A scale is a set of musical notes that are organized by pitch. The word scale originated from the Latin word "scala," which means ladder or staircase. Likewise, you can think of a musical staff as a staircase for each note. These musical notes are arranged in an ascending or descending order according to the pitch along the staff. In an ascending scale, the following notes are higher in pitch than the previous note, and in a descending scale, each note is a lower pitch than the preceding note. The distance (or interval) between two successive scale notes is known as a scale step.
There are many types of musical scales. The most commonly used are major and minor scales, but to understand what makes a major and minor scale, we first have to understand the degrees of a scale. The degrees of a scale help determine the type of scale used and the name.
Musicians and composers often use scales as a framework for developing ideas like hooks, melodies, basslines, or leads. Music scales are essential to further understanding of music theory as they serve as the foundation for advanced concepts.
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