A Chromatic scale
All twelve pitch classes of the octave in semitone order; tonal hierarchy comes only from context.
Octaves
Musical context
How the scale relates to the chord, mode, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- A Chromatic scale
- Family
- Symmetric scales
- Note count
- 12
- Step formula
- H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H – H
- Numeric formula
- 0-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Notes & degrees
1Aroot
b2Bbminor 2nd
2Bmajor 2nd
b3Cminor 3rd
3C#major 3rd
4Dperfect 4th
b5Ebdim 5th
5Eperfect 5th
b6Fminor 6th
6F#major 6th
b7Gminor 7th
7G#major 7th
Construction
- Overview
- All twelve pitch classes of the octave in semitone order; tonal hierarchy comes only from context.
- Application in music
- Has no key of its own. Used for chromatic passing and neighbor tones.
- Interval formula
- AHBbHBHCHC#HDHEbHEHFHF#HGHG#
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IAnominal centretonic
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIC#C#
IVDD
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IAA
IIBB
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how A Chromatic scale looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.