WORLD MUSIC SCALES
Reference material for musicians: list of traditional music scales used around the world with folding test instrument included.
In western music, the notes of a scale are often separated by equally tempered tones or semitones, which creates twelve pitches (or equidistant semitones) per octave in a chromatic scale. The interval between natural notes (C, D, E, F, G, A, B) is not equidistant; for example, while the interval between D and E is a tone the interval between E and F is just a semitone. This is because while the interval between a natural note and its flat or sharp is always a semitone (lower or higher, respectively), the flat or sharp of a natural note can be another natural note; for example, E is the flat of F and at the same time F is the sharp of E. For example, a semitone higher than F is F# and a semitone lower than G is Gb; F# and Gb represent the same note or pitch and they divide the tone between F and G in two semitones.
Many other musical traditions use scales which include other different intervals or a different number of notes. These scales originate within the derivation of the harmonic series. Musical intervals are complementary values of the harmonic overtones series. Many musical scales in the world are based on this system, except the largest part of the musical scales from Indonesia and Indochina, which are based on inharmonic resonance of the dominant metalophone and xylophone instruments.
A common scale in eastern music is the pentatonic scale, which consists of five tones. In the Hejaz scale from Middle East there are some intervals of three semitones. Gamelan music uses a small variety of scales including Pélog and Sléndro, of which none includes equally tempered or harmonic intervals. Indian classical music uses a movable seven-note scale. Indian Raga music often use intervals smaller than a semitone. Arabic Maqamat music may use quarter-tone intervals. In both Raga and Maqamat the interval between a certain note and an inflection of that note may be lesser than a semitone.
Ditonic Scales
Honchoshi (Japan)
1, 4Niagari (Japan)
1, 5Warao (South America)
1, b7
Tritonic Scales
Peruvian 1
1, 3, 5Peruvian 2
1, b3, 5Raga Malasri (India)
1, 3, 5Raga Ongkari (India)
1, #4, 5Raga Sarvasri (India)
1, 4, 5Sansagari (Japan)
1, 4, b7Tritonic
1, 4, 5Ute (North America)
1, b3, b7Warao (South America)
1, 4, 5
Tetratonic Scales
Bi Yu (China)
1, b3, 5, b7Eskimo
1, 2, 3, 5Genus Primum
1, 2, 4, 5Raga Bhavani (India)
1, 2, 4, 6Raga Lavangi (India)
1, b2, 5, b7Raga Mahathi (India)
1, 3, 5, b7Raga Sumukam (India)
1, 2, #4, 7Tetratonic
1, 4, b5, 7Warao (South America)
1, 2, b3, b7
Pentatonic Scales
Akebono (Japan)
1, 2, b3, 5, 6Balinese 1
1, b2, b3, 4, b6Balinese 2
1, b2, b3, 5, b6Chad Gadyo (Israel)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5Chaio (China)
1, 2, 4, #5, b7Chin (China)
1, b3, b5, b6, b7Chinese 1
1, 3, #4, 5, 7Chinese 2
1, 2, 3, 5, 6Korean
1, 2, 3, 5, 6Egyptian
1, 2, 4, 5, b7Enigmatic
1, b2, b3, 4, b6Ghana 1
1, 2, b3, 4, 5Ghana 2
1, 2, 3, 5, 6Han-Kumoi (Japan)
1, 2, 4, 5, b6Hira-Joshi (Japan)
1, 2, b3, 5, b6Hon-Kumoi-Joshi (Japan)
1, b2, 4, 5, b6Iwato (Japan)
1, b2, 4, b5, b7Javanese 1
1, b2, b3, 4, b6Javanese 2
1, b2, b3, 5, b6Jin Yu (China)
1, 2, 4, 5, b7Kokin-Joshi (Japan)
1, b2, 4, 5, b7Kumoi (Japan)
1, 3, 4, 6, 7Kung (China)
1, 2, 3, b5, 6Kyemyonjo (Korea)
1, b3, 4, 5, 6Minyo (Japan)
1, b3, 4, 5, b7Mongolian
1, 2, 3, 5, 6Pelog (Bali, Java)
1, b2, b3, 5, b7Pentatonic Alt. b5
1, 2, 3, b5, 6Pentatonic Alt. b6
1, 2, 3, 5, b6Pentatonic Alt. b2
1, b2, 3, 5, 6Pentatonic Alt. b3/b6
1, 2, b3, 5, b6Pentatonic Dominant 1
1, 2, 3, 5, b7Pentatonic Dominant 2
1, 3, 4, 5, b7Pentatonic Major 1
1, 2, 3, 5, 6Pentatonic Major 2
1, 2, 3, 5, 7Pentatonic Minor 1
1, b3, 4, 5, b7Pentatonic Minor 2
1, 2, b3, 5, 6Pentatonic Minor 3
1, b3, 4, b5, b7Pentatonic Minor 4
1, 2, b3, 5, b7Pentatonic Neutral 1
1, 2, 4 ,5, b7Pentatonic Neutral 2
1, b2, 4, 5, 6Ritusen (Japan)
1, 2, 4, 5, 6Ryosen (Japan)
1, 2, 3, 5, 6Ryukyu (Japan)
1, 3, 4, 5, 7Shang (China)
1, 2, 3, 5, b7Syrian
1, b2, 3, 4, b6Skriabin (Scotland)
1, b2, 3, 5, 6Ujo (Korea)
1, 2, 4, 5, 6Yi Ze (China)
1, b3, 4, 5, b7Yo (Japan)
1, 2, 4, 5, b7Yu (China)
1, b3, 4, 5, b7Zhi (China)
1, 2, 4, 5, 6
Hexatonic Scales
Augmented 1
1, b3, 3, 5, #5, 7Augmented 2
1, #2, 3, 5, #5, b7Augmented 3
1, 2, 3, #4, #5, b7Blues 1
1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7Korean
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, b7Dominant #4
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, b7Enigmatic
1, b2, 3, #4, #5, 7Spanish
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b7Skimo 1
1, 2, 3, b5, b6, 7Skimo 2
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b7Phrygian
1, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Phrygian Double
1, b2, b3, 4, b5, 6Genus Secundum
1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7Genus Tertium
1, b3, 3, 5, b6, 7Hawaiian
1, 2, b3, 5, 6, 7Pyramidal
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, 6Honchoshi Plagal (Japan)
1, b2, b3, 4, b5, b7Lydian
1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7Minor
