Complete Music Theory Reference

Explore scales, chords, and their relationships in an interactive reference guide

Scales Reference Table

Type Scale Formula Example in C Common Chords Mood / Usage Actions
Major Scale (Ionian) W-W-H-W-W-W-H C-D-E-F-G-A-B C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim Happy, bright, versatile
Natural Minor (Aeolian) W-H-W-W-H-W-W C-D-Eâ™­-F-G-Aâ™­-Bâ™­ Cm, Ddim, Eâ™­, Fm, Gm, Aâ™­, Bâ™­ Sad, melancholic, emotional
Harmonic Minor W-H-W-W-H-W+H-H C-D-Eâ™­-F-G-Aâ™­-B Cm, Ddim, Eâ™­+, Fm, G, Aâ™­, Bdim Dramatic, Middle Eastern
Melodic Minor W-H-W-W-W-W-H C-D-Eâ™­-F-G-A-B Cm, Dm, Eâ™­+, F, G, Adim, Bdim Jazzy, sophisticated
Pentatonic Major 1-2-3-5-6 C-D-E-G-A C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am Bright, folk, rock
Pentatonic Minor 1-â™­3-4-5-â™­7 C-Eâ™­-F-G-Bâ™­ Cm, Eâ™­, Fm, Gm, Bâ™­ Blues, rock, soul
Blues Scale 1-â™­3-4-â™­5-5-â™­7 C-Eâ™­-F-Gâ™­-G-Bâ™­ C7, F7, G7 Blues, rock, jazz
Dorian Mode W-H-W-W-W-H-W C-D-Eâ™­-F-G-A-Bâ™­ Cm, Dm, Eâ™­, F, G, Am, Bâ™­dim Jazzy, minor with raised 6th
Phrygian Mode H-W-W-W-H-W-W C-Dâ™­-Eâ™­-F-G-Aâ™­-Bâ™­ Cm, Dâ™­, Eâ™­, Fm, Gdim, Aâ™­, Bâ™­m Spanish, flamenco, metal
Lydian Mode W-W-W-H-W-W-H C-D-E-F♯-G-A-B C, D, Em, F♯dim, G, Am, Bm Dreamy, mystical, film scores
Mixolydian Mode W-W-H-W-W-H-W C-D-E-F-G-A-Bâ™­ C, Dm, Edim, F, Gm, Am, Bâ™­ Rock, blues, dominant feel
Whole-Tone Scale W-W-W-W-W-W C-D-E-F♯-G♯-A♯ Caug, Daug, Eaug, F♯aug, G♯aug, A♯aug Dreamy, ambiguous, jazz
Diminished Scale H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W C-D♭-E♭-E-F♯-G-A-B♭ Cdim, D♭dim, E♭dim, Edim Jazz, tension, film scores
Hungarian Minor W-H-W+H-H-W-H-W C-D-E♭-F♯-G-A♭-B Cm, Ddim, E♭+, F♯, G, A♭, Bdim Eastern European, gypsy

Detailed Scale Information

Chords Reference

Chord Type Formula Example in C Notation Sound Character
Major 1-3-5 C-E-G C Happy, stable
Minor 1-â™­3-5 C-Eâ™­-G Cm Sad, melancholic
Augmented 1-3-♯5 C-E-G♯ Caug or C+ Tense, mysterious
Diminished 1-â™­3-â™­5 C-Eâ™­-Gâ™­ Cdim Dissonant, tense
Suspended 2nd 1-2-5 C-D-G Csus2 Open, ambiguous
Suspended 4th 1-4-5 C-F-G Csus4 Open, resolving
Major 7th 1-3-5-7 C-E-G-B Cmaj7 Jazzy, sophisticated
Dominant 7th 1-3-5-â™­7 C-E-G-Bâ™­ C7 Bluesy, wants to resolve
Minor 7th 1-â™­3-5-â™­7 C-Eâ™­-G-Bâ™­ Cm7 Jazzy, melancholic
Half-Diminished 7th 1-â™­3-â™­5-â™­7 C-Eâ™­-Gâ™­-Bâ™­ Cm7â™­5 Jazzy, tense
Diminished 7th 1-â™­3-â™­5-â™­â™­7 C-Eâ™­-Gâ™­-Bâ™­â™­ Cdim7 Very tense, symmetric
Major 9th 1-3-5-7-9 C-E-G-B-D Cmaj9 Very rich, jazzy
Dominant 9th 1-3-5-â™­7-9 C-E-G-Bâ™­-D C9 Bluesy, rich
Minor 9th 1-â™­3-5-â™­7-9 C-Eâ™­-G-Bâ™­-D Cm9 Jazzy, melancholic
Add9 1-3-5-9 C-E-G-D Cadd9 Pretty, contemporary
Power Chord 1-5 C-G C5 Strong, rock
Italian Augmented 6th ♭6-1-♯4 A♭-C-F♯ It+6 Classical, resolving
Common Chord Progressions
I-IV-V (12-Bar Blues)

C - F - G

I-V-vi-IV (Pop Progression)

C - G - Am - F

ii-V-I (Jazz Progression)

Dm - G - C

vi-IV-I-V (50s Progression)

Am - F - C - G

I-vi-ii-V (Rhythm Changes)

C - Am - Dm - G

Circle of Fifths
Circle of Fifths

The circle of fifths shows the relationship between the 12 tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys.