List of musical scales and modes
The following is a list of musical scales and modes. Degrees are relative to the major scale.
Name | Image | Sound | Degrees | Intervals | Integer notation | Binary (Big-Endian)[1] | # of pitch classes | Lower tetrachord | Upper tetrachord | Use of key signature usual or unusual |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 equal temperament | ⓘ | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | ||
16 equal temperament | ⓘ | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | ||
17 equal temperament | ⓘ | — | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | ||
19 equal temperament | ⓘ | — | — | — | 19 | — | — | — | ||
21 equal temperament | ⓘ | — | — | — | 21 | — | — | — | ||
Acoustic scale or Lydian dominant scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7 | W-W-W-H-W-H-W | (0,2,4,6,7,9,10) | 101010110110 | 7 | Whole tone | Minor | Usual | |
Aeolian mode or natural minor scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | W-H-W-W-H-W-W | (0,2,3,5,7,8,10) | 101101011010 | 7 | Minor | Phrygian | Usual | |
Algerian scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7 etc. | W-H-3H-H-H-3H-H-W-H-W | (0,2,3,6,7,9,11,12,14,15,17) | Variable | — | — | — | ||
Alpha scale | — | ⓘ | — | — | — | 15.39 | — | — | — | |
Altered scale or Super Locrian scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | H-W-H-W-W-W-W | (0,1,3,4,6,8,10) | 110110101010 | 7 | Diminished | Whole tone | Unusual | |
Augmented scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭3 3 5 ♯5 7 | 3H-H-3H-H-3H-H | (0,3,4,7,8,11) | 100110011001 | 6 | — | — | Usual | |
Bebop dominant scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 7 | W-W-H-W-W-H-H-H | (0,2,4,5,7,9,10,11) | 101011010111 | 8 | Major | Chromatic | Usual | |
Beta scale | — | ⓘ | — | — | — | 18.75 | — | — | — | |
Blues scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7 | 3H-W-H-H-3H-W | (0,3,5,6,7,10) | 100101110010 | 6 | — | — | — | |
Bohlen–Pierce scale | — | ⓘ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Chromatic scale | ⓘ | 1 ♯1 2 ♯2 3 4 ♯4 5 ♯5 6 ♯6 7 7 ♭7 6 ♭6 5 ♭5 4 3 ♭3 2 ♭2 1 |
H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H | (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11) | 111111111111 | 12 | Chromatic | Chromatic | Unusual | |
Delta scale | — | ⓘ | — | — | — | 85.7 | — | — | — | |
Dorian mode | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 | W-H-W-W-W-H-W | (0,2,3,5,7,9,10) | 101101010110 | 7 | Minor | Minor | Usual | |
Double harmonic scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 | H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H | (0,1,4,5,7,8,11) | 110011011001 | 7 | Harmonic | Harmonic | Unusual | |
Enigmatic scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6 7 | H-3H-W-W-W-H-H | (0,1,4,6,8,10,11) | 110010101011 | 7 | Harmonic | — | Unusual | |
Euler–Fokker genus | ⓘ | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | ||
Flamenco mode | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 | H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H | (0,1,4,5,7,8,11) | 110011011001 | 7 | Harmonic | Harmonic | Unusual | |
Gamma scale | — | ⓘ | — | — | — | 34.29 | — | — | — | |
"Gypsy" scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | W-H-3H-H-H-W-W | (0,2,3,6,7,8,10) | 101100111010 | 7 | Gypsy | Phrygian | Unusual | |
Half diminished scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | W-H-W-H-W-W-W | (0,2,3,5,6,8,10) | 101101101010 | 7 | Minor | Whole tone | Unusual | |
