List of musical scales and modes

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

List of musical scales and modes

Name	Image	Sound	JSID (Pitch-Class Membership) [1] [2]	Degrees	Intervals	Integer notation	# of pitch classes	Lower tetrachord	Upper tetrachord	Use 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 or Lydian dominant scale	Acoustic scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2742 (101010110110)	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	Aeolian on C.	Play ⓘ	2906 (101101011010)	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	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 or Super Locrian scale	Altered scale on C.	Play ⓘ	3498 (110110101010)	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	Augmented scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2457 (100110011001)	1 ♭3 3 5 ♯5 7	3H-H-3H-H-3H-H	(0,3,4,7,8,11)	6	—	—	Usual
Bebop dominant scale	Bebop dominant scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2775 (101011010111)	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	—	Play ⓘ		—	—	—	18.75	—	—	—
Blues scale	Blues scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2418 (100101110010)	1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7	3H-W-H-H-3H-W	(0,3,5,6,7,10)	6	—	—	—
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)	12	Chromatic	Chromatic	Unusual
Delta scale	—	Play ⓘ		—	—	—	85.7	—	—	—
Dorian mode	Dorian on C.	Play ⓘ	2902 (101101010110)	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 (also called Flamenco mode)	Double harmonic scale on C.	Play ⓘ	3289 (110011011001)	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	Enigmatic scale on C.	Play ⓘ	3243 (110010101011)	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	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 ♭7	W-H-3H-H-H-W-W	(0,2,3,6,7,8,10)	7	Gypsy	Phrygian	Unusual
Half diminished scale	Half diminished scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2922 (101101101010)	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	Harmonic major scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2777 (101011011001)	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	Harmonic minor scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2905 (101101011001)	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	Harmonic scale chromatic on C.	Play ⓘ		—	—	—	12	—	—	—
Hirajōshi scale	Hirajoshi scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2225 (100010110001)	1 3 ♯4 5 7	2W-W-H-2W-H	(0,4,6,7,11)	5	—	—	Usual
Hungarian "Gypsy" scale/Hungarian minor scale	Hungarian "Gypsy"[sic] scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2873 (101100111001)	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	Hungarian major scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2486 (100110110110)	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	Miyako-bushi scale on D, equivalent to in scale on D, with brackets on fourths.	Play ⓘ	3160 (110001011000)	1 ♭2 4 5 ♭6	H-2W-W-H-2W	(0,1,5,7,8)	5	—	—	Unusual
Insen scale	Insen scale on C.	Play ⓘ	3154 (110001010010)	1 ♭2 4 5 ♭7	H-2W-W-3H-W	(0,1,5,7,10)	5	—	—	Unusual
Ionian mode or major scale	Ionian on C.	Play ⓘ	2773 (101011010101)	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	Istrian mode on C.	Play ⓘ	3504 (110110110000)	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 5	H-W-H-W-H-5H	(0,1,3,4,6,7)	6	Diminished	—	Unusual
Iwato scale	Iwato scale on C.	Play ⓘ	3170 (110001100010)	1 ♭2 4 ♭5 ♭7	H-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 ♭7	H-W-W-H-W-W-W	(0,1,3,5,6,8,10)	7	Phrygian	Whole tone	Usual
Locrian ♮6	—	—	3430 (110101100110)	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	Lydian augmented scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2733 (101010101101)	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	Lydian diminished on C.	—	2869 (101100110101)	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	Lydian on C.	Play ⓘ	2741 (101010110101)	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	Major bebop scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2781 (101011011101)	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	Major Locrian scale C.	Play ⓘ	2794 (101011101010)	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	Major pentatonic scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2708 (101010010100)	1 2 3 5 6	W-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)	Usual (ascending) Usual (descending)
Minor pentatonic scale	Minor pentatonic scale on A.	Play ⓘ	2386 (100101010010)	1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7	3H-W-W-3H-W	(0,3,5,7,10)	5	—	—	Usual
Mixolydian mode or Adonai malakh mode	Mixolydian on C.	Play ⓘ	2774 (101011010110)	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	Neapolitan major scale on C.	Play ⓘ	3413 (110101010101)	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	Neapolitan minor scale on C.	Play ⓘ	3417 (110101011001)	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	—	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 7	H-3H-H-H-W-3H-H	(0,1,4,5,6,8,11)	7	Harmonic	—	Unusual
Phrygian dominant scale	Phrygian dominant on C.	Play ⓘ	3290 (110011011010)	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	Phrygian on C.	Play ⓘ	3418 (110101011010)	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	Prometheus scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2726 (101010100110)	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	Quarter tone scale C.	Play ⓘ		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	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	Scale of harmonics C.	Play ⓘ	2516 (100111010100)	1 ♭3 3 4 5 6	3H-H-H-W-W-3H	(0,3,4,5,7,9)	6	—	—	Usual
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 ♭7	H-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 ♭6	H-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 ♭7	W-H-3H-H-W-H-W	(0,2,3,6,7,9,10)	7	Gypsy	Minor	Unusual
Vietnamese scale of harmonics	Vietnamese scale of harmonics on C.	Play ⓘ		1 3 ♭3 ♮3 4 5	5Q-Q-H-H-W	(0,5/2,3,4,5,7)	6	—	—	—
Whole tone scale	Whole tone scale on C.	Play ⓘ	2730 (101010101010)	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	Min'yō scale on D, equivalent to yo scale on C, with brackets on fourths.	Play ⓘ	2644 (101001010100)	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

See also

• Bebop scale
• Chord-scale system
• Heptatonic scale
• Jazz scale
• List of chord progressions
• List of chords
• List of musical intervals
• List of pitch intervals
• Arabian maqam
• Modes of limited transposition
• Symmetric scale
• Synthetic modes
• Tetrachord

References

1. Cordes, Jacqueline; Cordes, Jay (2025). "How Vast Is Music? Creating "The Fibonacci Variations" with Colors and Scales". The Fibonacci Quarterly. 63 (2): 492–504. doi:10.1080/00150517.2025.2505426.
2. "Combinatorial Music Theory". andrewduncan.net. Retrieved 2025-03-28.

External links

• A free Android app with scales & building chords for the scales
• A Study Of Scales
• Alternativescales. A free online app to explore Alternative Scales and Matching Chords with printable diagrams for Guitar and Piano