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 (Binary Big-Endian)[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)

Melodic minor scale (ascending)
Melodic minor scale ascending on A.
 Playⓘ 2901 (101101010101) 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 W-H-W-W-W-W-H (0,2,3,5,7,9,11) 7 Minor Major Usual
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 half sharp1 ♯1 three quarter sharp1 2 half sharp2 ♯2 three quarter sharp2 3 half sharp3 4 half sharp4 ♯4 three quarter sharp4 5 half sharp5 ♯5 three quarter sharp5 6 half sharp6 ♯6 three quarter sharp6 7 half sharp7

half flat8 7 half flat7 ♭7 three quarter flat7 6 half flat6 ♭6 three quarter flat6 5 half flat5 ♭5 three quarter flat5 4 half flat4 3 half flat3 ♭3 three quarter flat3 2 half flat2 ♭2 three quarter flat2 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 three quarter flat3 ♭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

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.
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