Improvisation Piano Scales

What these scales have in common is forgiveness. Each one can be run over an entire chord progression without producing a note that sounds like a mistake, which is what makes them the first scales to learn for soloing rather than for reading.

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

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#

Major Pentatonic Scales

A five-note scale that sounds universally pleasant — used in folk, pop, and rock.

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

Minor Pentatonic Scales

The go-to scale for blues and rock. Raw and soulful.

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

Blues Scales

Adds the iconic "blue note" to the minor pentatonic. Essential for blues and jazz.

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

Dorian Scales

A cool minor mode popular in jazz, funk, and Latin music.

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