G major scale

The G major scale is G, A, B, C, D, E and F♯, with one sharp. From G, the steps go whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

  1. G1
  2. whole
  3. A2
  4. whole
  5. B3
  6. half
  7. C4
  8. whole
  9. D5
  10. whole
  11. E6
  12. whole
  13. F♯7
  14. half
  15. G8
G1A2B3C1D2E3G5F♯4

G major on the staff, piano and guitar

On the staff

♯GABCDEF♯G♯GABCDEF♯G

On piano

Right hand 1 2 3, then the thumb passes under to C: 1 2 3 4 5.

G5A4B3C2D1E3G1F♯2

Left hand 5 4 3 2 1, then finger 3 crosses over to E: 3 2 1.

Fingers are numbered from the thumb, 1, to the little finger, 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.

On guitar

23456EBGDAEF♯GABCDEF♯GABCDEF♯GA

Every note of G major between the 2nd and 6th fret. The root, G, has a heavy ring.

How to play the G major scale on piano

  1. Find G, the white key between the first and second of a group of three black keys.
  2. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to A.
  3. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to B.
  4. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to C.
  5. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to D.
  6. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to E.
  7. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to F♯, a black key.
  8. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to G, an octave above where you started.

Practice the G major scale

Play the G major scale one note a beat, up and back down: G A B C D E F♯ G F♯ E D C B A G. Hands separately first. Start at 60 beats a minute and move up toward 100 once every note lands on the beat.

G
  1. G
  2. A
  3. B
  4. C
  5. D
  6. E
  7. F♯
  8. G
  9. F♯
  10. E
  11. D
  12. C
  13. B
  14. A
  15. G

The key of G major

Follow the major pattern from G and one note needs a sharp: F♯. That sharp is the key signature.

Relative minor
E minor
Parallel minor
G minor
Neighbors on the circle of fifths
C major and D major
♯CIVAmiiGIEmviDVBmiiiAF♯mEC♯mBC♭G♯mA♭mF♯G♭D♯mE♭mD♭C♯B♭mA♯mA♭FmE♭CmB♭GmFDmG major
G major on the circle of fifths, with the chords of its key marked.

The name of each note in the key

  1. 1Gtonic
  2. 2Asupertonic
  3. 3Bmediant
  4. 4Csubdominant
  5. 5Ddominant
  6. 6Esubmediant
  7. 7F♯leading tone

Chords in G major

Build a chord on each note of the scale, using only the scale's notes, and you get the seven chords of the key. The numeral is the chord's place in the key: capitals for major, small letters for minor.

  1. IG
  2. iiAm
  3. iiiBm
  4. IVC
  5. VD
  6. viEm
  7. vii°F♯dim

Modes on the same notes

Start the G major scale on another of its notes and you get a mode, with the same key signature: G ionian, A dorian, B phrygian, C lydian, D mixolydian, E aeolian, F♯ locrian.

Practice notes for the G major scale

G major has one sharp, F♯, and it comes near the top of the scale: G A B C D E F♯ G. In the right hand the fingering is the same as C major, 1 2 3, thumb under to C, then 1 2 3 4 5, so F♯ falls to finger 4.

Where it goes wrong. Playing F instead of F♯. After six white keys the hand expects a seventh, and the 4th finger lands on F by habit. The cure is to know in advance: the sharp is the second-to-last note going up and the second note coming down. In the left hand, F♯ falls to finger 2 on the way up, just after finger 3 crosses over to E.

How to practice it. Play the top four notes alone, D E F♯ G, until finger 4 goes to the black key without thought. Then play the whole octave slowly, hands separately, and finally together with a steady beat. Coming down, watch the right thumb: it plays C, and finger 3 crosses over it to B.

What to listen for. F♯ to G is a half step that pulls up to the keynote. If the scale sounds as if it ends somewhere else, an F natural has slipped in. Play C major and G major one after the other: they differ by that one note.

What to learn next. D major, which keeps F♯ and adds C♯, and E minor, the relative minor, which has the same notes starting from E.

Questions

What are the notes of the G major scale?

G, A, B, C, D, E and F♯, then G again an octave up.

What chords are in the key of G major?

G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em and F♯dim: I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi and vii°.

Why does G major have one sharp?

Follow the major pattern from G and one note needs a sharp: F♯. That sharp is the key signature.

What is the relative minor of G major?

E minor. It uses the same notes and the same key signature, starting on E.