List of musical scales and modes

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The following is a list of musical scales and modes. Degrees are relative to the major scale.

More information Name, Image ...
List of musical scales and modes
NameImageSound JSID (Pitch-Class Membership)[1][2]DegreesIntervals Integer notation # of pitch classesLower tetrachordUpper tetrachordUse 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/
Lydian dominant scale
Acoustic scale on C.
Playⓘ 2742 (101010110110)1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7W-W-W-H-W-H-W(0,2,4,6,7,9,10)7Whole toneMinorUsual
Aeolian mode/
natural minor scale
Aeolian on C.
Playⓘ 2906 (101101011010)1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7W-H-W-W-H-W-W(0,2,3,5,7,8,10)7MinorPhrygianUsual
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/
Super Locrian scale
Altered scale on C.
Playⓘ 3498 (110110101010)1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7H-W-H-W-W-W-W(0,1,3,4,6,8,10)7DiminishedWhole toneUnusual
Augmented scale
Augmented scale on C.
Playⓘ 2457 (100110011001)1 ♭3 3 5 ♯5 73H-H-3H-H-3H-H(0,3,4,7,8,11)6—LydianUnusual
Bebop dominant scale
Bebop dominant scale on C.
Playⓘ 2775 (101011010111)1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 7W-W-H-W-W-H-H-H(0,2,4,5,7,9,10,11)8MajorChromaticUsual
Beta scale—Playⓘ ———18.75———
Blues scale
Blues scale on C.
Playⓘ 2418 (100101110010)1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭73H-W-H-H-3H-W(0,3,5,6,7,10)6––Unusual
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)12ChromaticChromaticUnusual
Delta scale—Playⓘ ———85.7———
Dorian mode
Dorian on C.
Playⓘ 2902 (101101010110)1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7W-H-W-W-W-H-W(0,2,3,5,7,9,10)7MinorMinorUsual
Double harmonic scale
Double harmonic scale on C.
Playⓘ 3289 (110011011001)1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H(0,1,4,5,7,8,11)7HarmonicHarmonicUnusual
Enigmatic scale
Enigmatic scale on C.
Playⓘ 3243 (110010101011)1 ♭2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6 7H-3H-W-W-W-H-H(0,1,4,6,8,10,11)7Harmonic–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 ♭7W-H-3H-H-H-W-W(0,2,3,6,7,8,10)7GypsyPhrygianUnusual
Half diminished scale
Half diminished scale on C.
Playⓘ 2922 (101101101010)1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7W-H-W-H-W-W-W(0,2,3,5,6,8,10)7MinorWhole toneUnusual
Harmonic major scale
Harmonic major scale on C.
Playⓘ 2777 (101011011001)1 2 3 4 5 ♭6 7W-W-H-W-H-3H-H(0,2,4,5,7,8,11)7MajorHarmonicUsual
Harmonic minor scale
Harmonic minor scale on C.
Playⓘ 2905 (101101011001)1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 (♮)7W-H-W-W-H-3H-H(0,2,3,5,7,8,11)7MinorHarmonicUsual
Harmonic scale
Harmonic scale chromatic on C.
Playⓘ ———12———
Hirajōshi scale
Hirajoshi scale on C.
Playⓘ 2225 (100010110001)1 3 ♯4 5 72W-W-H-2W-H(0,4,6,7,11)5——Unusual
Hungarian "Gypsy" scale/
Hungarian minor scale
Hungarian "Gypsy"[sic] scale on C.
Playⓘ 2873 (101100111001)1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7W-H-3H-H-H-3H-H(0,2,3,6,7,8,11)7GypsyHarmonicUnusual
Hungarian major scale
Hungarian major scale on C.
Playⓘ 2486 (100110110110)1 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭73H-H-W-H-W-H-W(0,3,4,6,7,9,10)7—MinorUnusual
In scale
Miyako-bushi scale on D, equivalent to in scale on D, with brackets on fourths.
Playⓘ 3160 (110001011000)1 ♭2 4 5 ♭6H-2W-W-H-2W(0,1,5,7,8)5——Unusual
Insen scale
Insen scale on C.
Playⓘ 3154 (110001010010)1 ♭2 4 5 ♭7H-2W-W-3H-W(0,1,5,7,10)5——Unusual
Ionian mode/
major scale
Ionian on C.
Playⓘ 2773 (101011010101)1 2 3 4 5 6 7W-W-H-W-W-W-H(0,2,4,5,7,9,11)7MajorMajorUsual
Istrian scale
Istrian mode on C.
Playⓘ 3504 (110110110000)1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 5H-W-H-W-H-5H(0,1,3,4,6,7)6Diminished—Unusual
Iwato scale
Iwato scale on C.
Playⓘ 3170 (110001100010)1 ♭2 4 ♭5 ♭7H-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 ♭7H-W-W-H-W-W-W(0,1,3,5,6,8,10)7PhrygianWhole toneUsual
Locrian ♮6—— 3430 (110101100110)1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 6 ♭7H-W-W-H-3H-H-W(0,1,3,5,6,9,10)7PhrygianGypsyUnusual
Lydian augmented scale
Lydian augmented scale on C.
Playⓘ 2733 (101010101101)1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 7W-W-W-W-H-W-H(0,2,4,6,8,9,11)7Whole toneDiminishedUnusual
Lydian diminished scale
Lydian diminished on C.
— 2869 (101100110101)1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 7W-H-3H-H-W-W-H(0,2,3,6,7,9,11)7GypsyMajorUnusual
Lydian mode
Lydian on C.
Playⓘ 2741 (101010110101)1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7W-W-W-H-W-W-H(0,2,4,6,7,9,11)7Whole toneMajorUsual
Major bebop scale
Major bebop scale on C.
Playⓘ 2781 (101011011101)1 2 3 4 5 (♯5/♭6) 6 7W-W-H-W-(H-H)-W-H(0,2,4,5,7,(8),9,11)7(8)MajorDiminishedUnusual
Major Locrian scale
Major Locrian scale C.
Playⓘ 2794 (101011101010)1 2 3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7W-W-H-H-W-W-W(0,2,4,5,6,8,10)7MajorWhole toneUsual
Major pentatonic scale
Major pentatonic scale on C.
Playⓘ 2708 (101010010100)1 2 3 5 6W-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)

