Introduction to C Scale
Primary 4 · Creative Arts
Introduction to C Scale
Lesson 1 of 5
20 min
Let's begin
Byiringiro climbs the steps to his classroom: one, two, three, all the way up to eight. "Music has steps too," says his teacher. "We call them a scale."
A note is one musical sound. Every note has a pitch (how high or low it is) and a length (how long it lasts). We give notes letter names: A B C D E F G, and then the letters start again.
A scale is a set of notes in order of pitch, one step at a time, like the steps of a staircase.
Our first scale starts on the note C. Start on C on a piano and play every white key going up until you reach the next C. You have played the C major scale, or simply the C scale:
The C scale has 8 notes: C D E F G A B C. The first and last notes have the same name. The high C sounds like the low C, only higher. This distance from one C to the next C is called an octave.
The C scale is special because it uses only white keys. That makes it the easiest scale to play and to read.
Look at the keyboard again. Between most white keys there is a black key hiding. But there is no black key between E and F, or between B and C. These two steps are smaller. They are called half steps. All the other steps in the scale are whole steps.
Tip
A scale is a staircase of notes. Climb up: ascending. Climb down: descending. The C scale climbs 8 steps, from C to C, on the white keys.
Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.
Say the letter names of the C scale going up.
Answer: C D E F G A B C.
How many notes are in the C scale, counting both Cs?
Answer: 8 notes.
What do we call a scale that goes from high to low?
Answer: A descending scale.
Which keys does the C scale use: white, black or both?
Answer: Only white keys.
Between which two pairs of notes in the C scale are the half steps?
Answer: Between E and F, and between B and C.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
The story, the keyboard diagram and the practice questions were written by Ganzaa.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Put the notes of the C scale in order, going up from C.
Tap the cards in the right order.
