Scale & Mode Formulas
The interval formula for every common scale and mode — as whole/half steps, as semitones from the root, and spelled out in C. The major scale, all seven modes, harmonic & melodic minor, pentatonic, blues and more.
| Scale / mode | Notes | Formula (W/H) | Intervals | Example in C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major (Ionian) | 7 | W–W–H–W–W–W–H | 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 | C D E F G A B |
| Natural minor (Aeolian) | 7 | W–H–W–W–H–W–W | 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 | C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ |
| Harmonic minor | 7 | W–H–W–W–H–W½–H | 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11 | C D E♭ F G A♭ B |
| Melodic minor | 7 | W–H–W–W–W–W–H | 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 | C D E♭ F G A B |
| Dorian | 7 | W–H–W–W–W–H–W | 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 | C D E♭ F G A B♭ |
| Phrygian | 7 | H–W–W–W–H–W–W | 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 | C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ |
| Lydian | 7 | W–W–W–H–W–W–H | 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 | C D E G♭ G A B |
| Mixolydian | 7 | W–W–H–W–W–H–W | 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 | C D E F G A B♭ |
| Locrian | 7 | H–W–W–H–W–W–W | 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 | C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ |
| Major pentatonic | 5 | W–W–W½–W–W½ | 0, 2, 4, 7, 9 | C D E G A |
| Minor pentatonic | 5 | W½–W–W–W½–W | 0, 3, 5, 7, 10 | C E♭ F G B♭ |
| Blues | 6 | W½–W–H–H–W½–W | 0, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 | C E♭ F G♭ G B♭ |
| Phrygian dominant | 7 | H–W½–H–W–H–W–W | 0, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 | C D♭ E F G A♭ B♭ |
| Harmonic major | 7 | W–W–H–W–H–W½–H | 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11 | C D E F G A♭ B |
| Hungarian minor | 7 | W–H–W½–H–H–W½–H | 0, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11 | C D E♭ G♭ G A♭ B |
| Whole tone | 6 | W–W–W–W–W–W | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 | C D E G♭ A♭ B♭ |
| Diminished (whole–half) | 8 | W–H–W–H–W–H–W–H | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 | C D E♭ F G♭ A♭ A B |
| Diminished (half–whole) | 8 | H–W–H–W–H–W–H–W | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 | C D♭ E♭ E G♭ G A B♭ |
| Chromatic | 12 | H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H | 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 | C D♭ D E♭ E F G♭ G A♭ A B♭ B |
Build any of these on a chosen root with the interactive scale finder. W = whole step (2 semitones), H = half step (1), W½ = three semitones.