F 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
- F 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
1Froot
b2Gbminor 2nd
2Gmajor 2nd
b3Abminor 3rd
3Amajor 3rd
4Bbperfect 4th
b5Cbdim 5th
5Cperfect 5th
b6Dbminor 6th
6Dmajor 6th
b7Ebminor 7th
7Emajor 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
- FHGbHGHAbHAHBbHCbHCHDbHDHEbHE
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IFnominal centretonic
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIAA
IVBbBb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IFF
IIGG
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how F 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.