![]() , the third of the A major scale indeed is C. in the naming system used by the keyboard i posted:Ī B C D E F G A You're saying that the 3rd in the A major scale should be a C#, but it's only a C# in /our/ naming system (ie the one that starts on C). why isn't it? why is it actually called 'C', instead of anything else?īut, again, the whole /point/ of my question is that if you take the most "basic" and "simple" major scale, and want to assign notes to it, then the A major (yes, major!) scale would be: A B C D E F G A, and there *would not be a note that ever existed called C#*. it seems to make more sense that the note we call 'C' on the piano, would instead be called 'A'. why C? it seems completely arbitrary to me! the only non-arbitrary letter name for the most basic scale to start seems to be 'A'. So, it doesn't make sense that this "basic" scale starts on C. Therefore, the C major scale is the most "simple" and "basic" scale that we learn. we learn that a minor scale starts on the 6th degree of a major scale or we learn that a minor scale is a major scale with the 3rd, 6th, and 7th flattened. ` - we learn minor scales only after learning major scales. it is considered the most simple of the major scales all other major scales have a sharp or a flat in it. ` - we start with the C major scale as our first major scale we learn. certainly, that's how it's considered to be in our society, whenever anyone learns anything about music theory: i consider the C major scale to be the most "simple" and "basic" scale. Let me try asking my question more precisely: I don't mean *literally* "why do people learn middle C on the piano as their first note". No, i'm afraid that isn't addressing my actual question! i may be explaining it not well enough, and you are intepretting what i'm writing in a meaning that i /didn't/ realize i'm saying, lol! My question: why are we using a naming system that names the most basic scale starting with the letter 'C'?! it seems arbitrary that the name of the first note of the most basic scale we use is /C/, instead of A. at any rate, i am assuming that if i ask what the most "basic", and "simple", and "most fundamental starting point" for a scale is to us, it would be the major scale with no flats and sharps in it. Now, my little hypothetical fantasy above is close enough (i'm assuming) to how things actually came about. Obviously, i would choose to name the notes my most "basic" scale starting on the letter 'A'. i decide to use the letters of the alphabet. ` so now all that's left to do is assign names to each note of my "basic" scale. this is a good idea, because i see that all the other major scales are created by using flats and sharps, and now i have a unique way of identifying all twelve scales, and also would have found a way of referring to all twelve of my possible notes. ` i also realize that it's a good idea if i deem /one/ of these twelve major scales as the most "basic" scale, and that i name all notes not part of this one "basic" scale as "flats and sharps". ` i soon will then realize that there are twelve such major scales possible using my system of twelve pitches. ![]() ` i then discover that a pattern of notes in a TTSTTTS pattern sounds super-pleasing, and i call such a sequence of notes a "major scale". suppose that i magically discover a system of twelve pitches (roughly corresponding to our equal tempered 12 tones) that deliver pleasing tones, and that i like this system so much that i only ever use this system. Suppose i was some pre-historic guy playing around with a stringed instrument. why is this note called C, instead of it being called A? The major scale with no sharps and no flats starts on a note that we call C. What are the reasons (which i'm guessing are all only historical reasons?) that major scale with no sharps and no flats begins with 'C', instead of 'A'? I don't know if this is a "stupid, unpractical' question, but i've always wondered about it. (this post is editted to rephrase my question, because now two three people misunderstood it! i'll get it right eventually.!)
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