List of scales and modes

This is an unfinished list of every (useful) scale ever.

"Usefulness" is defined by a few criteria: The scales must be made of whole-steps, half-steps and minor thirds (3H), can't contain more than 2 consecutive half-steps, and can't contain 2 consecutive minor thirds. If you're interested in scales that sound terrible and have no use, check out the Xenharmonic Wiki.

Fizz often uses obscure/made-up humorous names for a lot of the scales on the list, but any of the names listed after "Aka." in the name tab are generally accepted by music theorists from inferior communities. Feel free to add names to a scale name tab if you've heard it called something else.

Scales without clusters

Scales that don't contain clusters (2 consecutive half-steps) tend to be the most versatile.

Nerk scales

Every heptatonic scale that doesn't contain consecutive half-steps. These scales occupy the Neo-Rimsky-Korsakovian (NeRK) space.

Major modes

• Ionian
• Dorian
• Phrygian
• Lydian
• Mixolydian
• Aeolian
• Locrian

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Ionian Aka. Major	Dorian	Phrygian	Lydian	Mixolydian	Aeolian Aka. Minor	Locrian
Notes	1 2 3 4 5 6 7	1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7	1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7	1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7	1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Intervals	W-W-H-W-W-W-H	W-H-W-W-W-H-W	H-W-W-W-H-W-W	W-W-W-H-W-W-H	W-W-H-W-W-H-W	W-H-W-W-H-W-W	H-W-W-H-W-W-W

Melodic minor modes

• Athenian
• Cappadocian
• Asgardian
• Arcadian
• Olympian
• Sisyphean
• Palamidian

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Athenian Aka. Melodic Minor, Ascending Melodic Minor.	Cappadocian Aka. Dorian b2.	Asgardian Aka. Lydian Augmented, Lydian ♯5.	Arcadian Aka. Lydian Dominant, Lydian b7, Mixolydian ♯4.	Olympian Aka. Mixolydian b6.	Sisyphean Aka. Half Diminished, Locrian ♯2, Aeolian b5.	Palamidian Aka. Altered Scale, Super Locrian, Locrian b4.
Notes	1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7	1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 7	1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7	1 2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7	1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Intervals	W-H-W-W-W-W-H	H-W-W-W-W-H-W	W-W-W-W-H-W-H	W-W-W-H-W-H-W	W-W-H-W-H-W-W	W-H-W-H-W-W-W	H-W-H-W-W-W-W

Harmonic minor modes

• Appalachian
• Adonian
• Thesian
• Paralydian
• Herculean
• Calliopean
• Morphean

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Appalachian Aka. Harmonic Minor, Aeolian ♮7	Adonian Aka. Locrian ♮6, Javanese ♭5	Thesian Aka. Ionian ♯5, Augmented Major	Paralydian Aka. Dorian #11, Dorian ♯4, Romanian Minor, Arabic Nikriz, Mi Sheberakh, Altered Dorian	Herculean Aka. Phrygian Dominant, Hijaz, Double Harmonic Major ♭7, Mixolydian ♭2 ♭6, Freygish	Calliopean Aka. Lydian ♯2	Morphean Aka. Super Locrian 𝄫7, Ultra Locrian, Altered Diminished
Notes	1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 6 ♭7	1 2 3 4 ♯5 6 7	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7	1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7	1 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 7	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 𝄫7
Intervals	W-H-W-W-H-3H-H	H-W-W-H-3H-H-W	W-W-H-3H-H-W-H	W-H-3H-H-W-H-W	H-3H-H-W-H-W-W	3H-H-W-H-W-W-H	H-W-H-W-W-H-3H

Harmonic major modes

• Laramidian
• Dolorian
• Plummetian
• Morossian
• Sangarian
• Empyrean
• Phobetorian

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Laramidian Aka. Ionian ♭6	Dolorian Aka. Dorian-Locrian, Dorian ♭5	Plummetian Aka. Phrygian ♭4	Morossian Aka. Diminished Lydian, Lydian ♭3	Sangarian Aka. Mixolydian ♭2	Empyrean Aka. Lydian ♯2 ♯5	Phobetorian Aka. Locrian 𝄫7
Notes	1 2 3 4 5 ♭6 7	1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 6 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 5 ♭6 ♭7	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 7	1 ♭2 3 4 5 6 ♭7	1 ♯2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 𝄫7
Intervals	W-W-H-W-H-3H-H	W-H-W-H-3H-H-W	H-W-H-3H-H-W-W	W-H-3H-H-W-W-H	H-3H-H-W-W-H-W	3H-H-W-W-H-W-H	H-W-W-H-W-H-3H

