Scales are systems of relationships that generate meaning.
Each note within a scale holds its expressive power not in isolation, but through its position, function, and interaction with the others. It is the distance between notes (the intervals) that give rise to direction, tension, color, and resolution. Just as words gain meaning through grammar and context, notes become music through their relational patterns. Understanding scales is not just about memorizing sequences; it’s about sensing the flow of information from one note to the next. This perspective unlocks not only melodic construction, but also harmonic logic and emotional expression across the entire fretboard.
To make things easier, the note names will be represented using the Latin letter system instead of standard staff notation. That means C-D-E-F-G-A-B will be used in place of Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Si:
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do | Re | Mi | Fa | Sol | La | Si |
One full cycle from C to the next C is called an octave. (Octave: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C). It’s important to know this. You need to be able to count from C up to C again, because we will use this sequence when writing scales with different intervals.
Scales can start on any note. This starting note is called the root. Each scale is named after its first note. For example, if the first note is C, it’s called a C scale; if it starts with E, it’s an E scale.
Depending on the interval structure, a scale can be classified as major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, etc. By applying a scale’s specific interval formula to the root, you generate a scale that begins on that note. For example, in the sequence C–D–E–F–G–A–B, you can pick any note (including accidentals like sharps or flats) and apply one of the scale formulas we’ll soon explore (such as major, minor, or pentatonic). Doing so will give you different types of scales like C major, E pentatonic, or G♯ minor, depending on your root note and the formula you apply.
The only scale that consists entirely of natural notes is the C major scale and its relative minor, A minor. All other scales contain either sharps or flats. For this reason, we will use the C major and A minor scales (both built on natural notes) as our primary examples.
The most common types of scales are:
- Major scale
- Minor scale
- Pentatonic scale
- Whole tone scale
- Chromatic scale
We’ll go through each of them in order but first, let’s begin by understanding what intervals are.
