Major and Minor Scale Chart
Compare major with the three minor scales in any key · keyboard, chords & the step pattern
How to play
- Choose a root note and a scale type. The keys in the scale light up — orange for scale tones, red for the root — across two octaves.
- Tap any key to hear that note. Play scale runs up and back down one octave, lighting each key as it sounds.
- The readout spells the scale and shows its step pattern in semitones (2 = whole step, 1 = half step, 3 = a step-and-a-half).
- Compare a major scale with its natural minor to hear the difference, or try the blues and pentatonic scales. Vol sets volume. Keyboard — Tab + Enter/Space.
Ever wondered what a scale sounds like? This online tool show and plays various common scales including minor, major, etc.
Using either your computer keyboard (hands free) or your mouse, you click around the screen to navigate instrument. Just dive in and start tinkerin.
How to Use the Online Scale Tool
At the top is a group of buttons each representing a root note on your chosen scale. Select one of these and then select a scale type using buttons next to them to hear how the same mode sound in that key.
Below is piano keyboard, lit up to show you which notes is in the scale. Red shows the root note of the scale and orange keys represent the remaining notes of the scale. It’s an easy way to visually learn the pattern over a couple of octaves.
Clicking on one of the keys on the virtual piano allow you to play a single note. Below it is readout panel where you will see the notes spelled out from lowest to highest according to currently active scale. You will notice that the step pattern is displayed in semitones next to this. This helps you identify how many semitones there are between each note. As you play, the keys will light up reinforcing your memory of layout of the scales.
Hitting the Play scale button enables you to listen to full scale both ascending and descending. As you do this, each note is highlighted on keyboard. It’s good if you want to hear the tune before trying to plays it yourself.
You are also able to change the master volume to suit how comfortabley you wish to listen to it in your listening space.
Below the main keyboard, you’ll find grid of diatonic chords. In other words, these is the chords that make sense in your selected seven note scale. When you tap on one of the chord buttons you’ll hear the chord as a three note triad. This is useful if you want to understand how chords connects to the underlying scale and learn about harmony. Chord options won’t appear on non seven note scales such as blues or pentatonics.
For anyone that doesn’t like to navigate using a mouse, you can also use your computer keyboard to access all of these controls. Simply use the Tab key to cycle through each group of controls. When a key or button is selected, hit the Space bar or Enter key to start the function. This means you can select to play notes or change scale while remaining on your keyboard.
The Fullscreen button opens the widget up into a full-sized view of the keyboard, perfect for those times when it’s too small on your screen. The big advantage is that this works well on smaller screens. It also helps you concentrate fully on the lesson. Clicking the same button again takes you out of fullscreen mode.
If you’re not sure how something plays, click on How to play button. This handy little help panel give you a quick reminder of what each control does and how it’s colored. It even tucks away out of sight. When you’re done, just click on it again and it dissapears from view so you can keep your work space clean. Go ahead and toggle it on and off as many times as you’d like during practice time.
A good exercise is to try the natural minor, and the major scale in the same key. It shows you the slight variation in interval structure, and because of that, the difference in mood. Play around with other scales too such as the pentatonic or blues that use fewer notes. Listen to the variations and then try playing them back yourself.
Practice playing through the diatonic chords, in sequence (one, two, three, four etc., to seven), noting that not all of them has the same type depending off their location within the scale. It provides a firm grounding for songwriting and creating chord progressions. You’ll notice it’s easy to link the chords visually to notes that light-up on the keyboard.
Be sure to spend some time exploring various scales and key changes. Don’t be in a hurry to learn them all simultaneously. Choose a couple of scales that appeal to you, and really hear how they sound different than each other.
Because it’s meant to be explored, don’t hesitate to explore and find things out for yourself. Simply choose a root note that sounds naturaly to you and away you go.