Bright/dark Nerk scales

Bright/dark major and melodic minor modes

Major hexatonic modes

• Bright ionian, dark lydian
• Bright dorian, dark mixolydian
• Bright phrygian, dark aeolian
• Bright mixolydian, dark ionian
• Bright aeolian, dark dorian
• Bright locrian, dark phrygian

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Bright ionian, dark lydian Aka. Major hexatonic	Bright dorian, dark mixolydian	Bright phrygian, dark aeolian		Bright mixolydian, dark ionian	Bright aeolian, dark dorian	Bright locrian, dark phrygian
Notes	1 2 3 5 6 7	1 2 4 5 6 ♭7	1 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7		1 2 3 4 5 6	1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭6 ♭7
Intervals	W-W-3H-W-W-H	W-3H-W-W-H-W	3H-W-W-H-W-W		W-W-H-W-W-3H	W-H-W-W-3H-W	H-W-W-3H-W-W

Bright gap modes

• Bright gap dorian, dark athenian
• Bright gap phrygian, dark cappadocian
• Bright gap lydian, dark asgardian
• Bright gap mixolydian, dark arcadian
• Bright gap aeolian, dark olympian
• Bright gap locrian, dark sisyphean

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name		Bright gap dorian, dark athenian	Bright gap phrygian, dark cappadocian	Bright gap lydian, dark asgardian	Bright gap mixolydian, dark arcadian	Bright gap aeolian, dark olympian	Bright gap locrian, dark sisyphean
Notes		1 2 ♭3 4 5 6	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭7	1 2 3 ♯4 6 7	1 2 3 5 6 ♭7	1 2 4 5 ♭6 ♭7	1 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Intervals		W-H-W-W-W-3H	H-W-W-W-3H-W	W-W-W-3H-W-H	W-W-3H-W-H-W	W-3H-W-H-W-W	3H-W-H-W-W-W

Dark gap modes

• Dark gap ionian, bright athenian
• Dark gap dorian, bright cappadocian
• Dark gap lydian, bright arcadian
• Dark gap mixolydian, bright olympian
• Dark gap aeolian, bright sisyphean
• Dark gap locrian, bright palamidian

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Dark gap ionian	Dark gap dorian		Dark gap lydian	Dark gap mixolydian	Dark gap aeolian	Dark gap locrian
Notes	1 2 4 5 6 7	1 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7		1 2 3 ♯4 5 6	1 2 3 4 5 ♭7	1 2 ♭3 4 ♭6 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Intervals	W-3H-W-W-W-H	3H-W-W-W-H-W		W-W-W-H-W-3H	W-W-H-W-3H-W	W-H-W-3H-W-W	H-W-3H-W-W-W

Bright/dark harmonic minor and harmonic major modes

Dark harmonic minor modes

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Dark appalachian		Dark thesian	Dark paralydian	Dark herculean	Dark calliopean	Dark morphean
Notes	1 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7		1 2 3 4 ♯5 6	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭7	1 ♭2 3 4 ♭6 ♭7	1 ♯2 3 5 6 7	1 ♭2 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 𝄫7
Intervals	3H-W-W-H-3H-H		W-W-H-3H-H-3H	W-H-3H-H-3H-W	H-3H-H-3H-W-W	3H-H-3H-W-W-H	H-3H-W-W-H-3H

Bright harmonic minor modes

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Bright appalachian	Bright adonian		Bright paralydian	Bright herculean	Bright calliopean	Bright morphean
Notes	1 2 4 5 ♭6 7	1 ♭3 4 ♭5 6 ♭7		1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6	1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭7	1 ♯2 3 ♯4 6 7	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭5 ♭6 𝄫7
Intervals	W-3H-W-H-3H-H	3H-W-H-3H-H-W		W-H-3H-H-W-3H	H-3H-H-W-3H-W	3H-H-W-3H-W-H	H-W-3H-W-H-3H

Pentatonic modes

• Ionian pentatonic
• Dorian pentatonic
• Phrygian pentatonic
• Mixolydian pentatonic
• Aeolian pentatonic

Mode	I	II	III	V	VI
Name	Ionian pentatonic Aka. Major pentatonic, pentatonic	Dorian pentatonic	Phrygian pentatonic	Mixolydian pentatonic	Aeolian pentatonic Aka. Minor pentatonic
Notes	1 2 3 5 6	1 2 4 5 ♭7	1 ♭3 4 ♭6 ♭7	1 2 4 5 6	1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7
Intervals	W-W-3H-W-3H	W-3H-W-3H-W	3H-W-3H-W-W	W-3H-W-W-3H	3H-W-W-3H-W

Other scales without clusters

• Whole scale
• Whole-half scale
• Half-whole scale
• Augmented-half scale
• Half-augmented scale

Mode	I
Name	Whole scale Aka. Whole-tone scale
Notes	1 2 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Intervals	W-W-W-W-W-W

Mode	I	II
Name	Whole-half scale Aka. Whole-half diminished scale	Half-whole scale Aka. Half-whole Diminished
Notes	1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7	1 ♭2 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7
Intervals	W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H	H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W

Mode	I	II
Name	Augmented-half scale Aka. (?)	Half-augmented scale Aka. (?)
Notes	1 ♯2 3 5 ♭6 7	1 ♭2 3 4 ♯5 6
Intervals	3H-H-3H-H-3H-H	H-3H-H-3H-H-3H

Scales with 1 cluster

Bebop scales

Major bebop modes

• Ionian bebop
• Dorian bebop
• Phrygian bebop
• Lydian bebop
• Mixolydian bebop
• Secret major bebop mode
• Aeolian bebop
• Locrian bebop

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	Secret	VI	VII
Name	Ionian bebop Aka. Major bebop	Dorian bebop	Phrygian bebop	Lydian bebop	Mixolydian bebop	Secret major bebop mode	Aeolian bebop Aka. Harmonic minor bebop	Locrian bebop
Notes
Intervals

Melodic minor bebop modes

• Athenian bebop
• Cappadocian bebop
• Asgardian bebop
• Arcadian bebop
• Olympian bebop
• Secret melodic minor bebop mode
• Sisyphean bebop
• Palamidian bebop

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	Secret	VI	VII
Name	Athenian bebop Aka. Melodic minor bebop	Cappadicoan bebop	Asgardian bebop	Arcadian bebop	Olympian bebop	Secret melodic minor bebop mode	Sisyphean bebop	Palamidian bebop
Notes
Intervals

Harmonic major bebop modes

• Laramidian bebop
• Dolorian bebop
• Plumettian bebop
• Morossian bebop
• Sangarian bebop
• Empyrean bebop
• Secret harmonic major bebop mode
• Phobetorian bebop

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	Secret	VII
Name	Laramidian bebop Aka. Harmonic major bebop	Dolorian bebop	Plummetian bebop	Morossian bebop	Sangarian bebop	Empyrean bebop	Secret harmonic major bebop mode	Phobetorian bebop
Notes
Intervals

Bright/dark variants

• Bright ionian bebop
• Bright dorian bebop
• Bright phrygian bebop
• Bright lydian bebop
• Bright mixolydian bebop
• Secret bright major bebop mode
• Bright aeolian bebop
• Dark ionian bebop
• Dark dorian bebop
• Dark phrygian bebop
• Dark lydian bebop
• Dark mixolydian bebop
• Secret dark major bebop mode
• Dark aeolian bebop

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	Secret	VI	VII
Name	Bright ionian bebop	Bright dorian bebop	Bright phrygian bebop		Bright mixolydian bebop	Secret bright major bebop mode	Bright aeolian bebop	Bright locrian bebop
Notes	1 2 3 5 6 7	1 2 4 5 6 ♭7	1 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7		1 2 3 4 5 6	1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 ♯5 7	1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭6 ♭7
Intervals	W-W-3H-H-H-W-H	W-3H-H-H-W-H-W	3H-H-H-W-H-W-W		H-H-W-H-W-W-3H	H-W-H-W-W-3H-H	W-H-W-W-3H-H-H	H-W-W-3H-H-H-W

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	Secret	VI	VII
Name	Dark ionian bebop	Dark dorian bebop	Dark phrygian bebop		Dark mixolydian bebop	Secret dark major bebop mode	Dark aeolian bebop	Dark locrian bebop
Notes
Intervals

Blues scales

Major blues modes

• Ionian blues
• Dorian blues
• Secret major blues mode
• Phrygian blues
• Mixolydian blues
• Aeolian blues

Mode	I	II	Secret	III	V	VI
Name	Ionian blues Aka. Major blues, blues	Dorian blues	Secret major blues mode	Phrygian blues	Mixolydian blues	Aeolian blues Aka. Minor blues
Notes	1 2 ♭3 3 5 6	1 ♭2 2 4 5 ♭7	1 ♭2 3 ♯4 6 7	1 ♭3 4 ♭6 ♭7 7	1 2 4 5 ♭6 6	1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7
Intervals	W-H-H-3H-W-3H	H-H-3H-W-3H-W	H-3H-W-3H-W-H	3H-W-3H-W-H-H	W-3H-W-H-H-3H	3H-W-H-H-3H-W

Major anti-blues modes

• Ionian anti-blues
• Secret major anti-blues mode
• Dorian anti-blues
• Phrygian anti-blues
• Mixolydian anti-blues
• Aeolian anti-blues