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b7Messianic
1, b2, 2, #4, 5, b6Mixolydian
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, b7Napolitan
1, b2, 3, #4, 6, b7Niagari (Japan)
1, b2, 4, 5, b6, b7Prometheus
1, 2, 3, b5, 6, b7Prometheus Neopolitan
1, b2, 3, b5, 6, b7Pyongjo (Korea)
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, b7Ritsu (Japan)
1, b2, b3, 4, b6, b7Symmetric
1, b2, 3, 4, #5, 6Skriabin (Scotland)
1, 2, 3, #4, 6, b7Tonal
1, 2, 3, #4, #5, #6Chinese Ancient
1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6Yosen (Japan)
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, b7
Heptatonic Scales
Ahavoh Rabboh (Israel)
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Alhijaz (Saudi Arabia)
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Altered
1, b2, b3, 3, b5, b6, b7Arabian 1
1, 2, 3, 4, b5, b6, b7Arabian 2
1, 2, b3, 4, #4, #5, 6, 7Arabian 3
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, 6, b7Byzantine 1
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Byzantine 2
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Blues 1
1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7, 7Blues 2
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7Blues 3
1, b3, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Chiao (China)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Diminished
1, #2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Doric
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7Doric Altered
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7Doric b2
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7Doric Chromatic
1, b2, 2, 4, 5, b6, 6Enigmatic 1
1, b2, 3, 4, #5, #6, 7Enigmatic 2
1, b2, 3, #4, #5, #6, 7Skimo
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7Ethiopian 1
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7Ethiopian 2
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Ethiopian 3
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Aeolian
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Phrygian
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Phrygian #6
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7Phrygian b4
1, b2, b3, b4, 5, b6, b7Phrygian Chromatic
1, #2, 3, 4, #5, 6, b7Phrygian Major
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Harmonic Major
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Hawaiian
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7Hedjaz (Iran)
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, 6, b7Hypodoric Chromatic
1, 2, b3, 3, 5, b6, 6Hypophrygian Chromatic
1, b3, 4, b5, 5, #6, 7Hypolydian Chromatic
1, b2, 3, #4, 5, b6, 7Hispano-Arabian
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Hitzazkiar (Iran)
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Hitzaz (Iran)
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Houzam (Greece)
1, b3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7Hungarian Major 1
1, #2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Hungarian Major 2
1, b2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Hungarian Minor 1
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, b6, b7Hungarian Minor 2
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, b6, 7In (Japan)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Israelite
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Javanese
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7Jazz Minor
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7Jewish
1, 2, 3, 4, #5, 6, 7Ionic
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7Ionic Augmented
1, 2, 3, 4, #5, 6, 7Leading Whole Tone
1, 2, 3, #4, #5, #6, 7Lydian
1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, 7Lydian Augmented
1, 2, 3, #4, #5, 6, 7Lydian b7
1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Lydian Chromatic
1, b2, 3, 4, b5, 6, 7Lydian Diminished
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, 6, 7Locrian
1, b2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7Locrian Major
1, 2, 3, 4, b5, b6, b7Mohammedan
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7Major
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7Major Inverted
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Maqam Bayat-e-Esfahan (Iran)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7Maqam Hicaz (Iran)
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7Maqam Humayun (Iran)
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Maqam Huzzam (Iran)
1, b2, b3, 3, 5, b6, b7Maqam Karcigar (Iran)
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, 6, b7Maqam Kurd (Iran)
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Maqam Nakriz (Iran)
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, 6, b7Maqam Shahnaz Kurdi (Iran)
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7Maqam Shuzdil (Iran)
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, b6, b7Maqam Zengule (Iran)
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Minor
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Minor Harmonic
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7Minor Melodic
