Scales help please

[Twistedfateofone]

I play the flute, I've been playing a few years but never learned the scales... So now I am...

I know the general rule is if there is a flat symbol (b) then it applies to all notes of that value.

Is it the same with scales, so a (b) on the line for E5 will also mean E4 is flat too??

Is that right?

Have you looked up the list of keys and what sharps and flats they have? It’s good to learn this.

If for example a piece is in G major, you’ll have an F#, so every single F of any octave will be an F#. If there’s a sharp or flat sign next to the clef, that means it applies to every instance of that note.

Hmm, I'm working on an A major now, so I have A flat, B flat, D flat and E flat.

It was the E4 that starts of the scale that had me lost a little...

It sounds to me like you'd benefit from learning some music theory more generally; that will help your playing and sightreading overall.

Do you have the basic "sound" of a scale in your ear? Practice single octave scales to really understand how they work, major and both types of minor scales are worthwhile. Then when you do 2 octaves (or more) all the notes will be the same in both octaves. Scale-like passages work quite well in flute music - you could have fun doing 5 note scale "excerpts" starting from different places.

To be slightly pedantic (or else to correct a typo :) ), you are working on A flat major at the moment. A major will have F sharp, C sharp and G sharp in it.

Hang on, I've just realised something - are you trying to do octave and a bit scales, and being asked to start "in the middle"? You can perhaps tell I'm not a wind player ... (violin and piano - we always start formal scales on the key note).

You are right it is A flat major, as is written on my sheet 😂, I am starting at A4 and reaching the high of A5 and back down again (both flats) any idea where I could learn more music theory? I'm self taught and proud to have got this far but its making my head hurt haha! Thank you for your help 😁

So this is easier then trying to explain, I hope you can see the image

Try it!
Do you know what a major scale sounds like? They all follow the same pattern, just start in a different place, so need different flats and sharps.
Play it with all 4 flats in all octaves, and play it with just the notes in the stave flattened. You should be able to hear which is right.

Are you having nay flute lessons or are you 100% self taught?

If you're purely self-learning, you might do well to pick up a Grade 1 music theory book (of any school, although I always used ABRSM) and start to work your way through it.

Chances are you'll be further ahead in some areas than others, but you'll have a solid grounding in everything before you move on to each level. No need to do the exams.

100% self taught, I can read music fine and play well, but it really is the theory, thank you for the advice on the books and listening, that's great, thank you

Sounds like you are doing brilliantly. Do you play other instruments?

ABRSM have an online quiz for different grades, may be a way to see what grade your knowledge is already at? gb.abrsm.org/en/theory2018/music-theory-2018-quiz/#

Hi, I have the ABRSM theory books. If you let me know where I can send them you can have them and also happy to help with theory you get stuck on

Forgot to add, the books cover grades I to VIII

Wow Paul thank you!! Please let me know how much you would like for them and I'll cover postage too? That's so kind of you

@silver thank you for the quiz, below level 1 it seems, I need a lot of work here ☺️

To be fair, I was taught it alongside formal music lessons, so it's not a subject that's necessarily one you will have known intuitively.

I sent you a message.

I never played the flute, but this is a general music reading question that is common to all instruments.

If the flat is a key signature at the key (🎼) then it affects all notes until the end of that piece.

If there is no flat at the key but you see one somewhere in the piece, then it affects only that measure (until the next vertical line | ).