actually only
twelve distinct notes. These twelve notes compose what is called the
"chromatic scale".
Musicians use the term "interval" to refer to the distance between two notes.
The smallest interval is a "half step", which means the two notes are directly
adjacent to one another. The next-smallest interval is a "whole step", which
means the two notes are separated by exactly one other note. Two half steps
equals one whole step.
Since there are twelve notes in the chromatic scale, there are therefore twelve
intervals. Next after the whole step is the "minor third", which contains
three half steps. After that is the "major third", which contains four half
steps. On the page below this video, you will see a table showing all twelve
intervals, their alternative names, and the number of half steps for each.
Although this is a lot of vocabulary, it is important that you learn at least
the most common name for each interval, as well as the corresponding number of
half steps.
Major and Minor Scales
We've already touched on the chromatic scale, which features all twelve notes
in the octave. More common than the chromatic scale is the major scale. The
major scale features a repeating pattern of whole steps and half steps:
W-W-H-W-W-W-H. The starting note of the major scale is called the "tonic".
With C as our tonic, we have a C major scale, with Db as our tonic, we have a
Db major scale, and so on.
Let's try and figure out the notes of the C major scale. Again, the pattern of
the major scale is W-W-H-W-W-W-H. As you can see, the C major scale features
only white keys, which makes it unique among the major scales. Now let's try
and figure out the Bb major scale. W-W-H-W-W-W-H. You should practice finding
the notes of the major scale, starting on all twelve possible tonics.
Another useful scale is the minor scale. The minor scale features a different
pattern of intervals than the major scale: W-H-W-W-H-W-W. While the major
scale and minor scale are the most common, there are countless other different
scales you may encounter. A summary of the most common ones is included on the
page below this video.