Scales are the foundation of melody and harmony. Select a root note and scale type to see, hear, and understand different scale patterns.
C Major (Ionian)
Pattern: W-W-H-W-W-W-H
Scale Notes
Major vs Minor Comparison
Major Scale
W-W-H-W-W-W-H
3rd is 4 semitones (Major 3rd)
7th is 11 semitones (Major 7th)
Natural Minor
W-H-W-W-H-W-W
3rd is 3 semitones (Minor 3rd)
7th is 10 semitones (Minor 7th)
The key difference: the 3rd degree determines if a scale sounds major (happy) or minor (sad)