② Look Up the Notes of a Scale (70+)
You can look up the notes and details of 70+ scales in every key.
The main chords that contain the notes of a selected scale are also shown.
* If you want to search for a scale name from its notes → please use ③ Reverse Lookup for Chord/Scale Names.
* Guitarists and other string-instrument players → we strongly recommend using ⑩ Visualize a String Instrument Fretboard.
[Basic Operation]
Choose any scale from the dropdown list.
Information related to the selected scale is displayed.
[Note Notation]
You can choose from four note-notation systems: English/American, Italian, Japanese, and German.
If you are a beginner, the Italian notation (Do, Re, Mi, ...) may feel more familiar.
[Coloring Rules]
Notes are colored relative to the selected tonic (root note), in a movable-do manner.
For example, the tonic (root note) is blue, and the perfect 5th is yellow.
Also, enharmonic notes share the same color.
For example, the major 3rd and the diminished 4th are both green.
[Check the Scale by Ear]
Click (tap) the "Play" button, the keyboard, or a note name to play the scale's notes.
In "Common Chords Containing These Notes", clicking (tapping) a chord name also plays that chord.
To stop the sound while it is playing, click (tap) anywhere on the screen.
You can adjust the volume with the "Volume" bar.
[What to Do If You Hear No Sound]
- Check your device's "volume settings" and "mute settings".
- Check that the on-screen "Volume" bar is not set to 0.
- Try reloading the page.
If you still hear no sound after trying the above, we would appreciate it if you could let us know via the contact form.
[Handling of Enharmonic Notes]
This page does not make a strict distinction between enharmonic notes.
Reference article: Enharmonic Equivalents Explained [What Is the Difference Between C# and D♭?] (Japanese)
[Accuracy of Information]
The information provided here may not be accurate.
Of course, we take the greatest care in publishing information and materials.
However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the published content.
If you find any incorrect information, we would appreciate it if you could let us know via the contact form.
[Disclaimer]
We accept no responsibility whatsoever, for any reason, for any damage arising in connection with the use or download of the information and materials published on this site.
[About the Forte Number]
It is a "number assigned to a set of three or more pitches (a scale set)," proposed by Allen Forte.
Scales sharing the same Forte number have the same "structure of scale notes".
For example, the major scale and the natural minor scale have the same pattern of intervals, just starting from a different position.
Therefore, the major scale and the natural minor scale are assigned the same Forte number, "7-35".
[About the Scale Number]
It is "a number obtained by expressing a scale's notes as a 12-digit binary number and converting it to decimal."
For example, let's take the C major scale (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti).
If we mark the scale's notes as "1" and the other notes as "0", the C major scale can be written as "10101011010101".
We reverse this "10101011010101" to process it as a binary number.
Converting the reversed "101011010101" to decimal gives "2741", so the major scale's Scale number is "2741".
[About Quartal Chords]
A "quartal chord" is a chord built by stacking notes a fourth apart, starting from the root note.
Here, "fourth" refers to the "perfect 4th" and the "augmented 4th" (since the "diminished 4th" is the enharmonic equivalent of the "major 3rd").
There is still no widely agreed-upon chord-name notation for quartal chords.
Therefore, the chord names used on this site are only one example and, at least as of 2024, cannot be called a common notation.
◆ [Music Theory Learning Roadmap] Where Should You Start Studying Music Theory? (Japanese)
An article summarizing how to approach learning music theory.
◆ Slash Chords Explained [Inversions / UST / Hybrid Chords] (Japanese)
An article explaining the types and roles of slash chords.
◆ Substitute Chords, and the Concept of USTs and Hybrid Chords (Japanese)
An article summarizing how to think about substitute chords, USTs (upper structure triads), and hybrid chords.
◆ The Story of Making an App to Easily Explore Negative Harmony (Japanese)
An article summarizing an overview of negative harmony.
[Web]
◆ How to Name or Notate Quartal Chords (YouTube)
[Books]
◆ Blue Notes and Tonality: Fundamental Theory for Improvisation and Composition (Japanese)
Author: Motohiko Hamase
First edition: 1998/12/11
Publisher: Zen-On Music
Authors: Naruyoshi Kikuchi, Yoshio Otani
First edition: 2010/5/1
Publisher: Kawade Shobo Shinsha
Authors: Naruyoshi Kikuchi, Yoshio Otani
First edition: 2010/5/1
Publisher: Kawade Shobo Shinsha
◆ More! A Book for Composing Just the Way You Want (Japanese)
Author: Ken Kawamura
First edition: 2018/6/25
Publisher: Rittor Music
◆ Vaideology: Basic Music Theory for Guitar Players (Japanese edition)
Author: Steve Vai
First edition: 2019/10/17
Publisher: Shinko Music
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| R | m2 | M2 | m3 | M3 | P4 | -5 | P5 | +5 | M6 | m7 | M7 |
| ♭9 | 9 | #9 | 11 | #11 | ♭13 | 13 | |||||