Bb 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
- Bb 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
1Bbroot
b2Cbminor 2nd
2Cmajor 2nd
b3Dbminor 3rd
3Dmajor 3rd
4Ebperfect 4th
b5Fbdim 5th
5Fperfect 5th
b6Gbminor 6th
6Gmajor 6th
b7Abminor 7th
7Amajor 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
- BbHCbHCHDbHDHEbHFbHFHGbHGHAbHA
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IBbnominal centretonic
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIDD
IVEbEb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IBbBb
IICC
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how Bb 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.