Classical Piano Scales

These are the scales behind the standard piano repertoire and behind almost every graded exam syllabus. Major and minor in all their forms are the raw material of tonal harmony, and the chromatic scale is the technical study that makes the rest of them playable at speed.

60 scales carry this tag, across 5 scale types: major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, chromatic. Each one has its notes spelled for that key, a fingering worked out for that key, and a piano you can play it on.

Major Scales

The foundation of Western music. Bright, happy, and resolved.

C
C – D – E – F – G – A – B
Db
Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – C
D
D – E – F# – G – A – B – C#
Eb
Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb – C – D
E
E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D#
F
F – G – A – Bb – C – D – E
F#
F# – G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E#
G
G – A – B – C – D – E – F#
Ab
Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G
A
A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G#
Bb
Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G – A
B
B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A#

Natural Minor Scales

The basis of minor keys. Dark, emotional, and introspective.

C
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb
C#
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B
D
D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C
Eb
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – Db
E
E – F# – G – A – B – C – D
F
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb
F#
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E
G
G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F
G#
G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E – F#
A
A – B – C – D – E – F – G
Bb
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab
B
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A

Harmonic Minor Scales

A dramatic minor scale with a raised 7th — common in classical and Middle Eastern music.

C
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B
C#
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B#
D
D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C#
Eb
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – D
E
E – F# – G – A – B – C – D#
F
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – E
F#
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E#
G
G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F#
G#
G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E – F##
A
A – B – C – D – E – F – G#
Bb
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – A
B
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A#

Melodic Minor Scales

A smooth minor scale used extensively in jazz improvisation.

C
C – D – Eb – F – G – A – B
C#
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A# – B#
D
D – E – F – G – A – B – C#
Eb
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – C – D
E
E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D#
F
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – D – E
F#
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E#
G
G – A – Bb – C – D – E – F#
G#
G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E# – F##
A
A – B – C – D – E – F# – G#
Bb
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – G – A
B
B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A#

Chromatic Scales

Every semitone from root to octave. A fundamental dexterity exercise.

C
C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B
Db
Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C
D
D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C#
Eb
Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D
E
E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D#
F
F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E
F#
F# – G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F
G
G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F#
Ab
Ab – A – Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G
A
A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G#
Bb
Bb – B – C – Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A
B
B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G# – A – A#

Other tags

The same 120 scales, sorted a different way.

StyleClassical60Romantic24Jazz36Blues36Rock48Folk48Pop36Funk & Soul24Film Score36Middle Eastern12Modal24
MoodBright36Dark12Dramatic24
UseImprovisation60Technique12
LevelBeginner42Intermediate57Advanced21

Back to the full scale library for all 120 scales grouped by type.