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 | — | — | — |
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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 7 | Minor | Harmonic | Usual |
Harmonic scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | — |
Hirajōshi scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 3 ♯4 5 7 | 2W-W-H-2W-H | (0,4,6,7,11) | 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) | 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) | 7 | — | Minor | Unusual |
In scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 ♭2 4 5 ♭6 | H-2W-W-H-2W | (0,1,5,7,8) | 5 | — | — | Unusual |
Insen scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 ♭2 4 5 ♭7 | H-2W-W-3H-W | (0,1,5,7,10) | 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) | 7 | Major | Major | Usual |
Istrian scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 5 | H-W-H-W-H-5H | (0,1,3,4,6,7) | 6 | Diminished | — | Unusual |
Iwato scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 ♭2 4 ♭5 ♭7 | H-2W-H-2W-W | (0,1,5,6,10) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 7 | Major | Whole tone | Usual |
Major pentatonic scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 2 3 5 6 | W-W-3H-W-3H | (0,2,4,7,9) | 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) |
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) | 7 | Minor | Major | Usual |
Minor pentatonic scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7 | 3H-W-W-3H-W | (0,3,5,7,10) | 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) | 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) | 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) | 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) |
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) | 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) | 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) | 7 | Phrygian | Phrygian | Usual |
Prometheus scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 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 | ![]() |
ⓘ | 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) | 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) | 6 | — | — | Unusual |
Two-semitone tritone scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 ♭2 ♮2 ♯4 5 ♭6 | H-H-2W-H-H-2W | (0,1,2,6,7,8) | 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) | 7 | Gypsy | Minor | Unusual |
Vietnamese scale of harmonics | ![]() |
ⓘ | 1 ![]() |
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) | 6 | Whole tone | Whole tone | Unusual |
Yo scale | ![]() |
ⓘ | 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 |