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 | # of pitch classes | Lower tetrachord | Upper tetrachord | Use of key signature usual or unusual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 equal temperament |  15-tet scale on C. |  Play | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — |
| 16 equal temperament |  16-tet scale on C. | Play | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | |
| 17 equal temperament |  17-tet scale on C. | Play | — | — | — | 17 | — | — | |
| 19 equal temperament |  19-tet scale on C. | Play | — | — | — | 19 | — | — | |
| 21 equal temperament |  21-tet scale on C. | Play | — | — | — | 21 | — | — | |
| Acoustic scale |  Acoustic scale on C. | Play | 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7 | W-W-W-H-W-H-W | (0,2,4,6,7,9,10) | 7 | whole tone | minor | — |
| Aeolian mode or natural minor scale |  Aeolian on C. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | W-H-W-W-H-W-W | (0,2,3,5,7,8,10) | 7 | minor | Phrygian | Usual |
| Algerian scale |  Algerian scale on C. | Play | 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 | — | Play | — | — | — | 15.39 | — | — | — |
| Altered scale or Super Locrian scale |  Altered scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | H-W-H-W-W-W-W | (0,1,3,4,6,8,10) | 7 | diminished | whole tone | — |
| Augmented scale |  Augmented scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭3 3 5 ♯5 7 | 3H-H-3H-H-3H-H | (0,3,4,7,8,11) | 6 | — | — | — |
| Bebop dominant scale |  Bebop dominant scale on C. | Play | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 7 | W-W-H-W-W-H-H-H | (0,2,4,5,7,9,10,11) | 8 | — | — | — |
| Beta scale | — | Play | — | — | — | 18.75 | — | — | — |
| Blues scale |  Blues scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7 | 3H-W-H-H-3H-W | (0,3,5,6,7,10) | 6 | — | — | — |
| Bohlen–Pierce scale | — | Play | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chromatic scale |  Chromatic scale on C. | Play | 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) | 12 | — | — | — |
| Delta scale | — | Play | — | — | — | 85.7 | — | — | — |
| Dorian mode |  Dorian on C. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 | W-H-W-W-W-H-W | (0,2,3,5,7,9,10) | 7 | minor | minor | Usual |
| Double harmonic scale |  Double harmonic scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 | H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H | (0,1,4,5,7,8,10) | 7 | harmonic | harmonic | Unusual |
| Enigmatic scale |  Enigmatic scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6 7 | H-3H-W-W-W-H-H | (0,1,4,6,8,10,11) | 7 | Unusual | ||
| Euler–Fokker genus |  Euler-Fokker genus 337 on C. | Play | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — |
| Flamenco mode |  Flamenco mode on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 | H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H | (0,1,4,5,7,8,11) | 7 | Phrygian | Phrygian | Unusual |
| Gamma scale | — | Play | — | — | — | 34.29 | — | — | — |
| "Gypsy" scale |  "Gypsy" [sic] scale on C. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | W-H-3H-H-H-W-W | (0,2,3,6,7,8,10) | 7 | Gypsy | Phrygian | Unusual |
| Half diminished scale |  Half diminished scale on C. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | W-H-W-H-W-W-W | (0,2,3,5,6,8,10) | 7 | minor | whole tone | — |
| Harmonic major scale |  Harmonic major scale on C. | Play | 1 2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 | W-W-H-W-H-3H-H | (0,2,4,5,7,8,11) | 7 | major | harmonic | — |
| Harmonic minor scale |  Harmonic minor scale on C. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 (♮)7 | W-H-W-W-H-3H-H | (0,2,3,5,7,8,11) | 7 | minor | harmonic | — |
| Harmonic Scale |  Harmonic scale chromatic on C. | Play | — | — | — | 144 | — | — | — |
| Hexany | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hirajoshi scale |  Hirajoshi scale on C. | Play | 1 3 ♯4 5 7 | 2W-W-H-2W-H | (0,4,6,7,11) | 5 | — | — | — |
| Hungarian "Gypsy" scale/Hungarian minor scale |  Hungarian "Gypsy"[sic] scale on C. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7 | W-H-3H-H-H-3H-H | (0,2,3,6,7,8,11) | 7 | Gypsy | harmonic | Unusual |
| Hungarian major scale |  Hungarian major scale on C. | Play | 1 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7 | 3H-H-W-H-W-H-W | (0,3,4,6,7,9,10) | 7 | — | minor | Unusual |
| In scale |  Miyako-bushi scale on D, equivalent to in scale on D, with brackets on fourths. | Play | 1 ♭2 4 5 ♭6 | H-2W-W-H-2W | (0,1,5,7,8) | 5 | — | — | — |
| Insen scale |  Insen scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 4 5 ♭7 | H-2W-W-3H-W | (0,1,5,7,10) | 5 | — | — | — |
| Ionian mode or major scale |  Ionian on C. | Play | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | W-W-H-W-W-W-H | (0,2,4,5,7,9,11) | 7 | major | major | Usual |
| Istrian scale |  Istrian mode on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 5 | H-W-H-W-H-5H | (0,1,3,4,6,7) | 6 | diminished | — | — |