Harmonic major scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 | W-W-H-W-H-3H-H | (0,2,4,5,7,8,11) | 101011011001 | 7 | Major | Harmonic | Usual | |
Harmonic minor scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 (♮)7 | W-H-W-W-H-3H-H | (0,2,3,5,7,8,11) | 101101011001 | 7 | Minor | Harmonic | Usual | |
Harmonic scale | ⓘ | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | ||
Hirajōshi scale | ⓘ | 1 3 ♯4 5 7 | 2W-W-H-2W-H | (0,4,6,7,11) | 100010110001 | 5 | — | — | Usual | |
Hungarian "Gypsy" scale/Hungarian minor scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7 | W-H-3H-H-H-3H-H | (0,2,3,6,7,8,11) | 101100111001 | 7 | Gypsy | Harmonic | Unusual | |
Hungarian major scale | ⓘ | 1 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7 | 3H-H-W-H-W-H-W | (0,3,4,6,7,9,10) | 100110110110 | 7 | — | Minor | Unusual | |
In scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 4 5 ♭6 | H-2W-W-H-2W | (0,1,5,7,8) | 110001011000 | 5 | — | — | Unusual | |
Insen scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 4 5 ♭7 | H-2W-W-3H-W | (0,1,5,7,10) | 110001010010 | 5 | — | — | Unusual | |
Ionian mode or major scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | W-W-H-W-W-W-H | (0,2,4,5,7,9,11) | 101011010101 | 7 | Major | Major | Usual | |
Istrian scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 5 | H-W-H-W-H-5H | (0,1,3,4,6,7) | 110110110000 | 6 | Diminished | — | Unusual | |
Iwato scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 4 ♭5 ♭7 | H-2W-H-2W-W | (0,1,5,6,10) | 110001100010 | 5 | — | — | Unusual | |
Locrian mode | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | H-W-W-H-W-W-W | (0,1,3,5,6,8,10) | 110101101010 | 7 | Phrygian | Whole tone | Usual | |
Locrian ♮6 | — | — | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 6 ♭7 | H-W-W-H-3H-H-W | (0,1,3,5,6,9,10) | 110101100110 | 7 | Phrygian | Gypsy | Unusual |
Lydian augmented scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 7 | W-W-W-W-H-W-H | (0,2,4,6,8,9,11) | 101010101101 | 7 | Whole tone | Diminished | Usual | |
Lydian diminished scale | — | 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 7 | W-H-3H-H-W-W-H | (0,2,3,6,7,9,11) | 101100110101 | 7 | Gypsy | Major | Usual | |
Lydian mode | ⓘ | 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 | W-W-W-H-W-W-H | (0,2,4,6,7,9,11) | 101010110101 | 7 | Whole tone | Major | Usual | |
Major bebop scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 4 5 (♯5/♭6) 6 7 | W-W-H-W-(H-H)-W-H | (0,2,4,5,7,(8),9,11) | 101011011101 | 7(8) | Major | Diminished | Usual | |
Major Locrian scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | W-W-H-H-W-W-W | (0,2,4,5,6,8,10) | 101011101010 | 7 | Major | Whole tone | Usual | |
Major pentatonic scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 5 6 | W-W-3H-W-3H | (0,2,4,7,9) | 101010010100 | 5 | — | — | Usual | |
Melodic minor scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♮6 ♮7 8 ♭7 ♭6 5 4 ♭3 2 1 | W-H-W-W-W-W-H (ascending)
W-W-H-W-W-H-W (descending) |
(0,2,3,5,7,9,11) (ascending)
(12,10,8,7,5,3,2) (descending) |
101101010101 (ascending)
101101011010 (descending) |
9 | Minor (ascending)
Major (descending) |
Major (ascending)
Minor (descending) |
Usual (ascending)
Usual (descending) | |
Melodic minor scale (ascending) | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 | W-H-W-W-W-W-H | (0,2,3,5,7,9,11) | 101101010101 | 7 | Minor | Major | Usual | |
Minor pentatonic scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7 | 3H-W-W-3H-W | (0,3,5,7,10) | 100101010010 | 5 | — | — | Usual | |
