if the intervals are equal, wouldn’t it be more convenient to have 12 notes in order from A to L instead of CDEFGAB with sharps and flats?

Question

if the intervals are equal, wouldn’t it be more convenient to have 12 notes in order from A to L instead of CDEFGAB with sharps and flats?

In: 5

Answer 1

Because the diatonic scales aren’t equal in their jumps. In the major scale it jumps tone–tone–semitone–tone–tone–tone–semitone. So for a C major scale you get C-D tone, D-E, tone, E-F semitone, F-G tone, G-A tone, A-B tone, B-C semitone. Want to play a C major scale? White keys one after the other.

Then for other keys, instead of having to remember the gaps between each note in the case of having 12 white keys, all you need to know is in each scale what notes are sharp and flat plus you always have a reference to where C is. Want to play in G major? First note of the scale is G and every F is sharp unless indicated otherwise.