| Iwato scale |  Iwato scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 4 ♭5 ♭7 | H-2W-H-2W-W | (0,1,5,6,10) | 5 | — | — | — |
| Locrian mode |  Locrian on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | H-W-W-H-W-W-W | (0,1,3,5,6,8,10) | 7 | Phrygian | whole tone | Usual |
| Lydian augmented scale |  Lydian augmented scale on C. | Play | 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 7 | W-W-W-W-H-W-H | (0,2,4,6,8,9,11) | 7 | whole tone | diminished | — |
| Lydian mode |  Lydian on C. | Play | 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 | W-W-W-H-W-W-H | (0,2,4,6,7,9,11) | 7 | whole tone | major | Usual |
| Major bebop scale |  Major bebop scale on C. | Play | 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) | 7(8) | — | — | — |
| Major Locrian scale |  Major Locrian scale C. | Play | 1 2 3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | W-W-H-H-W-W-W | (0,2,4,5,6,8,10) | 7 | major | whole tone | — |
| Major pentatonic scale |  Major pentatonic scale on C. | Play | 1 2 3 5 6 | W-W-3H-W-3H | (0,2,4,7,9) | 5 | — | — | Usual |
| Melodic minor scale |  The A melodic minor scale, ascending and descending, on A. | Play | 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) |
9 | minor | varies | — |
| Melodic minor scale (ascending) |  Melodic minor scale ascending on A. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 | W-H-W-W-W-W-H | (0,2,3,5,7,9,11) | 7 | minor | major | — |
| Minor pentatonic scale |  Minor pentatonic scale on A. | Play | 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7 | 3H-W-W-3H-W | (0,3,5,7,10) | 5 | — | — | Usual |
| Mixolydian mode or Adonai malakh mode |  Mixolydian on C. | Play | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 | W-W-H-W-W-H-W | (0,2,4,5,7,9,10) | 7 | major | minor | Usual |
| Neapolitan major scale |  Neapolitan major scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 | H-W-W-W-W-W-H | (0,1,3,5,7,9,11) | 7 | Phrygian | major | Unusual |
| Neapolitan minor scale |  Neapolitan minor scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7 | H-W-W-W-H-3H-H | (0,1,3,5,7,8,11) | 7 | Phrygian | harmonic | Unusual |
| Non-Pythagorean scale | — | Play | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Octatonic scale |  Octatonic scales on C. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7
|
W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H
H-W-H-W-H-W-H |
(0,2,3,5,6,8,9,11) (0,1,3,4,6,7,9,10) | 8 | — | — | — |
| Pelog |  Pelog approximated in Western notation. | Play | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Persian scale |  Persian scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 3 4 ♭5 ♭6 7 | H-3H-H-H-W-3H-H | (0,1,4,5,6,8,11) | 7 | harmonic | unusual | — |
| Phrygian dominant scale |  Phrygian dominant on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | H-3H-H-W-H-W-W | (0,1,4,5,7,8,10) | 7 | harmonic | Phrygian | Unusual |
| Phrygian mode |  Phrygian on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | H-W-W-W-H-W-W | (0,1,3,5,7,8,10) | 7 | Phrygian | Phrygian | Usual |
| Prometheus scale |  Prometheus scale on C. | Play | 1 2 3 ♯4 6 ♭7 | W-W-W-3H-H-W | (0,2,4,6,9,10) | 6 | — | — | — |
| Quarter tone scale |  Quarter tone scale C. | Play | 1  1 ♯1  1 2 2 ♯2 2 3 3 4 4 ♯4 4 5 5 ♯5 5 6 6 ♯6 6 7 7
|
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 |  Scale of harmonics C. | Play | 1 ♭3 3 4 5 6 | 3H-H-H-W-W-3H | (0,3,4,5,7,9) | — | — | — | — |
| Slendro |  Slendro on C compared to a whole tone scale on C. | Play or Play | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — |
| Tritone scale | .png.webp) Tritone scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 3 ♭5 5 ♭7 | H-3H-W-H-3H-W | (0,1,4,6,7,10) | 6 | — | — | — |
| Two-semitone tritone scale | .png.webp) Two-semitone tritone scale on C. | Play | 1 ♭2 ♮2 ♯4 5 ♭6 | H-H-4H-H-H-4H | (0,1,2,6,7,8) | 6 | — | — | — |
| Ukrainian Dorian scale |  Ukrainian Dorian mode on C. | Play | 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7 | W-H-3H-H-W-H-W | (0,2,3,6,7,9,10) | 7 | Gypsy | minor | Unusual |
| Vietnamese scale of harmonics |  Vietnamese scale of harmonics on C. | Play | 1  3 ♭3 ♮3 4 5 |
5Q-Q-H-H-W | (0,5/2,3,4,5,7) | 6 | — | — | — |
| Whole tone scale |  Whole tone scale on C. | Play | 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6 | W-W-W-W-W-W | (0,2,4,6,8,10) | 6 | — | — | — |
| Yo scale |  Min'yō scale on D, equivalent to yo scale on C, with brackets on fourths. | Play | 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7 | 3H-W-W-3H-W | (0,3,5,7,10) | 5 | — | — | — |
| 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
External links
- A free Android app with scales & building chords for the scales
- A Study Of Scales
- The Universal Encyclopedia of Scales
Music theory lists | ||
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