Piano Scales
Pick a scale and a key to see it on the keyboard, with the standard fingering for the major scales and the chords that live inside every one.
Major
The bright, happy foundation of Western music — the do-re-mi scale.
Natural Minor
The sad, serious counterpart to major — the natural (Aeolian) minor.
Major Pentatonic
Five bright notes that sound good over almost anything major — a go-to for melodies and solos.
Minor Pentatonic
The backbone of rock and blues soloing — five notes, endless mileage.
Blues
Minor pentatonic plus the ♭5 "blue note" — instant blues and rock flavor.
Dorian
A minor scale with a raised 6th — jazzy, hopeful, the sound of "So What".
Phrygian
Minor with a ♭2 — dark and Spanish/metal flavored.
Lydian
Major with a raised 4th — dreamy, floating, cinematic.
Mixolydian
Major with a ♭7 — bluesy and dominant, the sound of countless rock and funk riffs.
Locrian
The darkest mode — diminished tonic, ♭2 and ♭5. Rare but striking.
Harmonic Minor
Natural minor with a raised 7th — the exotic, classical/neoclassical minor.
Melodic Minor
Minor with raised 6th and 7th ascending — smooth and jazzy.