 Unusual (ascending)

Unusual (descending)

Melodic minor scale (ascending)/
Hawaiian scale
Melodic minor scale ascending on A.
Playⓘ 2901 (101101010101)1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7W-H-W-W-W-W-H(0,2,3,5,7,9,11)7MinorMajorUsual
Minor pentatonic scale
Minor pentatonic scale on A.
Playⓘ 2386 (100101010010)1 ♭3 4 5 ♭73H-W-W-3H-W(0,3,5,7,10)5——Usual
Mixolydian mode/
Adonai malakh mode
Mixolydian on C.
Playⓘ 2774 (101011010110)1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7W-W-H-W-W-H-W(0,2,4,5,7,9,10)7MajorMinorUsual
Neapolitan major scale
Neapolitan major scale on C.
Playⓘ 3413 (110101010101)1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 7H-W-W-W-W-W-H(0,1,3,5,7,9,11)7PhrygianMajorUnusual
Neapolitan minor scale
Neapolitan minor scale on C.
Playⓘ 3417 (110101011001)1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7H-W-W-W-H-3H-H(0,1,3,5,7,8,11)7PhrygianLydianUnusual
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 7H-3H-H-H-W-3H-H(0,1,4,5,6,8,11)7Lydian—Unusual
Phrygian dominant scale
Phrygian dominant on C.
Playⓘ 3290 (110011011010)1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7H-3H-H-W-H-W-W(0,1,4,5,7,8,10)7LydianPhrygianUsual
Phrygian mode
Phrygian on C.
Playⓘ 3418 (110101011010)1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7H-W-W-W-H-W-W(0,1,3,5,7,8,10)7PhrygianPhrygianUsual
Prometheus scale
Prometheus scale on C.
Playⓘ 2726 (101010100110)1 2 3 ♯4 6 ♭7W-W-W-3H-H-W(0,2,4,6,9,10)6Whole tone—Unusual
Quarter tone scale
Quarter tone scale C.
Playⓘ 1 half sharp1 ♯1 three quarter sharp1 2 half sharp2 ♯2 three quarter sharp2 3 half sharp3 4 half sharp4 ♯4 three quarter sharp4 5 half sharp5 ♯5 three quarter sharp5 6 half sharp6 ♯6 three quarter sharp6 7 half sharp7

half flat8 7 half flat7 ♭7 three quarter flat7 6 half flat6 ♭6 three quarter flat6 5 half flat5 ♭5 three quarter flat5 4 half flat4 3 half flat3 ♭3 three quarter flat3 2 half flat2 ♭2 three quarter flat2 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——Unusual
Scale of harmonics
Scale of harmonics C.
Playⓘ 2516 (100111010100)1 ♭3 3 4 5 63H-H-H-W-W-3H(0,3,4,5,7,9)6——Unusual
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 ♭7H-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 ♭6H-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 ♭7W-H-3H-H-W-H-W(0,2,3,6,7,9,10)7GypsyMinorUnusual
Vietnamese scale of harmonics
Vietnamese scale of harmonics on C.
Playⓘ 1 three quarter flat3 ♭3 ♮3 4 55Q-Q-H-H-W(0,5/2,3,4,5,7)6——Unusual
Whole tone scale
Whole tone scale on C.
Playⓘ 2730 (101010101010)1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6W-W-W-W-W-W(0,2,4,6,8,10)6Whole toneWhole toneUnusual
Yo scale
Min'yō scale on D, equivalent to yo scale on C, with brackets on fourths.
Playⓘ 2644 (101001010100)1 2 4 5 6W-3H-W-W-3H(0,2,5,7,9)5——Unusual
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More information Tetrachords, Semitones ...
TetrachordsSemitonesLetters
Chromatic1 1 1H-H-H
Chromatic (Greek)3 1 13H-H-H
Diatonic2 2 1W-W-H
Diminished1 2 1H-W-H
Gypsy2 1 3W-H-3H
Harmonic/Lydian1 3 1H-3H-H
Major/Dominant2 2 1W-W-H
Minor/Dorian2 1 2W-H-W
Phrygian/Locrian/
Upper minor		1 2 2H-W-W
Whole tone2 2 2W-W-W
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