The one rule of scale spelling
A seven-note scale uses each letter name once, in order. That one rule decides every spelling. D major goes D, E, F, G, A, B, C: seven letters, none repeated. The step pattern then tells you which notes need a sharp or flat: for D major, F and C.
Major: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half
Take the letters in order and add accidentals to fit the pattern. In F♯ major the letters are F G A B C D E, and the pattern makes all of them sharp: F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯. E♯ sounds like F, but the letter E has to appear, so it is written E♯.
Minor: three flavours
- Natural minor: W H W W H W W. A minor: A B C D E F G.
- Harmonic minor: natural minor with a raised 7th. A B C D E F G♯.
- Melodic minor (ascending): raised 6th and 7th. A B C D E F♯ G♯.
The modes
Start the major scale on a different note and you get a mode: Dorian (starts on the 2nd note), Phrygian (3rd), Lydian (4th), Mixolydian (5th), Aeolian (6th, natural minor) and Locrian (7th). Each has its own step pattern, and so its own sound.
How to practise
- Warm-up: fill in the missing note or find the wrong one. Count letters, then check the pattern.
- Working set: up to five sharps or flats, and name a scale from its notes.
- Heavy lift: every key, exact spelling, and name a scale from its step pattern alone.
If steps are new, start with half and whole steps. Look any scale up on the scale finder or in the scales library, and learn how scales become keys with the circle of fifths.
Frequently asked questions
How do you spell a major scale?
Start on the root and follow the pattern whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half, using each letter name once. D major is D E F♯ G A B C♯: the pattern makes F and C sharp, and each letter appears once.
Why does F♯ major have E♯ instead of F?
A scale uses every letter once. After the 6th note D♯ the next letter is E, and the pattern needs it a half step below F♯ going up, so it is E♯. Writing F would repeat the letter F and skip E.
What is the pattern of the natural minor scale?
Whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole. It is the same notes as the major scale starting on its 6th note.
What is the difference between harmonic and melodic minor?
Harmonic minor is natural minor with a raised 7th (A B C D E F G♯). Melodic minor, going up, raises the 6th and 7th (A B C D E F♯ G♯). Both give a stronger pull to the tonic.
What are the modes?
Seven scales made from the major scale by starting on each of its notes: Ionian (major), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (natural minor) and Locrian. Each has its own step pattern and sound.
How do I check a scale is spelled right?
Every letter A to G should appear once, in order, and the step pattern should match. If a letter repeats, you have used the wrong spelling for a note.