List of musical scales and modes - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The following is a list of musical scale

Musical scale

In music, a scale is a sequence of musical notes in ascending and descending order. Most commonly, especially in the context of the common practice period, the notes of a scale will belong to a single key, thus providing material for or being used to conveniently represent part or all of a musical...

s and mode

Musical mode

In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...

List of musical scales and modes
Name	Image	Sound	Degrees	# of pitch classes	Lower tetrachord	Upper tetrachord	Usual or unusual key signature
17 equal temperament 17 equal temperament In music, 17 tone equal temperament is the tempered scale derived by dividing the octave into 17 equal steps . Each step represents a frequency ratio of 21/17, or 70.6 cents . Alexander J. Ellis refers to a tuning of seventeen tones based on perfect fourths and fifths as the Arabic scale...	—		—	17	—	—	—
Acoustic scale Acoustic scale In music, the acoustic scale, overtone scale, Lydian dominant scale, or Lydian 7 scale, is a seven-note synthetic scale which, starting on C, contains the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B. This differs from the major scale in having a raised fourth and lowered seventh scale degree. It is the fourth...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	whole tone	Dorian
Adonai malakh mode Adonai malakh mode In music, the Adonai malakh scale is a musical mode used in Jewish music.It may be constructed by lowering the submediant of the mixolydian mode.-See also:Freygish modeMisheberak mode*Ukrainian Dorian scale...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Lydian	Phrygian	Unusual
Aeolian mode Aeolian mode The Aeolian mode is a musical mode or, in modern usage, a diatonic scale called the natural minor scale.The word "Aeolian" in the music theory of ancient Greece was an alternative name for what Aristoxenus called the Low Lydian tonos , nine semitones... or natural minor scale			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Dorian	Phrygian	Usual
Algerian scale Algerian scale The Algerian Scale is a scale which is frequently found in Algerian, Arab, Berber, and North African music. The frequent use of 1.5 steps in the scale helps create a sound which is commonly associated with Middle Eastern music....		—	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 etc.	variable	—	—
Alpha scale Alpha scale The α scale is a non-octave-repeating musical scale which splits the minor third into two equal parts, or four equal parts of approximately 78 cents each . This totals approximately 15.39 steps per octave...	—		—	15.39	—	—	—
Altered scale Altered scale In jazz, the altered scale or altered dominant scale is a seven-note scale that differs from the Locrian mode in having a lowered fourth scale degree. Starting on C, it contains the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B. In jazz, the altered scale or altered dominant scale is a seven-note scale that...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7		whole tone
Augmented scale			1 3 3 5 5 7	6	—	—
Bebop dominant scale			1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7	8	—	—
Beta scale Beta scale The β scale is a non-octave-repeating musical scale which splits the perfect fourth into two equal parts, or eight equal parts of approximately 64 cents each . This totals approximately 18.75 steps per octave...	—		—	18.75	—	—	—
Blues scale Blues scale The term blues scale is used to describe a few scales with differing numbers of pitches and related characteristics. See: blues.The hexatonic, or six note, blues scale consists of the minor pentatonic scale plus the 4th or 5th degree...			1 3 4 4 5 7	6	—	—
Bohlen-Pierce scale Bohlen-Pierce scale The Bohlen–Pierce scale is a musical scale that offers an alternative to the octave-repeating scales typical in Western and other musics, specifically the diatonic scale. Compared with octave-repeating scales, its intervals are more consonant with certain types of acoustic spectra. It was...	—		—	—	—	—	—
Chromatic scale Chromatic scale The chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone apart. On a modern piano or other equal-tempered instrument, all the half steps are the same size...			1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 1	12	—	—	—
Delta scale Delta scale The δ scale is a non-octave repeating musical scale. It may be regarded as the beta scale's reciprocal since it is, "as far 'down' the circle from α as β is 'up.'" As such it would split the minor second into eight equal parts of approximately 14 cents each...	—		—	85.7	—	—	—
Dorian mode Dorian mode Due to historical confusion, Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different musical modes or diatonic scales, the Greek, the medieval, and the modern.- Greek Dorian mode :...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Dorian	Dorian	Usual
Double harmonic scale			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7		Mixolydian	Unusual
Enigmatic scale Enigmatic scale The enigmatic scale is an unusual musical scale, with elements of both major and minor scales, as well as the whole-tone scale...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7			Unusual
