Piano scales
Pick a key and a scale: the notes, fingering and chords appear instantly. The chart of all 24 major and minor scales is below.
C major scale full page →
Piano scales chart: all major and minor scales
Fingering is for the major scale, one octave ascending (1 = thumb). Tap a scale for its full page.
| Key | Major scale | RH fingering | LH fingering | Natural minor scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C D E F G A B | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 | C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ |
| C♯ | C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ | 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 | 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 | C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B |
| D | D E F♯ G A B C♯ | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 | D E F G A B♭ C |
| E♭ | E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D | 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 | 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 | E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ |
| E | E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 | E F♯ G A B C D |
| F | F G A B♭ C D E | 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 | F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ |
| F♯ | F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ | 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 | 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 | F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E |
| G | G A B C D E F♯ | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 | G A B♭ C D E♭ F |
| A♭ | A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G | 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 | 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 | A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ |
| A | A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 | 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 | A B C D E F G |
| B♭ | B♭ C D E♭ F G A | 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 | 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 | B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ |
| B | B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ | 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 | 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 | B C♯ D E F♯ G A |
Scale types and their step patterns
| Scale | Pattern | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| major | W W H W W W H | bright, resolved |
| natural minor | W H W W H W W | dark, song-like |
| harmonic minor | W H W W H W+H H | exotic, strong pull home |
| melodic minor | W H W W W W H | smooth, jazzy |
| major pentatonic | W W W+H W W+H | open, folk and pop |
| minor pentatonic | W+H W W W+H W | rock and blues solos |
| blues | W+H W H H W+H W | gritty, the ♭5 “blue note” |
| Dorian | W H W W W H W | minor with a hopeful 6th |
| Mixolydian | W W H W W H W | major with a bluesy ♭7 |
W = whole step (two keys), H = half step (next key), W+H = a step and a half. The seven church modes get their own modes explainer, and the relative minor page shows which major and minor scales share their notes.
Questions
What is a scale on the piano?
A scale is a set of notes played in order within one octave, defined by its pattern of whole steps (two keys apart) and half steps (adjacent keys). The major scale’s pattern is W–W–H–W–W–W–H; start it on any key and you get that key’s major scale.
Which piano scales should I learn first?
Start with C major (all white keys), then G, D and F major, which add one sharp or flat at a time. Learn A minor next — it shares C major’s notes. Pentatonic and blues scales are great next steps for improvising.
What is the difference between natural, harmonic and melodic minor?
Natural minor is the plain minor scale (A–B–C–D–E–F–G). Harmonic minor raises the 7th (G♯ in A minor) to create a strong pull to the tonic. Melodic minor raises both the 6th and 7th going up (F♯ and G♯) for a smoother melodic line; in classical practice it reverts to natural minor coming down.
What are the 12 scales on piano?
Usually this means the 12 major scales, one starting on each of the 12 keys in an octave: C, G, D, A, E, B, F♯/G♭, D♭, A♭, E♭, B♭ and F. Each has a relative natural minor scale with the same notes, which makes 24 major and minor scales in total; the chart on this page lists them all.
What is the most used piano scale?
C major. It uses only white keys, it is the first scale most method books teach, and it is the reference every other scale is described against. Its relative minor, A minor, uses exactly the same keys.
What are the 7 types of musical scales?
People usually mean the seven modes of the major scale: Ionian (major), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (natural minor) and Locrian. Each starts on a different degree of the same white-key pattern; the modes page lets you hear them side by side.
How many scales are there?
There are 12 major and 12 natural minor scales — one on each note — plus harmonic and melodic minor, the seven modes, pentatonic, blues and many more. This explorer covers nine of the most useful types in all 12 keys (108 scales).