Scales Reference

Major Scale

Note
Formula
C Major
Tonic
1
C
Supertonic
2
D
Mediant
3
E
Subdominant
4
F
Dominant
5
G
Submediant
6
A
Leading Tone
7
B

Minor Scales

Scale Type
Formula
A Minor
Natural Minor
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
A B C D E F G
Harmonic Minor
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
A B C D E F G#
Melodic Minor (Asc)
1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7
A B C D E F# G#
Melodic Minor (Desc)
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
A B C D E F G

Pentatonic Scales

Scale Type
Formula
C Major/A Minor
Major Pentatonic
1 2 3 5 6
C D E G A
Minor Pentatonic
1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7
A C D E G
Blues Scale
1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7
A C D D# E G

Scale Patterns

Major Scale Pattern

W-W-H-W-W-W-H

(Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half)

Natural Minor Pattern

W-H-W-W-H-W-W

(Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole)

Harmonic Minor Pattern

W-H-W-W-H-WH-H

(Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole+Half, Half)

Melodic Minor (Ascending)

W-H-W-W-W-W-H

(Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half)