Major Scales

The step sequences for all major keys are illustrated below (illustrated in the key of C).

The diagram below helps illustrate how the half step and whole step pattern translates into other key signatures.

The Major Scale : Applied Fingering

Practicing scales will develop both dexterity as well as your recall of all the various notes that belong to each scale. The piano topography comprises white notes and two specific groupings of black notes, one with two black notes and three black notes. Recalling the shapes of scales across this topography will be much quicker than recalling every note of the scale. For example, C-major's shape is all the white notes, whereas F-major's shape is all the white notes except for the last black note of the three black note grouping. Below is the best fingering to use when prating scales.