Root Note
Category
Scale / Mode
C Major (Ionian)
Notes in C Major (Ionian)
1C
2D
3E
4F
5G
6A
7B
Formula: W-W-H-W-W-W-H
Notes: 7
Intervals: 0 2 4 5 7 9 11
The foundation — bright, happy, resolved sound
Quick Reference
| Scale | Category | Formula | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major (Ionian) | Major | W-W-H-W-W-W-H | The foundation — bright, happy, resolved sound |
| Natural Major | Major | W-W-H-W-W-W-H | Same as Ionian mode — the standard major scale |
| Harmonic Major | Major | W-W-H-W-H-m3-H | Major with a b6 — classically elegant, slightly exotic |
| Natural Minor (Aeolian) | Minor | W-H-W-W-H-W-W | The standard minor — melancholic, serious mood |
| Harmonic Minor | Minor | W-H-W-W-H-m3-H | Minor with raised 7th — exotic, classical, Middle Eastern tension |
| Melodic Minor | Minor | W-H-W-W-W-W-H | Jazz minor — smooth ascending, versatile for improvisation |
| Major Pentatonic | Pentatonic | W-W-m3-W-m3 | 5-note major — universally usable, country, rock, pop |
| Minor Pentatonic | Pentatonic | m3-W-W-m3-W | 5-note minor — rock, blues, the most common guitar scale |
| Blues (Minor) | Blues | m3-W-H-H-m3-W | Minor pentatonic + blue note (b5) — gritty, soulful |
| Blues (Major) | Blues | W-H-H-m3-W-m3 | Major pentatonic + blue note (b3) — major blues sound |
| Ionian | Modes | W-W-H-W-W-W-H | Mode 1 of Major — same as the major scale |
| Dorian | Modes | W-H-W-W-W-H-W | Mode 2 — minor with major 6th, jazzy, Santana, Grateful Dead |
| Phrygian | Modes | H-W-W-W-H-W-W | Mode 3 — Spanish/flamenco flavour, dark and intense |
| Lydian | Modes | W-W-W-H-W-W-H | Mode 4 — dreamy, floating, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai |
| Mixolydian | Modes | W-W-H-W-W-H-W | Mode 5 — dominant 7th sound, rock, blues, Allman Brothers |
| Aeolian | Modes | W-H-W-W-H-W-W | Mode 6 — same as natural minor scale |
| Locrian | Modes | H-W-W-H-W-W-W | Mode 7 — diminished, unstable, used sparingly in metal/jazz |
| Phrygian Dominant | Exotic | H-m3-H-W-H-W-W | Spanish Gypsy / Jewish scale — dramatic, Middle Eastern |
| Whole Tone | Exotic | W-W-W-W-W-W | Symmetrical, dreamlike, no resolution — Debussy |
| Diminished (H-W) | Exotic | H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W | 8-note symmetrical — jazz, tension, diminished chords |
| Hungarian Minor | Exotic | W-H-m3-H-H-m3-H | Dark, dramatic — Eastern European folk, classical |
| Japanese (In Sen) | Exotic | H-4-W-m3-W | Sparse, haunting — traditional Japanese music |
| Chromatic | Exotic | H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H | All 12 notes — for reference and chromatic runs |