What are the modes of the major scale?

They are the seven scales you get by playing the notes of a major scale starting from each of its degrees: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. D Dorian, for example, uses the same notes as C major starting from D.

What is the difference between natural, harmonic and melodic minor?

Harmonic minor is a natural minor scale with the seventh degree raised by a half step; melodic minor raises the sixth as well. In A: natural A B C D E F G, harmonic with G sharp, melodic with F sharp and G sharp.

How many notes does a pentatonic scale have?

Five. The major pentatonic uses degrees 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 of the major scale (C D E G A); the minor pentatonic uses 1, ♭3, 4, 5 and ♭7 (A C D E G).

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Scale finder

A scale is an ordered set of notes between a note and its octave. Besides major and minor there are the seven modes, pentatonic, blues, bebop and symmetric scales and many more: here you find 34 of them, from any note.

Pick a starting note and a type of scale: you see the notes on the keyboard, the degrees compared with the major scale and the sequence of whole and half steps.

Scale

Note names

C major

Major · 7 notes

PatternW – W – H – W – W – W – H(W = whole step, H = half step)

Degrees are shown relative to the major scale: ♭3 is the third lowered by a half step, ♯4 the fourth raised.

C major scale →All scales, from every note

All scales

Major

The reference scale of tonal music: every other scale is measured against it.

Minor

Three variants with a minor third: natural, harmonic (raised seventh) and melodic (raised sixth and seventh).

Modes

The seven scales you get by starting from each degree of the major scale.

Pentatonic

Five notes with no half steps: easy to use and found in every genre.

Blues

The pentatonic scales with one extra passing note, the blue note.

Bebop

Eight-note scales: the added note makes chord tones land on the strong beats.

Symmetric

Built by repeating the same pattern of intervals over and over.

Other scales

Scales from modern jazz and from traditions other than the European one.

Frequently asked questions

What are the modes of the major scale?: They are the seven scales you get by playing the notes of a major scale starting from each of its degrees: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. D Dorian, for example, uses the same notes as C major starting from D.
What is the difference between natural, harmonic and melodic minor?: Harmonic minor is a natural minor scale with the seventh degree raised by a half step; melodic minor raises the sixth as well. In A: natural A B C D E F G, harmonic with G sharp, melodic with F sharp and G sharp.
How many notes does a pentatonic scale have?: Five. The major pentatonic uses degrees 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 of the major scale (C D E G A); the minor pentatonic uses 1, ♭3, 4, 5 and ♭7 (A C D E G).

Texts and tools by Stefano Corradi, professional musician and developer. Last updated: October 8, 2026.

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