1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 steps of the scale. I prefer numbers because voicing on the guitar are described by numbers i.e. 1-3-5-7 etc.
One must have to memorize the 12 Major scales and the key signatures associted with each one. Here's a little trick I used to teach the key signatures to my students.
If you can remember the word BEAD and add GCF to it to make the following:
BEADGCF then underneath the BEADGCF write on paper its mirror image for example FCGDAEB make it look like a fraction:
BEADGCF (this is the order of FLATS)
---------
FCGDAEB (this is the order of SHARPS)
MOVIG ON>>
Next draw a large circle on paper (Like a clock) this is called the circle of fifths
at 12:00 mark it with C and under the C write 0 (zero)
at 1:00 mark it with G and under the G write 1
at 2:00 mark it with D and under the D write 2
at 3:00 mark it with A and under the A write 3
at 4:00 mark it with E and under the E write 4
at 5:00 mark it with B and under the B write 5
at 6:00 mark it with F#/Gb and under write 6
at 7:00 mark it with Db and under write 5
at 8:00 mark it with Ab and under write 4
at 9:00 mark it with Eb and under write 3
at 10:00 mark it with Bb and under write 2
at 11:00 mark it with F and under write 1
This is a graphic representation of the order of sharps and flats. Divide the circle in half down the middle and on the right side is all the SHARP KEYS and on the left is all the FLAT KEYS.
Moving ON
Now let's put the two together..
STarting at 12:00 we can see the letter C and under it says 0 that means that the key of C has no sharps or Flats
Let's try 3:00 it is on the sharp side of the circle and has the letter A and near it a number 3. Go back to the FCGDAEB (this is the order of SHARPS) and count 3 letters from the left in this case it would be FCG so now the key of A major has 3 sharps and those sharps are F,C G sharp.
ONE MORE EXAMPLE USING FLATS
Starting at 8:00 we have Ab (On the flat side of the circle) and near it has a 4 that means that the key of Ab has 4 flats and now we can count on our fraction BEADGCF (this is the order of FLATS) 4 letters B,E,A,D so the key of Ab has 4 flats and they are Bb,Eb,Ab,Db
At this point you should be able to construct all 12 major scales in numbers and letters like this:
Key of G major:
G A B C D E F# G
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
This should be done on paper and the next stewp is to memorize the 12 major scales and know what notes are sharped and/or flatted in each key.
If this proves helpfull I'll continue on with chord construction from this point. Please contact me ifyou have any questions about this article.