List of musical scales and modes
The following is a list of musical scales and modes . Degrees are relative to the major scale.
List of musical scales and modes
Name
Image
Sound
JSID (Pitch-Class Membership)[ 1] [ 2]
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 or Lydian dominant scale
Acoustic scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2742 (101010110110)
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
Usual
Aeolian mode or natural minor scale
Aeolian on C.
Play ⓘ
2906 (101101011010)
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 ⓘ
2873/2880 (101100110101/
101101000000)
1 2 ♭ 3 ♯ 4 5 ♭ 6 7 etc.
W-H-3H-H-H-3H-H-W-H-W
(0,2,3,6,7,8,11,12,14,15,17)
Variable
—
—
—
Alpha scale
—
Play ⓘ
—
—
—
15.39
—
—
—
Altered scale or Super Locrian scale
Altered scale on C.
Play ⓘ
3498 (110110101010)
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
Unusual
Augmented scale
Augmented scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2457 (100110011001)
1 ♭ 3 3 5 ♯ 5 7
3H-H-3H-H-3H-H
(0,3,4,7,8,11)
6
—
—
Usual
Bebop dominant scale
Bebop dominant scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2775 (101011010111)
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
Major
Chromatic
Usual
Beta scale
—
Play ⓘ
—
—
—
18.75
—
—
—
Blues scale
Blues scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2418 (100101110010)
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 ⓘ
4095 (111111111111)
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
Chromatic
Chromatic
Unusual
Delta scale
—
Play ⓘ
—
—
—
85.7
—
—
—
Dorian mode
Dorian on C.
Play ⓘ
2902 (101101010110)
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 (also called Flamenco mode )
Double harmonic scale on C.
Play ⓘ
3289 (110011011001)
1 ♭ 2 3 4 5 ♭ 6 7
H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H
(0,1,4,5,7,8,11)
7
Harmonic
Harmonic
Unusual
Enigmatic scale
Enigmatic scale on C.
Play ⓘ
3243 (110010101011)
1 ♭ 2 3 ♯ 4 ♯ 5 ♯ 6 7
H-3H-W-W-W-H-H
(0,1,4,6,8,10,11)
7
Harmonic
—
Unusual
Euler–Fokker genus
Euler-Fokker genus 337 on C.
Play ⓘ
—
—
—
6
—
—
—
Gamma scale
—
Play ⓘ
—
—
—
34.29
—
—
—
"Gypsy" scale
"Gypsy" [sic ] scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2874 (101100111010)
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 ⓘ
2922 (101101101010)
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
Unusual
Harmonic major scale
Harmonic major scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2777 (101011011001)
1 2 3 4 5 ♭ 6 7
W-W-H-W-H-3H-H
(0,2,4,5,7,8,11)
7
Major
Harmonic
Usual
Harmonic minor scale
Harmonic minor scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2905 (101101011001)
1 2 ♭ 3 4 5 ♭ 6 (♮ )7
W-H-W-W-H-3H-H
(0,2,3,5,7,8,11)
7
Minor
Harmonic
Usual
Harmonic scale
Harmonic scale chromatic on C.
Play ⓘ
—
—
—
12
—
—
—
Hirajōshi scale
Hirajoshi scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2225 (100010110001)
1 3 ♯ 4 5 7
2W-W-H-2W-H
(0,4,6,7,11)
5
—
—
Usual
Hungarian "Gypsy" scale /Hungarian minor scale
Hungarian "Gypsy"[sic] scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2873 (101100111001)
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 ⓘ
2486 (100110110110)
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 ⓘ
3160 (110001011000)
1 ♭ 2 4 5 ♭ 6
H-2W-W-H-2W
(0,1,5,7,8)
5
—
—
Unusual
Insen scale
Insen scale on C.
Play ⓘ
3154 (110001010010)
1 ♭ 2 4 5 ♭ 7
H-2W-W-3H-W
(0,1,5,7,10)
5
—
—
Unusual
Ionian mode or major scale
Ionian on C.
Play ⓘ
2773 (101011010101)
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 ⓘ
3504 (110110110000)
1 ♭ 2 ♭ 3 ♭ 4 ♭ 5 5
H-W-H-W-H-5H
(0,1,3,4,6,7)
6
Diminished
—
Unusual
Iwato scale
Iwato scale on C.