Euler–Fokker genus	—		—	6	—	—	—
Flamenco mode Flamenco mode In music theory, the flamenco mode is a harmonized mode or scale abstracted from its use in flamenco music. In other words the collection of pitches in ascending order accompanied by chords represents the pitches and chords used together in flamenco songs and pieces...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Phrygian	Phrygian	Unusual
Gamma scale Gamma scale The γ scale is a non-octave repeating musical scale which splits the neutral third into two equal parts, or ten equal parts of 35 cents each...	—		—	34.29	—	—	—
Gypsy scale Gypsy scale The term Gypsy scale, refers to one of several musical scales named after their association with Gypsy music.-Hungarian Gypsy scale:...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7		Phrygian	Unusual
Half diminished scale Half diminished scale The half diminished scale is a musical scale more commonly known as "Locrian 2", name which avoids confusion with the diminished scales and the half-diminished seventh chord . It may be considered Mode VI, the sixth mode, of the ascending melodic minor scale...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7		whole tone
Harmonic major scale Harmonic major scale In music theory, the harmonic major scale is a musical scale which found occasional use during the common practice era and is now occasionally employed, most often in jazz. It was named by Rimsky-Korsakov...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Lydian	Mixolydian
Harmonic minor scale			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Dorian	Mixolydian
Harmonic Scale Harmonic Scale The Harmonic Scale is a "Super-Just" musical scale allowing extended just intonation, beyond 5-limit to the 19th harmonic , and free modulation through the use of synthesizers...	—	—	—	144	—	—	—
Hexany Hexany In music theory, the hexany is a six-note just intonation scale, with the notes placed on the vertices of an octahedron, equivalently the faces of a cube...	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Hirajoshi scale	—	—	1 2 3 5 6	5	—	—	—
Hungarian gypsy scale Hungarian gypsy scale The Hungarian Gypsy Scale is a name given by different authorities to two different scale forms. The more commonly used of these scales is the fourth mode of the Double harmonic scale , it can be found by sharpening the 4th degree of the harmonic minor scale to introduce an additional gap, or...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7		Mixolydian	Unusual
Hungarian minor scale Hungarian minor scale The Hungarian minor scale, Double Harmonic minor scale, or Gypsy minor scale, is a type of combined musical scale. It is the same as the harmonic minor scale, except that it has a raised fourth scale degree. Its tonal center is slightly ambiguous, due to the large number of half steps...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7		Mixolydian
In scale In scale The in scale, which contains semitones, according to a traditional theory is one of two pentatonic scales used in much Japanese music, excluding gagaku and Buddhist chanting...			1 2 4 5 6	5	—	—
Insen scale Insen scale Insen is a tuning scale adapted from shamisen music by Yatsuhashi Kengyō for tuning of the koto. It only differs from the hirajoshi scale by one note....			1 2 4 5 7	5	—	—	—
Ionian mode Ionian mode Ionian mode is the name assigned by Heinrich Glarean in 1547 to his new authentic mode on C , which uses the diatonic octave species from C to the C an octave higher, divided at G into a fourth species of perfect fifth plus a third species of perfect fourth : C D... or major scale Major scale In music theory, the major scale or Ionian scale is one of the diatonic scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, ", the "Do" in the parenthesis at...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Lydian	Lydian	Usual
Istrian scale Istrian scale The Istrian scale is a distinct hexatonic musical scale in the regions of Istria and Kvarner in Croatia. It is used in Istrian and Kvarnerian folk music. The scale could approximately be notated as: E-F-G-Ab-Bb-Cb- See also :* Music of Croatia...			1 2 3 4 5 5	6	—	—	—
Iwato scale	—	—	1 2 4 5 7	5	—	—	—
Locrian mode Locrian mode The Locrian mode is either a musical mode or simply a diatonic scale. Although the term occurs in several classical authors on music theory, including Cleonides and Athenaeus , there is no warrant for the modern usage of Locrian as equivalent to Glarean's Hyperaeolian mode, in either classical,...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Phrygian	whole tone	Usual
Lydian augmented scale Lydian augmented scale In music, the Lydian augmented scale is the third mode of the ascending melodic minor scale.Starting on C, the notes would be as follows: C - D - E - F# - G# - A - B - C'Generically the whole and half steps are: - W - W - W - W - H - W - H -...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	whole tone
