The Chromatic Scale

The Chromatic Scale

A

is a collection of intervals. We can see intervals as "notes" for now but we will see later that a collection of notes is not really what a scale is. As you get further in theory you can get a lot fancier with the definition. The chromatic scale is the collection of every "note". If you start on C and hit each note going up to the next C then you will have played the scale!

The Half Step

A

is the distance between two notes of 100 cents. In other words its the distance on a piano from one note to the next assuming equal temperament tuning. (Which is a pretty safe assumption.) It is also known as a semitone.

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The half step will become a measuring stick we use to see the distance between two notes, sort of like the foot, or meter. In the beginning we will measure things by how many half steps away something is and pick up better ways of thinking as we build on this simple definition. We will see more about this in the next lesson.

Building a Chromatic Scale

When writing down a chromatic scale the direction we are going determines the accidentals we use. Going up we use sharps and going down we use flats.

Steps

1. Select a starting note and write it. Each note can have a chromatic scale built on it.

2. Write the next note a single half step up. Using the piano keyboard can show you what you will need.

3. Keep adding notes like this until you have reached your starting note once again.

Example

First we select our note. Lets choose the note C. We write the note C.

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Then the next note up (or 1 half step up), that is C♯ or D♭. We can see this with the keyboard. Since we are going up we will use sharps. If we were going down we would choose the flat version.

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Now we just keep repeating until we again reach the note C. The next note up is D (2 half steps up) and the after that is D# (3 half steps up). Another half step up give E and one more gives F. You get the picture, we eventually get to the next C where we then start to repeat.

Note that we always choose the simplest version of the note. For example, we could write the note F as E♯, but this is overcomplicating the notation for no reason, so while they sound the same F is the appropriate note. This will happen at the natural half steps between E and F, and B and C.

Our final result is thus:

I use 8th notes here and before I used 16th notes. It doesn't matter, I could write it in whole notes if I wanted. We only care about pitch, the rhythm is unimportant but make sure as you write that you have the correct number of notes in a measure for whatever note you pick! For example, if I ask for a chromatic scale starting on C but give you the time signature of 6/8 you need to be sure you also follow rhythmic rules! There better not be more than 6 8th notes worth of notes in that measure!

Going Down

Going down we have flats. We start at C and move 1 half step down to B. Then to Bb, then A, Ab, etc… The only difference this time is that we use flats.

The chromatic scale is very important because the proper way to define a scale is a collection of intervals. In this case it is all half steps. Move up and down by single notes and you have chromatic movement, which is where this scale gets its name from.

Exercise

1. Write a chromatic scale starting at A and going up to the next A. (So ascending.) You can pick the octave (the particular A you start at) and clef.

2. Then write another chromatic scale going from a high D down to a lower D. If you can do that then you are ready for the next lesson.