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7Mischung 1 (Germany)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7Mischung 2 (Germany)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Mischung 3 (Germany)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7Mischung 4 (Germany)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7Mischung 5 (Germany)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7Mischung 6 (Germany)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Mixolydian
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7Mixolydian Augmented
1, 2, 3, 4, #5, 6, b7Mixolydian Chromatic
1, b2, 2, 4, b5, 5, b7Napolitan 1
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7Napolitan 2
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7Niavent
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, b6, 7Nohkan (Japan)
1, 2, 4, b5, #5, 6, 7Oriental 1
1, b2, 3, 4, b5, b6, b7Oriental 2
1, b2, 3, 4, b5, 6, b7Ousak (Greece)
1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Overtone
1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Peiraiotikos (Greece)
1, b2, 3, #4, 5, 6, 7Persian 1
1, b2, 3, 4, b5, b6, 7Persian 2
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Peruvian Major
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7Peruvian Minor
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7Pien Chih (China)
1, b2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7Romanian
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, 6, b7Sambah
1, 2, b3, b4, 5, b6, b7Half-Diminished
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7Sengah (Greece)
1, b3, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Souzinak (Greece)
1, 2, b3, #4, 5, 6, b7Super Locrian
1, b2, #2, 3, b5, b6, b7Todi That (Japan)
1, b2, b3, #4, 5, b6, 7Ultra Locrian
1, b2, b3, 3, b5, b6, 6Yu (China)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7
Octatonic Scales
Adonai Malakh (Israel)
1, b2, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7Algerian
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, 5, b6, 7Arabian
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7, 7Be-Bop Dominant
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7, 7Be-Bop Major
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 6, 7Be-Bop Minor
1, 2, b3, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7Be-Bop Half-Diminished
1, b2, b3, 4, b5, 5, b6, 7Blues 1
1, b2, b3, 3, b5, 5, 6, b7Blues 2
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, 5, 6, b7Blues 3
1, b3, 3, 4, b5, 5, b7, 7Diminished 1
1, 2, b3, 4, #4, #5, 6, 7Diminished 2
1, b2, #2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Double Harmonic
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7Enigmatic
1, b2, 3, 4, b5, b6, b7, 7Spanish
1, b2, b3, 3, 4, b5, b6, b7Espla
1, b2, #2, 3, 4, b5, b6, b7Phrygian Spanish
1, b2, #2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7Genus Diatonicum
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7, 7Genus Diatonicum Veterum
1, 2, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, 7Gregorian
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 6, b7Ichikosucho (Japan)
1, 2, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, 7Hindustan
1, 2, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, 7Ishikotsucho (Japan)
1, 2, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, 7Israelite
1, #1, #2, 3, #4, #5, 6, 7Magen Abot (Israel)
1, b2, #2, 3, #4, #5, 6, 7Maqam Hijaz (Iran)
1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7, 7Maqam Nahawand (Iran)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7, 7Maqam Shadd'araban (Iran)
1, b2, #2, 3, 4, b5, 6, b7Maqam Shawq (Iran)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7, 7Messianic 1
1, b2, 2, b3, #4, 5, #5, 6Messianic 2
1, b2, 2, 3, #4, 5, b6, b7Octatonic
1, b2, #2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Rast (Iran)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7, 7Half-Tone Tone
1, b2, #2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Symmetric 1
1, 2, #2, 4, #4, #5, 6, 7Symmetric 2
1, #1, #2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7Tone Half-Tone
1, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, 6, 7Chinese
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7, 7Zirafkend (Saudi Arabia)
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 6, 7
Nonatonic Scales
Arabian
1, b2, #2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7, 7Blues 1
1, 2, b3, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, b7Blues 2
1, b3, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, b7, 7Phrygian Arabian
1, b2, #2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7, 7Genus Chromaticum
1, b2, b3, 3, 4, 5, b6, 6, 7Messianic
1, b2, 2, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, b7Nonatonic
1, 2, b3, 3, b5, 5, #5, 6, 7Taishikicho (Japan)
1, 2, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, b7, 7Tcherepnin (Russia)
1, #1, #2, 3, 4, 5, #5, 6, 7Youlan (China)
1, b2, 2, 3, 4, b5, 5, 6, b7Decatonic Scales
Blues
1, 2, b3, 3, 4, #4, 5, 6, b7, 7Messianic
1, b2, 2, b3, 3, #4, 5, #5, 6, b7Symmetric
1, #1, 2, 3, 4, #4, 5, b6, b7, 7Back to top