C# Major Scale VS Db Major Scale - Why is there a difference?

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xdrivethru96x

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What(&/or Why) is the difference between the C# Major Scale, and the Db Major scale? My understanding(Please tell me if I'm wrong), is that a C#(sharp) & Db(flat) are essentially the same note. If this is the case, why do they each have their own unique scale?? Shouldn't they be the same, both of which following the WWHWWWH scheme since they're Major?? Can anyone please explain why/how they're not the same ?? Thanks in advance! ;)
 
They are enharmonic to each other
The C# major scale has all sharps and is spelled C# D# E# F# G# A# B#
The Db major scale has only 5 flats and is spelled Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb
If you look at them closely and understand how enharmonic notes work, you would see that in the C# major scale, the enharmonic equivalent to E# is F, and the enharmonic equivalent to B# is C, therefore, C# major scale is the enharmonic equivalent to the Db major scale.
 
There is no difference. Two names for the same thing.

If you get into writing out music on a staff (i.e. sheet music) it becomes apparent why sharps and flats can be identified by two different names. It helps keep the notation clean.

I'll see if I can explain in the general sense. Basically, as far as communication goes, you don't use the same "letter" twice when identifying the notes of a scale. In other words, you wouldn't say that a scale goes C then Csharp then Dsharp, etc... because you're using "C" twice. You would say "C then Dflat then Eflat" so that you're never repeating a letter. The reason for this is readily apparent when you're writing on the staff, but it's hard to explain why without actually sitting down and trying to write out or read some sheet music.
 
Thanks so much guys. Im just starting to really "dive" into Theory, and this cleared up a bit for me. I had originally thought they were the same, but couldn't grasp why I was seeing them written out differently - Now I get it. The whole not using the same "letter" twice when identifying the notes in a scale makes a ton of sense to me actually.
 
sonically there is no difference but in terms of how we treat them in preparing modulations and other compositional tricks, they are different

as already noted there is the one note name per scale rule

7#'s vs 5b's is important if you are writing music out for transposing instruments such as the clarinets, most of the brass and the saxes

Most of those transpositions are up a tone (instruments in Bb) but some can be up a minor 3rd (instruments in A) or a major 6th (instruments in Eb) or even up a 5th/down a 5th (the French Horn in F)

What this means is that
- If I am writing something in E major, then I will have to write transposing parts in
-- F#/Gb (6#'s/6b's), G, C# and A
--- 7 #'s is tough to read, so I might recast the transposition to 5b's for ease of reading.
- Similarly, if I were writing something in B, my transposed parts would be
-- C#/Db, D, G#/Ab and F#/Gb
--- I am certainly not going to write a part out with 8#'s so would use Ab (4b's) instead of G#, using Db for C# is just common sense
--- I might even consider writing in Cb major to begin with (7b's) simply to make the transpositions simple
--- not so necessary these days with software that can handle the task for you
 
Play each scale on a keyboard, based on the whole/half step method naming the notes as you go. For example C#, D#, E # etc... then do the same thing but call it Db. So Db, Eb, F, etc..... What you will see is that every single note in the scale is the same, but each has a different name. So in essence, there is only a difference when writing or theorizing. In practice they are identical. If a band played a song in C#, then played the same song in Db, you would never know the difference by listening.
 
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