156 scale pages · 13 scale types · 12 keys
Guitar scales chart
Every scale a guitarist reaches for most, with its formula, its notes and a fretboard diagram in all 12 keys. Start with the minor pentatonic for lead playing and the major scale for theory: everything else is a small change to one of those two.
| Scale | Formula | In C | In A | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | C D E F G A B | A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ | bright, stable and happy |
| Minor | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ | A B C D E F G | dark, sad or serious, without being exotic |
| Minor Pentatonic | 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7 | C E♭ F G B♭ | A C D E G | bluesy, gritty and open |
| Major Pentatonic | 1 2 3 5 6 | C D E G A | A B C♯ E F♯ | sweet, open and happy |
| Blues | 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7 | C E♭ F G♭ G B♭ | A C D E♭ E G | gritty, crying and unmistakably bluesy |
| Harmonic Minor | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7 | C D E♭ F G A♭ B | A B C D E F G♯ | dramatic, classical and slightly Middle Eastern |
| Melodic Minor | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 | C D E♭ F G A B | A B C D E F♯ G♯ | smooth, sophisticated and bittersweet |
| Dorian | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 | C D E♭ F G A B♭ | A B C D E F♯ G | minor but hopeful, cool and funky |
| Phrygian | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ | A B♭ C D E F G | dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured |
| Lydian | 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 | C D E F♯ G A B | A B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ | dreamy, bright and weightless |
| Mixolydian | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 | C D E F G A B♭ | A B C♯ D E F♯ G | major, bluesy and laid-back |
| Locrian | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ | A B♭ C D E♭ F G | unstable, tense and dissonant |
| Phrygian Dominant | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | C D♭ E F G A♭ B♭ | A B♭ C♯ D E F G | exotic, Spanish and Middle-Eastern |
How to choose a guitar scale
Match the scale to the chord or key underneath you. Over a major key, the major scale and major pentatonic always fit. Over a minor key, use natural minor or minor pentatonic. Over a blues, the blues scale and minor pentatonic are the classic choice, and Mixolydian adds a sweeter, major sound.
The modes are best thought of as colours: Dorian is minor with a brighter 6th, Phrygian is minor with a dark ♭2, Lydian is major with a dreamy ♯4, and Mixolydian is major with a bluesy ♭7. Harmonic minor and Phrygian dominant add an exotic, classical or flamenco edge.
Not sure what scale a riff or solo is using? Write down the notes you can hear or play, then look for the scales that contain all of them. That is exactly what the note filter in Guitar Scale Finder does across 1,860 scales (110 scale types in every key).
Browse by scale type
- MajorThe do-re-mi scale: seven notes, bright and resolved, and the reference point every other scale is measured against.
- MinorThe natural minor scale: the major scale’s darker twin, with a ♭3, ♭6 and ♭7.
- Minor PentatonicFive notes, no wrong ones: the most-played lead guitar scale in rock and blues.
- Major PentatonicThe sweet, singable five-note scale behind country licks, Southern rock and pop hooks.
- BluesThe minor pentatonic plus one “blue note”, the ♭5: six notes of pure blues.
- Harmonic MinorNatural minor with a raised 7th: dramatic, neoclassical and a little exotic.
- Melodic MinorA major scale with a ♭3: the jazz musician’s minor scale.
- DorianA minor scale with a bright natural 6th: the sound of funk, jazz-rock and Santana.
- PhrygianA minor scale with a ♭2: dark, Spanish-tinged and heavy.
- LydianA major scale with a ♯4: dreamy, floating and cinematic.
- MixolydianA major scale with a ♭7: the bluesy-but-major sound of classic rock.
- LocrianThe unstable mode: ♭2 and ♭5 make its root chord diminished.
- Phrygian DominantPhrygian with a major 3rd: the flamenco and Middle-Eastern sound, and a metal staple.