Let’s dive deeper into Intervals and figure out what the scales are. Scales are a selection of notes, out of the chromatic scale (12 notes). They are constructed using steps.

The Natural Major scale, also known as the Ionian mode, is one of the most commonly used scales in Western music. It has a bright, happy, and uplifting sound, making it a staple in genres like pop, rock, and classical music. This scale is often the first one musicians learn due to its straightforward structure and pleasing tonal quality.

In terms of usage, the Natural Major scale forms the foundation of many melodies and harmonies. It's frequently used in songwriting to create catchy and memorable tunes. Composers and arrangers rely on this scale to evoke feelings of joy and optimism, making it a go-to choice for upbeat and celebratory pieces.

Beyond its use in melodies, the Natural Major scale is also essential for building chords and chord progressions. Major chords and their variations are derived from this scale, providing a harmonic framework that supports a wide range of musical styles. Whether you're playing a simple folk song or a complex symphony, the Natural Major scale is a versatile and indispensable tool.

The relative steps of the major scale are: w-w-h-w-w-w-h (w=whole step, h=half step).
Let’s explore how that exactly works:

What does diatonic mean?

The term "diatonic" refers to a scale that uses a mix of whole steps and half steps. When we say "diatonic," we mean notes that belong to the scale. For example, if you're playing in the key of E♭ major and using E♭ major notes, those notes are diatonic.

In the piano example above, you saw that only the notes from the scale are used. This means they only include notes "of the scale." Knowing about diatonic notes is important for understanding music theory and making melodies that sound good.

Using diatonic notes helps musicians keep their music in key, making it sound smooth and pleasant. Understanding diatonic notes will improve your musical skills and creativity.

Back to the banjo! You might wonder how this all translates back to your instrument and that might be a bit confusing at first, but please stay tuned. As you just seen, the chromatic intervals for major scale are {1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12}. To most people, this is not very useful information. The diatonic steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are more important to know. Try to learn see the difference between those and learn that by heart. From there it is way more interesting and practical to look at diatonic scale intervals.

Switch between chromatic/diatonic/notes below to see/learn the relations between them. For convenience, the root note (E♭) is highlighted.

As you might notice, the scales have 7 notes, except for the blues and pentatonic scales.