Major scale
1 2 3 4 5 6 7The major scale: seven notes in a whole-whole-half pattern, the bright, stable reference that every other diatonic scale is measured against.
Scales, in every key
21 scale types, from major and the church modes to the blues scale and the octatonic collections, spelled by letter name in every key and playable. 291 pages, each with notes, formula, chords, piano and guitar diagrams.
Diatonic
Natural minor scale
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7Natural minor: seven notes with a minor third, sixth, and seventh above the tonic, the standard minor scale, darker and softer than major.
Minor
Harmonic minor scale
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7Harmonic minor: natural minor with a raised seventh, giving a leading tone, a major dominant, and the augmented second that sets its sound apart.
Melodic minor scale
1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7Melodic minor: the ascending form raises the sixth and seventh of natural minor, giving a major upper half under a minor lower half.
Modes
Dorian scale
1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7Dorian: a minor scale with a raised sixth, the second mode of the major pattern, minor in color yet lighter than natural minor.
Phrygian scale
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7Phrygian: a minor scale with a lowered second, the third mode of the major pattern, dark and tense with a half step above the tonic.
Lydian scale
1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7Lydian: a major scale with a raised fourth, the fourth mode of the major pattern, bright and floating with no perfect fourth above the tonic.
Mixolydian scale
1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7Mixolydian: a major scale with a lowered seventh, the fifth mode of the major pattern, common in blues, rock, and folk melody.
Locrian scale
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7Locrian: the seventh mode of the major pattern, with a lowered second and fifth and a diminished tonic triad that resists being a home.
Pentatonic and blues
Major pentatonic scale
1 2 3 5 6Major pentatonic: five notes taken from the major scale without the fourth and seventh, an open, consonant collection with no semitones.
Minor pentatonic scale
1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7Minor pentatonic: five notes from natural minor without the second and sixth, the core scale of blues and rock guitar and of countless solos.
Blues scale
1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7The blues scale: the minor pentatonic with a flat fifth added, six notes whose blue note adds the tension of blues and rock melody.
Symmetrical
Whole-tone scale
1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7The whole-tone scale: six notes separated by whole steps, with no perfect fourth, no perfect fifth, and no leading tone. Floating and ambiguous.
Diminished (whole–half) scale
1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7Whole-half diminished: eight notes alternating whole and half steps, built from two diminished seventh chords, used over dominant sevenths.
Diminished (half–whole) scale
1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7Half-whole diminished: eight notes alternating half and whole steps, built from two diminished sevenths and used over dominant sevenths.
Colour scales
Phrygian dominant scale
1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7Phrygian dominant: the fifth mode of harmonic minor, with a flat second and a major third, a dominant sound used in minor keys.
Lydian dominant scale
1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7Lydian dominant: the fourth mode of melodic minor, a dominant scale with a raised fourth for a bright, altered sound over dominant chords.
Altered scale
1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7The altered scale: the seventh mode of melodic minor, with the second through seventh lowered, used over dominant sevenths in jazz.
Double harmonic major scale
1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7Double harmonic major: seven notes with a flat second and flat sixth, built from two identical tetrachords, with a strongly exotic sound.
Hungarian minor scale
1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7Hungarian minor: harmonic minor with a raised fourth, two augmented seconds, and an angular sound common in folk-inspired writing.
The ebook
Music Theory: the site as a book
The site's working library as a structured ebook: intervals, keys, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm, form, tuning, orchestration and the history behind them.
- 78 pages
- PDF format
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- By The musics.name project