Chromatic Scale Question Grade 5, What are the rules re sharps v flats Options

[Malcolm.Inman]

I failed my qestion on chromatic scales but still don't understantd the Model Answer.

I would be very greatful if someone could explain the rules.

The Question (No 5a Session C 2010) is to construct a one octave ascending chromatic scale starting on e flat.

Now the Model answer published is:

e flat; e; f; f sharp; g; g sharp; a; b flat; b; c; c sharp; d; e flat

I have heard / read various rules but none give me this answer !
How do you select the correct enharmonic.

Thanks

[Little Elf]

I think the only thing I was ever told was that you couldn't have the same main note three times in a row... so for example you couldn't have put g flat; g; g sharp.....

apart from that I'm going to have to defer to other forumites.

[jm-hamilton]

I think the workbook says that each note name must appear at least once, but not more than twice in a chromatic scale. There are several different ways of writing the same chromatic scale and all can be considered "right". The Model answer is only one of several correct answers, so you haven't necessarily got it wrong. What was your solution?

[Malcolm.Inman]

My answer now is:

e flat; e; f; f sharp; g; g sharp; a; a sharp; b; c; c sharp; d; d sharp

I can see the last note should be e flat.

But I have the a sharp rather than the Model Answers' b flat

[porilo]

I was always taught that if it's an ascending chromatic scale then the black notes are sharps, and if it's descending then they're flats. There are no flats in an ascending chromatic scale and likewise no sharps in a descending chromatic scale. So, for example, if the question said to construct a descending chromatic scale on Eb, it would be Eb, D, Db, C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G, Gb, F, E, Eb.

[jm-hamilton]

My answer now is:

e flat; e; f; f sharp; g; g sharp; a; a sharp; b; c; c sharp; d; d sharp

I can see the last note should be e flat.

But I have the a sharp rather than the Model Answers' b flat

Apart from the last note, which as you say should be an Eb I can't see anything actually wrong with it. If I was writing it I think I'd have used flats rather than sharps, but only because the scale is beginning on Eb.

[Hooplah]

Interestingly, the chromatic scale starting on Eb for Cello (Grade 6) is written (in the AB Scales and Arpeggios grade 6-8) as follows:

Eb, E, F, Gb, G, Ab, A, Bb, B, C, Db, D, Eb

This seems to be based on ensuring that the flats from the key signature are included, which, without any other guidance I would have gone with as making the most sense.

Your model published answer has a G# rather than an Ab though, which is what I find weird! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm jet lagged, and tired though!

[Malcolm.Inman]

Thank you all for your help.

[Hooplah]

Your model published answer has a G# rather than an Ab though, which is what I find weird! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm jet lagged, and tired though!

That's the aug 3rd in the melodic pattern Eb to G#. Eb to Ab would be a perfect 4th. I guess the logic as applied to theory won't always happen in actual practice and maybe has to be adapted to suit different instruments - just a guess. Tired now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif)

That's worth remembering, I read back your earlier reply to the OP so it made sense after looking at that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[kenm]

Now the Model answer published is:

e flat; e; f; f sharp; g; g sharp; a; b flat; b; c; c sharp; d; e flat

The only way I can make sense of that is if you are told that you are in Bb major or G minor, and even then I wouldn't necessarily write it that way in a composition, where I would be guided by the local key, not the global one, and minimise the number of naturals within that constraint. If the argument is to use all the notes in the key, you can't be in Eb major or C minor, because Ab is missing. Are you given a key signature?

[jan2]

I took this exam and spent a lot of time trying to work out the right answer. In the end after much rubbing out I wrote

e flat; e; f; f sharp; g; g sharp; a; a sharp; b; c; c sharp; d; e flat

and I got full marks so I think there is probably more than one acceptable answer.