Play ⓘ
3170 (110001100010)
1 ♭ 2 4 ♭ 5 ♭ 7
H-2W-H-2W-W
(0,1,5,6,10)
5
—
—
Unusual
Locrian mode
Locrian on C.
Play ⓘ
3434 (110101101010)
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
Locrian ♮6
—
—
3430 (110101100110)
1 ♭ 2 ♭ 3 4 ♭ 5 6 ♭ 7
H-W-W-H-3H-H-W
(0,1,3,5,6,9,10)
7
Phrygian
Gypsy
Unusual
Lydian augmented scale
Lydian augmented scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2733 (101010101101)
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
Usual
Lydian diminished scale
Lydian diminished on C.
—
2869 (101100110101)
1 2 ♭ 3 ♯ 4 5 6 7
W-H-3H-H-W-W-H
(0,2,3,6,7,9,11)
7
Gypsy
Major
Usual
Lydian mode
Lydian on C.
Play ⓘ
2741 (101010110101)
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 ⓘ
2781 (101011011101)
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
Diminished
Usual
Major Locrian scale
Major Locrian scale C.
Play ⓘ
2794 (101011101010)
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
Usual
Major pentatonic scale
Major pentatonic scale on C.
Play ⓘ
2708 (101010010100)
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 ⓘ
2901\2906 (101101010101\ 101101011010)
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 (ascending)
Major (descending)
Major (ascending)
Minor (descending)
Usual (ascending)
Usual (descending)
Hawaiian or Melodic minor scale (ascending)
Melodic minor scale ascending on A.
Play ⓘ
2901 (101101010101)
1 2 ♭ 3 4 5 6 7
W-H-W-W-W-W-H
(0,2,3,5,7,9,11)
7
Minor
Major
Usual
Minor pentatonic scale
Minor pentatonic scale on A.
Play ⓘ
2386 (100101010010)
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 ⓘ
2774 (101011010110)
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 ⓘ
3413 (110101010101)
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 ⓘ
3417 (110101011001)
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 ⓘ
2925 (101101101101)
3510 (110110110110)
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)
8
Minor
Diminished
Diminished
Minor
Unusual
Unusual
Pelog
Pelog approximated in Western notation.
Play ⓘ
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Persian scale
Persian scale on C.
Play ⓘ
3305 (110011101001)
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 ⓘ
3290 (110011011010)
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 ⓘ
3418 (110101011010)
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 ⓘ
2726 (101010100110)
1 2 3 ♯ 4 6 ♭ 7
W-W-W-3H-H-W
(0,2,4,6,9,10)
6
Whole tone
—
Usual
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
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
Scale of harmonics C.
Play ⓘ
2516 (100111010100)
1 ♭ 3 3 4 5 6
3H-H-H-W-W-3H
(0,3,4,5,7,9)
6
—
—
Usual
Slendro
Slendro on C compared to a whole tone scale on C.
Play ⓘ or Play ⓘ
—
—
—
5
—
—
—
Tritone scale
Tritone scale on C.
Play ⓘ
3250 (110010110010)
1 ♭ 2 3 ♭ 5 5 ♭ 7
H-3H-W-H-3H-W
(0,1,4,6,7,10)
6
—
—
Unusual
Two-semitone tritone scale
Two-semitone tritone scale on C.
Play ⓘ
3640 (111000111000)
1 ♭ 2 ♮ 2 ♯ 4 5 ♭ 6
H-H-2W-H-H-2W
(0,1,2,6,7,8)
6
—
—
Unusual
Ukrainian Dorian scale
Ukrainian Dorian mode on C.
Play ⓘ
2870 (101100110110)
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 ⓘ
2730 (101010101010)
1 2 3 ♯ 4 ♯ 5 ♯ 6
W-W-W-W-W-W
(0,2,4,6,8,10)
6
Whole tone
Whole tone
Unusual
Yo scale
Min'yō scale on D, equivalent to yo scale on C, with brackets on fourths.
Play ⓘ
2644 (101001010100)
1 2 4 5 6
W-3H-W-W-3H
(0,2,5,7,9)
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
External links
Main Western Other types Ethnic origin Non-octave Modes
Number of tones