Lydian mode Lydian mode The Lydian musical scale is a rising pattern of pitches comprising three whole tones, a semitone, two more whole tones, and a final semitone. This sequence of pitches roughly describes the fifth of the eight Gregorian modes, known as Mode V or the authentic mode on F, theoretically using B but in...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	whole tone	Lydian	Usual
Major bebop scale Bebop scale The bebop scales are frequently used in jazz improvisation and are derived from the modes of the major scale, the melodic minor scale, and the harmonic minor scale....			1 2 3 4 5 (5/6) 6 7	7(8)	—	—
Major Locrian scale Major locrian scale In music, the major Locrian scale, also called the Locrian major scale, is the scale obtained by sharpening the second and third degrees of the Locrian mode. With a tonic of C, it consists of the notes C D E F G♭ A♭ B♭. It can be described as a whole tone scale extending from G♭ to E, with F...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Lydian	whole tone
Major pentatonic scale Pentatonic scale A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave in contrast to a heptatonic scale such as the major scale and minor scale...			1 2 3 5 6	5	—	—	Usual
Melodic minor scale			1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1	9	Dorian	—
Melodic minor scale (ascending)			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Dorian
Minor pentatonic scale			1 3 4 5 7	5	—	—	Usual
Mixolydian mode Mixolydian mode Mixolydian mode may refer to one of three things: the name applied to one of the ancient Greek harmoniai or tonoi, based on a particular octave species or scale; one of the medieval church modes; a modern musical mode or diatonic scale, related to the medieval mode.-Greek Mixolydian:The idea of a...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Lydian	Mixolydian	Usual
Neapolitan major scale			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Phrygian	Lydian	Unusual
Neapolitan minor scale			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Phrygian	Mixolydian	Unusual
Non-Pythagorean scale Non-Pythagorean scale The Non-Pythagorean scale is a musical scale first conceived and developed by Robert Schneider of The Apples in Stereo. It is based on natural logarithms...	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Octatonic scale Octatonic scale An octatonic scale is any eight-note musical scale. Among the most famous of these is a scale in which the notes ascend in alternating intervals of a whole step and a half step, creating a symmetric scale...			1 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 1 2 3 3 4 5 6 7	8	—	—
Pelog Pelog Pelog is one of the two essential scales of gamelan music native to Bali and Java, in Indonesia. The other scale commonly used is called slendro. Pelog has seven notes, but many gamelan ensembles only have keys for five of the pitches...	—		—	—	—	—	—
Persian scale Persian scale The Persian scale is a musical scale frequently found in Persian Music, and to a lesser extent, Arab or non-Persian Middle Eastern Music. The Persian scale is characterized by the liberal use of half steps , augmented seconds , and frequent use of chromaticism...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7
Phrygian dominant scale Phrygian dominant scale In music, the altered Phrygian scale or Freygish scale , featuring an unusual key signature and a distinctive augmented second interval, is the fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale, the fifth being the dominant...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7		Phrygian	Unusual
Phrygian mode Phrygian mode The Phrygian mode can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek tonos or harmonia sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern conception of the Phrygian mode as a diatonic scale, based on the latter...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	Phrygian	Phrygian	Usual
Prometheus scale			1 2 3 4 6 7	6	—	—
Quarter tone scale			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	24	—	—	—
Scale of harmonics Scale of harmonics The scale of harmonics is a musical scale based on the noded positions of the natural harmonics existing on a string. This musical scale is present on the guqin, regarded as one of the first string instruments with a musical scale . Most fret positions appearing on Non-Western string instruments ...	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Slendro Slendro Slendro is a pentatonic scale, one of the two most common scales used in Indonesian gamelan music, the other being pélog.-Tuning:...		or	—	5	—	—	—
Tritone scale			1 2 3 5 5 7	7	—	—
Ukrainian Dorian scale Ukrainian Dorian scale In music, the Ukrainian Dorian scale or altered Dorian scale is a musical scale or mode, "similar to the dorian mode, but with a tritone and variable sixth and seventh degrees"...			1 2 3 4 5 6 7	7	—	Dorian	Unusual
Whole tone scale Whole tone scale In music, a whole tone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from its neighbors by the interval of a whole step. There are only two complementary whole tone scales, both six-note or hexatonic scales:...			1 2 3 4 5 6	6	—	—
Yo scale Yo scale The yo scale, which does not contain semitones, according to a traditional theory is a pentatonic scale used in much Japanese music, excluding gagaku and Buddhist chanting...			1 3 4 5 7	5	—	—

See also