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	Degrees	Intervals	Integer notation	Binary (Big-Endian)[1]	# 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ⓘ	1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7	W-W-W-H-W-H-W	(0,2,4,6,7,9,10)	101010110110	7	Whole tone	Minor	Usual
Aeolian mode or natural minor scale	Aeolian on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7	W-H-W-W-H-W-W	(0,2,3,5,7,8,10)	101101011010	7	Minor	Phrygian	Usual
Algerian scale	Algerian scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7 etc.	W-H-3H-H-H-3H-H-W-H-W	(0,2,3,6,7,9,11,12,14,15,17)		Variable	—	—	—
Alpha scale	—	Playⓘ	—	—	—		15.39	—	—	—
Altered scale or Super Locrian scale	Altered scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7	H-W-H-W-W-W-W	(0,1,3,4,6,8,10)	110110101010	7	Diminished	Whole tone	Unusual
Augmented scale	Augmented scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭3 3 5 ♯5 7	3H-H-3H-H-3H-H	(0,3,4,7,8,11)	100110011001	6	—	—	Usual
Bebop dominant scale	Bebop dominant scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 7	W-W-H-W-W-H-H-H	(0,2,4,5,7,9,10,11)	101011010111	8	Major	Chromatic	Usual
Beta scale	—	Playⓘ	—	—	—		18.75	—	—	—
Blues scale	Blues scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7	3H-W-H-H-3H-W	(0,3,5,6,7,10)	100101110010	6	—	—	—
Bohlen–Pierce scale	—	Playⓘ	—	—	—		—	—	—	—
Chromatic scale	Chromatic scale on C.	Playⓘ	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)	111111111111	12	Chromatic	Chromatic	Unusual
Delta scale	—	Playⓘ	—	—	—		85.7	—	—	—
Dorian mode	Dorian on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7	W-H-W-W-W-H-W	(0,2,3,5,7,9,10)	101101010110	7	Minor	Minor	Usual
Double harmonic scale	Double harmonic scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7	H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H	(0,1,4,5,7,8,11)	110011011001	7	Harmonic	Harmonic	Unusual
Enigmatic scale	Enigmatic scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6 7	H-3H-W-W-W-H-H	(0,1,4,6,8,10,11)	110010101011	7	Harmonic	—	Unusual
Euler–Fokker genus	Euler-Fokker genus 337 on C.	Playⓘ	—	—	—		6	—	—	—
Flamenco mode	Flamenco mode on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7	H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H	(0,1,4,5,7,8,11)	110011011001	7	Harmonic	Harmonic	Unusual
Gamma scale	—	Playⓘ	—	—	—		34.29	—	—	—
"Gypsy" scale	"Gypsy" [sic] scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 ♭7	W-H-3H-H-H-W-W	(0,2,3,6,7,8,10)	101100111010	7	Gypsy	Phrygian	Unusual
Half diminished scale	Half diminished scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7	W-H-W-H-W-W-W	(0,2,3,5,6,8,10)	101101101010	7	Minor	Whole tone	Unusual
Harmonic major scale	Harmonic major scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 4 5 ♭6 7	W-W-H-W-H-3H-H	(0,2,4,5,7,8,11)	101011011001	7	Major	Harmonic	Usual
Harmonic minor scale	Harmonic minor scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 (♮)7	W-H-W-W-H-3H-H	(0,2,3,5,7,8,11)	101101011001	7	Minor	Harmonic	Usual
Harmonic scale	Harmonic scale chromatic on C.	Playⓘ	—	—	—		12	—	—	—
Hirajōshi scale	Hirajoshi scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 3 ♯4 5 7	2W-W-H-2W-H	(0,4,6,7,11)	100010110001	5	—	—	Usual
Hungarian "Gypsy" scale/Hungarian minor scale	Hungarian "Gypsy"[sic] scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7	W-H-3H-H-H-3H-H	(0,2,3,6,7,8,11)	101100111001	7	Gypsy	Harmonic	Unusual
Hungarian major scale	Hungarian major scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7	3H-H-W-H-W-H-W	(0,3,4,6,7,9,10)	100110110110	7	—	Minor	Unusual
In scale	Miyako-bushi scale on D, equivalent to in scale on D, with brackets on fourths.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 4 5 ♭6	H-2W-W-H-2W	(0,1,5,7,8)	110001011000	5	—	—	Unusual
Insen scale	Insen scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 4 5 ♭7	H-2W-W-3H-W	(0,1,5,7,10)	110001010010	5	—	—	Unusual
Ionian mode or major scale	Ionian on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 4 5 6 7	W-W-H-W-W-W-H	(0,2,4,5,7,9,11)	101011010101	7	Major	Major	Usual
Istrian scale	Istrian mode on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 5	H-W-H-W-H-5H	(0,1,3,4,6,7)	110110110000	6	Diminished	—	Unusual
