I remember them Standard of Excelence books, I never got the privellege to use one, but I've heard their good for secondary school kids in aiding them in the right path.
I would also aree that major and minor scales are the first thing to learn.
However, what I believe to be also important is the ratio factor. Once you know C major, you know them all, it's the same with minors, aug, dim, modal, chromatic.
Also, having read shnurgle's post, he seems to have givem the most accurate level of knowledge your after, I suggest you read that as it gives a more detailed explanation of what ur trying to achieve.
Ajari, plz get off ur high horse man!
chill. We may be know-it-all's or at least percieved to be such, but I believe it comes down to helping what ppl are asking. ppl are asking about technical-level things and all some ppl can do is say "just be creative" or some other kind of unrealistic .... that just doesn't give any help whatsoever. So I'm a know-it-all, we can't all be perfect like you. Admitedly I believe it comes with the territory, the more you know, th more you want to flaunt it, the more music u write, the more u want to flaunt it, I admit it and have to live with it, but can u admit jealousy? I'm not saying you are, so plz don't take it the wrong way, but this is how ur personality comes across in the past few posts you have made. I don't want to make an argument out of it, and like you say this forum is for helping ppl and without mincing my words (coz u've certainly not been!!) I believe that my posts have been helpful in the extreme, mine and a small handful of others - which is what matters! that ppl learn from those more experienced. So plz get off ur high horse and stop showing jealousy (coz it doesn't suit you - I always thought of you an excelent musician and always beared ur comments in mind, plz let's not ruin that)
That's all I have to say in the matter.