The Music Stem Courses

Chords and Scales

Scales

This page gives the formula and the notes from C of each scale in the book, from the major and minor scales to the modes and the symmetrical scales. Each scale is drawn on the staff.

Each formula counts from the root, which is 1. A ♭ lowers a degree by a semitone and ♯ raises it. The C examples make the shapes easy to compare, and the same formulas work in any key.

Practice scales musically

Play a scale up and down. Then make a four-bar melody that leans on its characteristic note.

Apply modes

Compare C Ionian (F), C Lydian (F♯) and C Mixolydian (B♭) over a C drone.

Improvise with restraint

Start from a motif of three or four notes. Change its rhythm before you add pitches.

Check the context

Harmonic function, melody, voice leading and style decide which scale suits a chord.

Major and Minor Scales

Major (Ionian)

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
From C: C D E F G A B
Where it is used: The central major-key scale.

Hear the major (Ionian)

Natural minor (Aeolian)

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
From C: C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭
Where it is used: The minor scale that shares its notes with the relative major.

Hear the natural minor (Aeolian)

Harmonic minor

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
From C: C D E♭ F G A♭ B
Where it is used: The raised seventh gives minor keys a leading tone.

Hear the harmonic minor

Melodic minor (ascending)

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7
From C: C D E♭ F G A B
Where it is used: Classical practice lowers the sixth and seventh on the way down. Jazz keeps this form both ways.

Hear the melodic minor (ascending)

The Modes

Same notes, a different tonic.

Dorian

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7
From C: C D E♭ F G A B♭
Where it is used: A minor mode with a bright major sixth.

Hear the dorian

Phrygian

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
From C: C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭
Where it is used: A minor mode marked by its lowered second.

Hear the phrygian

Lydian

Formula: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
From C: C D E F♯ G A B
Where it is used: A major mode with a raised fourth.

Hear the lydian

Mixolydian

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7
From C: C D E F G A B♭
Where it is used: A major mode with a lowered seventh.

Hear the mixolydian

Locrian

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
From C: C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭
Where it is used: The only church mode whose tonic triad is diminished.

Hear the locrian

Pentatonic and Blues

Major pentatonic

Formula: 1 2 3 5 6
From C: C D E G A
Where it is used: A five-note scale found in many musical traditions.

Hear the major pentatonic

Minor pentatonic

Formula: 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7
From C: C E♭ F G B♭
Where it is used: A common first scale for improvising.

Hear the minor pentatonic

Blues (minor blues)

Formula: 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7
From C: C E♭ F G♭ G B♭
Where it is used: A six-note teaching model. Real blues bends and shades pitches beyond any fixed scale.

Hear the blues (minor blues)

Symmetrical Scales

Patterns that repeat inside the octave.

Whole tone

Formula: 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7
From C: C D E F♯ G♯ B♭
Where it is used: A scale of six notes a whole tone apart, with no leading tone and no perfect fifth.

Hear the whole tone

Octatonic (half–whole)

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7
From C: C D♭ D♯ E F♯ G A B♭
Where it is used: It alternates semitone and whole tone. Players use it over dominant chords. Spellings vary.

Hear the octatonic (half–whole)

Octatonic (whole–half)

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7
From C: C D E♭ F G♭ A♭ A B
Where it is used: It alternates whole tone and semitone. Players use it over diminished chords.

Hear the octatonic (whole–half)

Chromatic

Formula: 1 ♯1 2 ♯2 3 4 ♯4 5 ♯5 6 ♯6 7
From C: C C♯ D D♯ E F F♯ G G♯ A A♯ B
Where it is used: It has all twelve equal-tempered pitch classes. It is usually spelled with sharps going up and flats coming down.

Hear the chromatic

Jazz Scales

Lydian dominant

Formula: 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7
From C: C D E F♯ G A B♭
Where it is used: The fourth mode of ascending melodic minor. It fits the 7♯11 chord.

Hear the lydian dominant

Altered (super-Locrian)

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♯2 3 ♭5 ♯5 ♭7
From C: C D♭ D♯ E G♭ G♯ B♭
Where it is used: The seventh mode of ascending melodic minor. It fits altered dominant chords.

Hear the altered (super-Locrian)

Bebop dominant

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 7
From C: C D E F G A B♭ B
Where it is used: Mixolydian with a passing major seventh, so chord tones land on the beat.

Hear the bebop dominant

Bebop major

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 ♯5 6 7
From C: C D E F G G♯ A B
Where it is used: The major scale with a chromatic passing tone between the fifth and sixth.

Hear the bebop major

Color Scales

Augmented seconds and Neapolitan seconds.

Double harmonic major

Formula: 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7
From C: C D♭ E F G A♭ B
Where it is used: Its pair of augmented seconds gives it a strong, distinctive sound.

Hear the double harmonic major

Phrygian dominant

Formula: 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
From C: C D♭ E F G A♭ B♭
Where it is used: The fifth mode of harmonic minor.

Hear the phrygian dominant

Hungarian minor

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7
From C: C D E♭ F♯ G A♭ B
Where it is used: A seven-note scale with two augmented seconds.

Hear the hungarian minor

Neapolitan minor

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
From C: C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B
Where it is used: Harmonic minor with a lowered second.

Hear the neapolitan minor

Neapolitan major

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 7
From C: C D♭ E♭ F G A B
Where it is used: Ascending melodic minor with a lowered second.

Hear the neapolitan major

Prometheus

Formula: 1 2 3 ♯4 6 ♭7
From C: C D E F♯ A B♭
Where it is used: The six-note collection of Scriabin's 'mystic chord'.

Hear the prometheus

Also: Chords · the whole book

Chord symbols and voicings vary by style. No chord–scale pairing is right in every context.

Hear them in Chords and Scales →

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