A
scale (in
music) is a given set of
notes with assumed
intervals. Major scales, minor scales, chromatic scales, augmented scales, blues scales, and pentatonic scales are a
few of these.
As reference for following scales, let's first look at the chromatic scale, which begins on one note, and plays every half step up to the next octave.
Chromatic Scale
- C Major - C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C
- G Major - G G# A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G
- D Major - D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D
- A Major - A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G# A
- E Major - E F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# E
- B Major - B C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B
- F# Major - F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# E F F#
- C# Major - C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C C#
- F Major - F F# G G# A A# B C C# D D# E F
- Bb Major - Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab A Bb
- Eb Major - Eb E F Gb G Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb
- Ab Major - Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab
Major Scales
Major scales start on one note, and from there, go in this pattern:
Whole Step - Whole Step - Half Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Whole Step - Half Step
Look at the chromatic scale to get the notes. If you're right, these should be the major scales (triads in bold):
- C Major - C D E F G A B C
- G Major - G A B C D E F# G
- D Major - D E F# G A B C# D
- A Major - A B C# D E F# G# A
- E Major - E F# G# A B C# D# E
- B Major - B C# D# E F# G# A# B
- F# Major - F# G# A# B C# D# F F#
- C# Major - C# D# F F# G# A# C C#
- F Major - F G A Bb C D E F
- Bb Major - Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
- Eb Major - Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb
- Ab Major - Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
Minor Scales
Minor scales are simply the major scale with the third note flatted. Triads are again in bold.
- C Minor - C D Eb F G A B C
- G Minor - G A Bb C D E F# G
- D Minor - D E F G A B C# D
- A Minor - A B C D E F# G# A
- E Minor - E F# G A B C# D# E
- B Minor - B C# D E F# G# A# B
- F# Minor - F# G# A B C# D# F F#
- C# Minor - C# D# E F# G# A# C C#
- F Minor - F G Ab Bb C D E F
- Bb Minor - Bb C Db Eb F G A Bb
- Eb Minor - Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D Eb
- Ab Minor - Ab Bb B Db Eb F G Ab
Diminished Scales
Diminished scales are the major scale with the third and fifth notes flatted.
- C Major - C D Eb F Gb A B C
- G Diminished - G A Bb C Db Eb F# G
- D Diminished - D E F G Ab B C# D
- A Diminished - A B C D Eb F# G# A
- E Diminished - E F# G A Bb C# D# E
- B Diminished - B C# D E F G# A# B
- F# Diminished- F# G# A B C D# F F#
- C# Diminished - C# D# E F# G A# C C#
- F Diminished - F G Ab Bb B D E F
- Bb Diminished - Bb C Db Eb E G A Bb
- Eb Diminished - Eb F Gb Ab B C D Eb
- Ab Diminished - Ab Bb B Db E F G Ab
Augmented Scales
Augmented scales are the major scale with the fifth note in the scale sharped.
- C Major - C D E F G# A B C
- G Augmented - G A B C D# E F# G
- D Augmented - D E F# G A# B C# D
- A Augmented - A B C# D F F# G# A
- E Augmented - E F# G# A C C# D# E
- B Augmented - B C# D# E G G# A# B
- F# Augmented - F# G# A# B D D# F F#
- C# Augmented - C# D# F F# A A# C C#
- F Augmented - F G A Bb C# D E F
- Bb Augmented - Bb C D Eb F# G A Bb
- Eb Augmented - Eb F G Ab B C D Eb
- Ab Augmented - Ab Bb C Db E F G Ab
Blues Scales
To find a blues scale, you take the major scale, and use these notes:
First note - Flatted Third note - Fourth Note - Flatted Fifth Note - Fifth Note - Flatted Seventh Note - First note (octave higher)
Here are the blues scales:
- C Blues - C Eb F Gb G Bb C
- G Blues - G Bb C Db D F G
- D Blues - D F G Ab A C D
- A Blues - A C D Eb E G A
- E Blues - E G A Bb B D E
- B Blues - B D E F F# A B
- F# Blues - F# A B C C# E F#
- C# Blues - C# E F# G G# B C#
- F Blues - F Ab Bb B C Eb F
- Bb Blues - Bb Db Eb E F Ab Bb
- Eb Blues - Eb Gb Ab A Bb Db Eb
- Ab Blues - Ab B Db D Eb Gb Ab
Pentatonic Scales
Pentatonic major and minor scales are the first, second, third, fifth, sixth, and first (octave higher) notes of their respective scales.
Exotic Scales
See Exotic Scales.