What Are Scales?
A scale is a sequence of notes arranged in ascending or descending order by pitch. Scales provide the raw material from which melodies and chords are built.
Think of a scale as a palette of notes that "belong together." When you write a melody or build chords using notes from the same scale, the music will sound cohesive and harmonious.
Palette Analogy
A scale is like a set of paint colours. You can use any combination, but sticking to the palette keeps everything looking (and sounding) unified.
Building Block
Chords are built from scale degrees. The I, IV, and V chords of any key come directly from its scale — making scales and chords deeply connected.
The Major Scale
The major scale is the most fundamental scale in Western music. It follows a specific pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H):
Major Scales in All Keys
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| NATURAL KEY | |
| C Major | C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C |
| SHARP KEYS | |
| G Major (1♯) | G – A – B – C – D – E – F♯ – G |
| D Major (2♯) | D – E – F♯ – G – A – B – C♯ – D |
| A Major (3♯) | A – B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A |
| E Major (4♯) | E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D♯ – E |
| B Major (5♯) | B – C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B |
| F♯ Major (6♯) | F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯ |
| C♯ Major (7♯) | C♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B♯ – C♯ |
| FLAT KEYS | |
| F Major (1♭) | F – G – A – B♭ – C – D – E – F |
| B♭ Major (2♭) | B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G – A – B♭ |
| E♭ Major (3♭) | E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E♭ |
| A♭ Major (4♭) | A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭ |
| D♭ Major (5♭) | D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ |
| G♭ Major (6♭) | G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ |
| C♭ Major (7♭) | C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭ |
The Minor Scale
The natural minor scale has a darker, more emotional sound compared to the major scale. It follows a different step pattern:
Natural Minor Scales in All Keys
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| NATURAL KEY | |
| A Minor | A – B – C – D – E – F – G – A |
| SHARP KEYS | |
| E Minor (1♯) | E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D – E |
| B Minor (2♯) | B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G – A – B |
| F♯ Minor (3♯) | F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ |
| C♯ Minor (4♯) | C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ |
| G♯ Minor (5♯) | G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ |
| D♯ Minor (6♯) | D♯ – E♯ – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ |
| A♯ Minor (7♯) | A♯ – B♯ – C♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ |
| FLAT KEYS | |
| D Minor (1♭) | D – E – F – G – A – B♭ – C – D |
| G Minor (2♭) | G – A – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G |
| C Minor (3♭) | C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C |
| F Minor (4♭) | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F |
| B♭ Minor (5♭) | B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ |
| E♭ Minor (6♭) | E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ |
| A♭ Minor (7♭) | A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭ |
Variations of the Minor Scale
There are three forms of the minor scale. Each has a slightly different sound and function:
Natural Minor
Pattern: W H W W H W W
The basic minor scale. Uses only the notes from the key signature with no alterations. Example: A B C D E F G A.
Harmonic Minor
Pattern: W H W W H WH H
Raises the 7th degree by a semitone. Creates a distinctive "exotic" sound with an augmented 2nd interval. Example: A B C D E F G♯ A.
Melodic Minor
Pattern: W H W W W W H (ascending)
Raises both the 6th and 7th degrees ascending, then reverts to natural minor descending. Example ascending: A B C D E F♯ G♯ A.
Scale Degrees
Each note in a scale has a numbered position called a scale degree, and each degree has a traditional name that describes its function:
| Degree | Name | Role | In C Major |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tonic | Home base — the "resting point" of the key | C |
| 2nd | Supertonic | One step above the tonic | D |
| 3rd | Mediant | Halfway between tonic and dominant — determines major/minor | E |
| 4th | Subdominant | The "other pillar" — often leads to the dominant | F |
| 5th | Dominant | Creates the strongest pull back to the tonic | G |
| 6th | Submediant | Halfway between tonic and subdominant (going down) | A |
| 7th | Leading Tone | One semitone below tonic — "leads" strongly back to it | B |