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Quick question about chromatic scales


Y4RUH8?

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Posted

When starting a chromatic scale w/o a key signature on a sharp will the next note be a diatonic natural whole note, or a chromatic , ie double sharp. For example starting a chromatic scale with no key signature on F#. Would the next note up be G natural or F double sharp? Also for chromatics WITH a key signature, is there a need to add the accidentals of the major scale within the notes, then raise or lower them respectively? For example, a chromatic scale WITH KS, starting on B. B Major has 5 sharps. So I write down the tonic, and the dominant once and every note inbetween twice. Now the sharps on B major occur at FCGDA , so I will now need to go ahead and sharp those respective notes, THEN follow the chromatic format and start raising and lower? Thanks guys.

Posted

Without a key signature, it doesn't matter. Just write it out in the simplest to read manner (i.e., no double sharps and flats). Generally, use sharps when ascending and flats when descending. Ex:

 

C C# D D# E

 

E Eb D Db C

 

 

When in a key, you'll use sharps/naturals when ascending and flats/naturals when descending. In the key of B, the most 'correct' way to write it would be:

 

B B# C# Cx D# E E# F# Fx G# Gx A# B

 

 

Now, sometimes it's still written out using naturals to avoid double sharps, and that's more and more common today than it was years ago, but writting it out like that, with the accidentals that are diatonic to the key being omitted as they are implied by the key signature.

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