Piano scales: essentials for producers and songwriters
Overview of piano scales
Let’s examine some commonly used scales from the perspective of a keys player. We’ll cover major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, and blues piano scales. While these may well be all you ever need, there are dozens of major and minor scales used in Western music.
Some terms that we’ll use in the following descriptions include ‘tonic’ (the first note of a scale), ‘whole tone’ (an interval of two keys) ‘half tone’ (an interval of a single key, also known as a semitone), and ‘degree’ (the position of the note of a scale relative to the tonic).
Major piano scales
Let’s begin with the major scale, which is what most beginners learn to play first on a piano, C major specifically. Why C major? Well, the pattern of a major scale is tonic, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. So, C major starts on C, and hits all the white notes on an octave before finishing on the C on the octave above. Let’s see how this looks on the piano roll. We’ll label each degree, with 1 being the tonic.
Piano scales: essentials for producers and songwriters
Overview of piano scales
Let’s examine some commonly used scales from the perspective of a keys player. We’ll cover major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, and blues piano scales. While these may well be all you ever need, there are dozens of major and minor scales used in Western music.
Some terms that we’ll use in the following descriptions include ‘tonic’ (the first note of a scale), ‘whole tone’ (an interval of two keys) ‘half tone’ (an interval of a single key, also known as a semitone), and ‘degree’ (the position of the note of a scale relative to the tonic).
Major piano scales
Let’s begin with the major scale, which is what most beginners learn to play first on a piano, C major specifically. Why C major? Well, the pattern of a major scale is tonic, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. So, C major starts on C, and hits all the white notes on an octave before finishing on the C on the octave above. Let’s see how this looks on the piano roll. We’ll label each degree, with 1 being the tonic.
Piano scales: essentials for producers and songwriters
Overview of piano scales
Let’s examine some commonly used scales from the perspective of a keys player. We’ll cover major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, and blues piano scales. While these may well be all you ever need, there are dozens of major and minor scales used in Western music.
Some terms that we’ll use in the following descriptions include ‘tonic’ (the first note of a scale), ‘whole tone’ (an interval of two keys) ‘half tone’ (an interval of a single key, also known as a semitone), and ‘degree’ (the position of the note of a scale relative to the tonic).
Major piano scales
Let’s begin with the major scale, which is what most beginners learn to play first on a piano, C major specifically. Why C major? Well, the pattern of a major scale is tonic, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. So, C major starts on C, and hits all the white notes on an octave before finishing on the C on the octave above. Let’s see how this looks on the piano roll. We’ll label each degree, with 1 being the tonic.
Piano scales: essentials for producers and songwriters
Overview of piano scales
Let’s examine some commonly used scales from the perspective of a keys player. We’ll cover major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, and blues piano scales. While these may well be all you ever need, there are dozens of major and minor scales used in Western music.
Some terms that we’ll use in the following descriptions include ‘tonic’ (the first note of a scale), ‘whole tone’ (an interval of two keys) ‘half tone’ (an interval of a single key, also known as a semitone), and ‘degree’ (the position of the note of a scale relative to the tonic).
Major piano scales
Let’s begin with the major scale, which is what most beginners learn to play first on a piano, C major specifically. Why C major? Well, the pattern of a major scale is tonic, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. So, C major starts on C, and hits all the white notes on an octave before finishing on the C on the octave above. Let’s see how this looks on the piano roll. We’ll label each degree, with 1 being the tonic.
Piano scales: essentials for producers and songwriters
Overview of piano scales
Let’s examine some commonly used scales from the perspective of a keys player. We’ll cover major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, and blues piano scales. While these may well be all you ever need, there are dozens of major and minor scales used in Western music.
Some terms that we’ll use in the following descriptions include ‘tonic’ (the first note of a scale), ‘whole tone’ (an interval of two keys) ‘half tone’ (an interval of a single key, also known as a semitone), and ‘degree’ (the position of the note of a scale relative to the tonic).