Mode	I	Secret	II	III	V	VI
Name	Ionian anti-blues Aka. Major anti-blues, anti-blues	Secret major anti-blues mode	Dorian anti-blues	Phrygian anti-blues	Mixolydian anti-blues	Aeolian anti-blues Aka. Minor anti-blues
Notes	1 ♭2 2 3 5 6	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭5 ♭6 7	1 2 4 5 ♭7 7	1 ♭3 4 ♭6 6 ♭7	1 2 4 ♭5 5 6	1 ♭3 3 4 5 ♭7
Intervals	H-H-W-3H-W-3H	H-W-3H-W-3H-H	W-3H-W-3H-H-H	3H-W-3H-H-H-W	W-3H-H-H-W-3H	3H-H-H-W-3H-W

Major pentatonic bebop modes

• Ionian pentatonic bebop
• Dorian pentatonic bebop
• Phrygian pentatonic bebop
• Mixolydian pentatonic bebop
• Secret major pentatonic bebop mode
• Aeolian pentatonic bebop

Mode	I	II	III	V		VI
Name	Ionian pentatonic bebop Aka. Major pentatonic bebop, pentatonic bebop	Dorian pentatonic bebop	Phrygian pentatonic bebop	Mixolydian pentatonic bebop	Secret major pentatonic bebop mode	Aeolian pentatonic Aka. Minor pentatonic bebop
Notes	1 2 3 5 ♭6 6	1 2 4 ♭5 5 ♭7	1 ♭3 3 4 ♭6 ♭7	1 ♭2 2 4 5 6	1 ♭2 3 ♯4 ♯5 7	1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7 7
Intervals	W-W-3H-H-H-3H	W-3H-H-H-3H-W	3H-H-H-3H-W-W	H-H-3H-W-W-3H	H-3H-W-W-3H-H	3H-W-W-3H-H-H

Other scales with 1 cluster

Double harmonic major modes

• Double harmonic major
• ?
• ?
• Hungarian minor
• ?
• ?
• ?

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Double harmonic major	?	?	Hungarian minor	?	?	?
Notes
Intervals	H-3H-H-W-H-3H-H	3H-H-W-H-3H-H-H	H-W-H-3H-H-H-3H	W-H-3H-H-H-3H-H	H-3H-H-H-3H-H-W	3H-H-H-3H-H-W-H	H-H-3H-H-W-H-3H

Harmonic phrygian modes

• Harmonic phrygian
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Harmonic phrygian Aka. Neapolitan minor	?	?	?	?	?	?
Notes
Intervals	H-W-W-W-H-3H-H	W-W-W-H-3H-H-H	W-W-H-3H-H-H-W	W-H-3H-H-H-W-W	H-3H-H-H-W-W-W	3H-H-H-W-W-W-H	H-H-W-W-W-H-3H

Harmonic lydian modes

• Harmonic lydian
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Harmonic lydian	?	?	?	?	?	?
Notes
Intervals	W-W-W-H-H-3H-H	W-W-H-H-3H-H-W	W-H-H-3H-H-W-W	H-H-3H-H-W-W-W	H-3H-H-W-W-W-H	3H-H-W-W-W-H-H	H-W-W-W-H-H-3H

Neapolitan major modes

• Neapolitan major
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?
• ?

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Neapolitan major	?	?	?	?	?	?
Notes
Intervals	H-W-W-W-W-W-H	W-W-W-W-W-H-H	W-W-W-W-H-H-W	W-W-W-H-H-W-W	W-W-H-H-W-W-W	W-H-H-W-W-W-W	H-H-W-W-W-W-W

Bonus scales

Scales with 2 clusters

Mode	I	II	III	IV
Name	Whole-whole-half-half	Whole-half-half-whole	Half-half-whole-whole	Half-whole-whole-half
Notes	1 2 3 4 ♯4 ♯5 ♯6 7	1 2 ♯2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 ♭7	1 ♭2 2 3 ♯4 5 ♭6 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♯4 5 6 7
Intervals	W-W-H-H-W-W-H-H	W-H-H-W-W-H-H-W	H-H-W-W-H-H-W-W	H-W-W-H-H-W-W-H

Scales with 3 clusters

These are the most awful and pointless scales on the page.

Mode	I	II	III
Name	Whole-half-half	Half-half-whole	Half-whole-half
Notes	1 2 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 ♯5 ♯6 7	1 ♭2 2 3 4 ♯4 ♯5 6 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 3 4 5 ♭6 6 7
Intervals	W-H-H-W-H-H-W-H-H	H-H-W-H-H-W-H-H-W	H-W-H-H-W-H-H-W-H

Scales with 4 or more clusters

Mode	I
Name	Chromatic
Notes	1 ♭2 2 ♯2 3 4 ♯4 5 ♯5 6 ♭7 7
Intervals	H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H-H