Well, what do you know? We’re back to the chromatic scale. And that means we’re back to square one (or circle one … pardon the pun). You see, nothing has changed about the 12 notes in this pattern. It’s just that we now have a huge advantage. Because we can see each note (and every interval) using color.

Just like before, the chromatic scale can be broken down using two basic intervals: half-steps and whole-steps. You pass through each half-step interval moving from one note to the next. So on the piano keyboard, this interval pattern is: square … circle … square … circle … square … circle … and so on.

And like before, whole-step intervals are played by hitting every other note in the chromatic scale. So all the square notes are spaced at whole-step intervals … and all the circles are, too.

In fact, try playing each of these intervals and you’ll notice something cool. The color actually highlights each pattern. For example, all the squares are evenly-spaced primary and secondary colors … while all the circles are evenly-spaced tertiary colors.

These colors also highlight other patterns … like the major scale. By combining whole-step and half-step intervals, you can play this pattern starting on any note. For example, try playing through the C major scale, one note at a time. And as you do, the colored shapes clearly show this pattern of half-steps and whole-steps.

Then play the G major scale. Moving one finger at a time, start with the left hand … hitting notes 1, 2, 3, 4. Then with the right hand, play notes 5, 6, 7, 8. Nothing’s new, of course … because we’re just playing the same patterns as before. Only now, we can actually see each note.

In fact, you can even see how every major scale overlaps. For example:

• The second half of C major becomes the first half of G major
• The second half of G major becomes the first half of D major
• The second half of D major becomes the first half of A major
• and so on

Try playing through each color scale and you’ll see what I mean. The whole-step and half-step intervals should be familiar by now. So you can focus on the color patterns to get a feel for how they work. And as you do, your ears, eyes, and hands will get even smarter. Which is good … because everything is about to get even better.