Chinese Piano Scales

Algerian Scale … this scale is used in music from the Middle East.

Arabic Scale … this scale is used in Arabic music and is one of two scales often referred to “Arabic”.

Augmented Scale … a hexatonic scale, also known as Symmetrical Augmented Scale.

Balinese Scale … also referred to as Balinese Pelog Scale.

Byzantine Scale … an exotic sounding scale also known as Double Harmonic.

Chinese Scale … learning this scale is a great introduction to Chinese music.

Diminished Scale … an octatonic scale built upon two diminished seventh chords.

Dominant Diminished Scale … an octatonic and symmetrical scale (a.k.a. the Half-tone/Whole-tone Scale).

Egyptian Scale … a five-note scale rooted in Egyptian and Arabic music tradition.

Eight Tone Spanish … suited for Spanish and Jewish music.

Enigmatic Scale … a somewhat obscured scale invented by Giuseppe Verdi.

Geez Scale … a scale with Ethiopian roots.

Hawaiian Scale … a minor sounding exotic scale.

Hindu Scale … a scale suitable for improvising in Indian music styles.

Hirajoshi … a Japanese pentatonic scale.

Hungarian Scale … comparable with the Harmonic minor and often used in Indian classical music.

Iberian Scale … a hexatonic scale also known as Iberian Hexatonic Scale.

Iwato … Japanese pentatonic scale.

Japanese Scale … also called “In Sen Scale” and is a pentatonic scale type.

Lydian b7 Scale … a scale also referred to as Acoustic Scale and Overtone Scale.

Maqam … maqams are groups of modes often played with Middle Eastern instruments.

Neapolitan Scale … a scale with sources back to Italian opera composers in the 18th century.

Octatonic Scale … a scale in two versions which both include eight tones.

Oriental Scale … a scale common in Chinese music.

Prometheus Scales … a scale close related to the “Mystic chord”.

Romanian Minor Scale … great for improvising in a melancholy mood with a twist of traditional Eastern European folk music.

Spanish Gypsy Scale … correctly known as Phrygian Dominant Scale, but is often called Spanish Gypsy (alternatively the Jewish Scale) because of its flavor of flamenco and South East Europe.

Super Locrian Scale … based on the Locrian mode and also called Altered or Diminished Whole Tone; quite common in jazz.

Whole Tone Scale … belongs to the symmetrical scales and consists only of whole tone intervals.

Yo Scale … another Japanese scale.

By definition, exotic scales are not included in the Western music tradition, but this collection also includes scales that in some aspects can be seen as rare and used in experimental rock or modern jazz.

See also altered scales.