Mixolydian mode or Adonai malakh mode | ⓘ | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 | W-W-H-W-W-H-W | (0,2,4,5,7,9,10) | 101011010110 | 7 | Major | Minor | Usual | |
Neapolitan major scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 | H-W-W-W-W-W-H | (0,1,3,5,7,9,11) | 110101010101 | 7 | Phrygian | Major | Unusual | |
Neapolitan minor scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7 | H-W-W-W-H-3H-H | (0,1,3,5,7,8,11) | 110101011001 | 7 | Phrygian | Harmonic | Unusual | |
Non-Pythagorean scale | — | ⓘ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Octatonic scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7
1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7 |
W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H
H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W |
(0,2,3,5,6,8,9,11)
(0,1,3,4,6,7,9,10) |
101101101101
110110110110 |
8 | Minor
Diminished |
Diminished
Minor |
Unusual
Unusual | |
Pelog | ⓘ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
Persian scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 3 4 ♭5 ♭6 7 | H-3H-H-H-W-3H-H | (0,1,4,5,6,8,11) | 110011101001 | 7 | Harmonic | — | Unusual | |
Phrygian dominant scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | H-3H-H-W-H-W-W | (0,1,4,5,7,8,10) | 110011011010 | 7 | Harmonic | Phrygian | Unusual | |
Phrygian mode | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | H-W-W-W-H-W-W | (0,1,3,5,7,8,10) | 110101011010 | 7 | Phrygian | Phrygian | Usual | |
Prometheus scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 ♯4 6 ♭7 | W-W-W-3H-H-W | (0,2,4,6,9,10) | 101010100110 | 6 | Whole tone | — | Usual | |
Quarter tone scale | ⓘ | 1 1 ♯1 1 2 2 ♯2 2 3 3 4 4 ♯4 4 5 5 ♯5 5 6 6 ♯6 6 7 7
8 7 7 ♭7 7 6 6 ♭6 6 5 5 ♭5 5 4 4 3 3 ♭3 3 2 2 ♭2 2 1 |
Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q-Q | (0,1/2,1,3/2,2,5/2,3, 7/2,4,9/2,5,11/2,6, 13/2,7,15/2,8,17/2,9, 19/2,10,21/2,11,23/2) |
24 | — | — | — | ||
Scale of harmonics | ⓘ | 1 ♭3 3 4 5 6 | 3H-H-H-W-W-3H | (0,3,4,5,7,9) | 100111010100 | 6 | — | — | Usual | |
Slendro | or ⓘ ⓘ | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | ||
Tritone scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 3 ♭5 5 ♭7 | H-3H-W-H-3H-W | (0,1,4,6,7,10) | 110010110010 | 6 | — | — | Unusual | |
Two-semitone tritone scale | ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♮2 ♯4 5 ♭6 | H-H-2W-H-H-2W | (0,1,2,6,7,8) | 111000111000 | 6 | — | — | Unusual | |
Ukrainian Dorian scale | ⓘ | 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7 | W-H-3H-H-W-H-W | (0,2,3,6,7,9,10) | 101100110110 | 7 | Gypsy | Minor | Unusual | |
Vietnamese scale of harmonics | ⓘ | 1 3 ♭3 ♮3 4 5 | 5Q-Q-H-H-W | (0,5/2,3,4,5,7) | 6 | — | — | — | ||
Whole tone scale | ⓘ | 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6 | W-W-W-W-W-W | (0,2,4,6,8,10) | 101010101010 | 6 | Whole tone | Whole tone | Unusual | |
Yo scale | ⓘ | 1 2 4 5 6 | W-3H-W-W-3H | (0,2,5,7,9) | 101001010100 | 5 | — | — | Unusual |
Tetrachords | Semitones | Letters |
---|---|---|
Chromatic | 1 1 1 | H-H-H |
Diminished | 1 2 1 | H-W-H |
Gypsy [sic] | 2 1 3 | W-H-3H |
Harmonic | 1 3 1 | H-3H-H |
Major | 2 2 1 | W-W-H |
Minor | 2 1 2 | W-H-W |
Phrygian/ Upper minor |
1 2 2 | H-W-W |
Whole tone | 2 2 2 | W-W-W |
See also
References
- ^ "Combinatorial Music Theory". andrewduncan.net. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
External links
- A free Android app with scales & building chords for the scales
- A Study Of Scales
- Alternativescales. A free online app to explore Alternative Scales and Matching Chords with printable diagrams for Guitar and Piano