Iwato scale	Iwato scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 4 ♭5 ♭7	H-2W-H-2W-W	(0,1,5,6,10)	110001100010	5	—	—	Unusual
Locrian mode	Locrian on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7	H-W-W-H-W-W-W	(0,1,3,5,6,8,10)	110101101010	7	Phrygian	Whole tone	Usual
Locrian ♮6	—	—	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 6 ♭7	H-W-W-H-3H-H-W	(0,1,3,5,6,9,10)	110101100110	7	Phrygian	Gypsy	Unusual
Lydian augmented scale	Lydian augmented scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 7	W-W-W-W-H-W-H	(0,2,4,6,8,9,11)	101010101101	7	Whole tone	Diminished	Usual
Lydian diminished scale	Lydian diminished on C.	—	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 7	W-H-3H-H-W-W-H	(0,2,3,6,7,9,11)	101100110101	7	Gypsy	Major	Usual
Lydian mode	Lydian on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7	W-W-W-H-W-W-H	(0,2,4,6,7,9,11)	101010110101	7	Whole tone	Major	Usual
Major bebop scale	Major bebop scale on C.	Playⓘ	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)	101011011101	7(8)	Major	Diminished	Usual
Major Locrian scale	Major Locrian scale C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7	W-W-H-H-W-W-W	(0,2,4,5,6,8,10)	101011101010	7	Major	Whole tone	Usual
Major pentatonic scale	Major pentatonic scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 5 6	W-W-3H-W-3H	(0,2,4,7,9)	101010010100	5	—	—	Usual
Melodic minor scale	The A melodic minor scale, ascending and descending, on A.	Playⓘ	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)	101101010101 (ascending) 101101011010 (descending)	9	Minor (ascending) Major (descending)	Major (ascending) Minor (descending)	Usual (ascending) Usual (descending)
Melodic minor scale (ascending)	Melodic minor scale ascending on A.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7	W-H-W-W-W-W-H	(0,2,3,5,7,9,11)	101101010101	7	Minor	Major	Usual
Minor pentatonic scale	Minor pentatonic scale on A.	Playⓘ	1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7	3H-W-W-3H-W	(0,3,5,7,10)	100101010010	5	—	—	Usual
Mixolydian mode or Adonai malakh mode	Mixolydian on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7	W-W-H-W-W-H-W	(0,2,4,5,7,9,10)	101011010110	7	Major	Minor	Usual
Neapolitan major scale	Neapolitan major scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 7	H-W-W-W-W-W-H	(0,1,3,5,7,9,11)	110101010101	7	Phrygian	Major	Unusual
Neapolitan minor scale	Neapolitan minor scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7	H-W-W-W-H-3H-H	(0,1,3,5,7,8,11)	110101011001	7	Phrygian	Harmonic	Unusual
Non-Pythagorean scale	—	Playⓘ	—	—	—		—	—	—	—
Octatonic scale	Octatonic scales on C.	Playⓘ	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)	101101101101 110110110110	8	Minor Diminished	Diminished Minor	Unusual Unusual
Pelog	Pelog approximated in Western notation.	Playⓘ	—	—	—		—	—	—	—
Persian scale	Persian scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 3 4 ♭5 ♭6 7	H-3H-H-H-W-3H-H	(0,1,4,5,6,8,11)	110011101001	7	Harmonic	—	Unusual
Phrygian dominant scale	Phrygian dominant on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7	H-3H-H-W-H-W-W	(0,1,4,5,7,8,10)	110011011010	7	Harmonic	Phrygian	Unusual
Phrygian mode	Phrygian on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7	H-W-W-W-H-W-W	(0,1,3,5,7,8,10)	110101011010	7	Phrygian	Phrygian	Usual
Prometheus scale	Prometheus scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 3 ♯4 6 ♭7	W-W-W-3H-H-W	(0,2,4,6,9,10)	101010100110	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ⓘ	1 ♭3 3 4 5 6	3H-H-H-W-W-3H	(0,3,4,5,7,9)	100111010100	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ⓘ	1 ♭2 3 ♭5 5 ♭7	H-3H-W-H-3H-W	(0,1,4,6,7,10)	110010110010	6	—	—	Unusual
Two-semitone tritone scale	Two-semitone tritone scale on C.	Playⓘ	1 ♭2 ♮2 ♯4 5 ♭6	H-H-2W-H-H-2W	(0,1,2,6,7,8)	111000111000	6	—	—	Unusual
Ukrainian Dorian scale	Ukrainian Dorian mode on C.	Playⓘ	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7	W-H-3H-H-W-H-W	(0,2,3,6,7,9,10)	101100110110	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ⓘ	1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6	W-W-W-W-W-W	(0,2,4,6,8,10)	101010101010	6	Whole tone	Whole tone	Unusual
Yo scale	Min'yō scale on D, equivalent to yo scale on C, with brackets on fourths.	Playⓘ	1 2 4 5 6	W-3H-W-W-3H	(0,2,5,7,9)	101001010100	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