Major piano scales
Let’s begin with the major scale, which is what most beginners learn to play first on a piano, C major specifically. Why C major? Well, the pattern of a major scale is tonic, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. So, C major starts on C, and hits all the white notes on an octave before finishing on the C on the octave above. Let’s see how this looks on the piano roll. We’ll label each degree, with 1 being the tonic.
Piano scales: essentials for producers and songwriters
Overview of piano scales
Let’s examine some commonly used scales from the perspective of a keys player. We’ll cover major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, and blues piano scales. While these may well be all you ever need, there are dozens of major and minor scales used in Western music.
Some terms that we’ll use in the following descriptions include ‘tonic’ (the first note of a scale), ‘whole tone’ (an interval of two keys) ‘half tone’ (an interval of a single key, also known as a semitone), and ‘degree’ (the position of the note of a scale relative to the tonic).
Major piano scales
Let’s begin with the major scale, which is what most beginners learn to play first on a piano, C major specifically. Why C major? Well, the pattern of a major scale is tonic, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. So, C major starts on C, and hits all the white notes on an octave before finishing on the C on the octave above. Let’s see how this looks on the piano roll. We’ll label each degree, with 1 being the tonic.
The best songs featuring the iconic TR-909 drum machine
The TR-909 drum machine is renowned for its punchy and crisp kick drum, its bright, sharp snare snap, and its tight, metallic hi-hats. It’s been featured in both chart-topping hits and experimental tracks, and we’re exploring the entire range of the TR-909 in a Spotify playlist created by Native Instruments’ manager of sound design, Antonio de Spirt in honor of our new Expansion, Drum State.
Drum State captures an essential drum machine in all its vibrant colors and shades. With more than 241 loops, 539 drum samples, and dozens of kits, you can explore every sonic detail from this essential building block of pop and electronic music.
Let’s dig into the top 10 picks from this Spotify playlist to get you inspired to create your own legendary sounds.
The best songs featuring the iconic TR-909 drum machine
The TR-909 drum machine is renowned for its punchy and crisp kick drum, its bright, sharp snare snap, and its tight, metallic hi-hats. It’s been featured in both chart-topping hits and experimental tracks, and we’re exploring the entire range of the TR-909 in a Spotify playlist created by Native Instruments’ manager of sound design, Antonio de Spirt in honor of our new Expansion, Drum State.
Drum State captures an essential drum machine in all its vibrant colors and shades. With more than 241 loops, 539 drum samples, and dozens of kits, you can explore every sonic detail from this essential building block of pop and electronic music.
Let’s dig into the top 10 picks from this Spotify playlist to get you inspired to create your own legendary sounds.
The best songs featuring the iconic TR-909 drum machine
The TR-909 drum machine is renowned for its punchy and crisp kick drum, its bright, sharp snare snap, and its tight, metallic hi-hats. It’s been featured in both chart-topping hits and experimental tracks, and we’re exploring the entire range of the TR-909 in a Spotify playlist created by Native Instruments’ manager of sound design, Antonio de Spirt in honor of our new Expansion, Drum State.
Drum State captures an essential drum machine in all its vibrant colors and shades. With more than 241 loops, 539 drum samples, and dozens of kits, you can explore every sonic detail from this essential building block of pop and electronic music.
Let’s dig into the top 10 picks from this Spotify playlist to get you inspired to create your own legendary sounds.
The best songs featuring the iconic TR-909 drum machine
The TR-909 drum machine is renowned for its punchy and crisp kick drum, its bright, sharp snare snap, and its tight, metallic hi-hats. It’s been featured in both chart-topping hits and experimental tracks, and we’re exploring the entire range of the TR-909 in a Spotify playlist created by Native Instruments’ manager of sound design, Antonio de Spirt in honor of our new Expansion, Drum State.
Drum State captures an essential drum machine in all its vibrant colors and shades. With more than 241 loops, 539 drum samples, and dozens of kits, you can explore every sonic detail from this essential building block of pop and electronic music.
Let’s dig into the top 10 picks from this Spotify playlist to get you inspired to create your own legendary sounds.