Musical Alphabet

C D E F G A B

Chromatic Scale

All 12 notes in music (semitones):

  • C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G - G# - A - A# - B
  • C - Db - D - Eb - E - F - Gb - G - Ab - A - Bb - B

Enharmonic Equivalents

Same pitch, different context!

Different names for the same note:

  • C# = Db
  • D# = Eb
  • F# = Gb
  • G# = Ab
  • A# = Bb

    Intervals

    The distance between two notes:
  • P1 Unisson 0 ½ tone
  • m2 Minor 2nd ½ tone
  • M2 Major 2nd 2 ½ tones
  • m3 Minor 3rd 3 ½ tones
  • M3 Major 3rd 4 ½ tones
  • P4 Perfect 4th 5 ½ tones
  • TT Tritone 6 ½ tones
  • P5 Perfect 5th 7 ½ tones
  • m6 Minor 6th 8 ½ tones
  • M6 Major 6th 9 ½ tones
  • m7 Minor 7th 10 ½ tones
  • M7 Major 7th 11 ½ tones
  • P8 Octave 12 ½ tones

Interactive Scale Explorer

Choose any root note and mode to explore the 12-EDO scales dynamically.

Major Scale (Ionian)

Formula: W-W-H-W-W-W-H

The bright, happy foundation of Western music.

  • C Major

Natural Minor (Aeolian)

Formula: W-H-W-W-H-W-W

Relative to Major, creates a darker, melancholic feel.

  • A Minor

Pentatonic & Blues

Major Penta: 1 - 2 - 3 - 5 - 6

Minor Penta: 1 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b7

5-note scales heavily used in Rock, Pop & Blues.

  • C Major Pentatonic

The 7 Modes

Built from each degree of the major scale (Click to play in C):

Triads

  • Major C 1 - 3 - 5
    (C - E - G)
  • Minor Cm 1 - b3 - 5
    (C - Eb - G)
  • Diminished Cdim 1 - b3 - b5
    (C - Eb - Gb)
  • Augmented Caug 1 - 3 - #5
    (C - Eb - G#)

7th Chords

  • Major 7 CM7 1 - 3 - 5 - 7
    (C - E - G - B)
  • Dominant 7 C7 1 - 3 - 5 - b7
    (C - E - G - Bb)
  • Minor 7 Cm7 1 - b3 - 5 - b7
    (C - Eb - G - Bb)
  • Minor 7b5 Cm7b5 1 - b3 - b5 - b7
    (C - Eb - Gb - Bb)
  • Diminished 7 Cdim7 1 - b3 - b5 - bb7
    (C - Eb - Gb - Bbb)

Extended Chords

  • Nineth C9 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9
    (C - E - G - B - D)
  • Eleventh C11 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 11
    (C - E - G - B - D - F)
  • Thirteenth C13 1 - 3 - 5 - 7 - 9 - 11 - 13
    (C - E - G - B - D - F - A)

Often voiced selectively (not all notes played)

Diatonic Chords in Major Keys

Chords built from each scale degree:

IM7
iim7
iiim7
IVM7
V7
vim7
viim7b5

Example in C: CM7 - Dm7 - Em7 - FM7 - G7 - Am7 - Bm7b5

Major 7

1 3 7

Root on E

Root on A

Root on D

Root on G

Minor 7

1 b3 b7

Root on E

Root on A

Root on D

Root on G

Dominant 7

1 3 b7

Root on E

Root on A

Root on D

Root on G

Sixth

1 3 6

Root on E

Root on A

Root on D

Root on G

Common Chord Progressions

The Three Chord Wonder

I
IV
V

In C: C - F - G (Used in countless rock, pop, and blues songs)

Pop Progression

I
V
vi
IV

In C: C - G - Am - F (Extremely popular in modern pop music)

Jazz Standard

ii
V
I

In C: Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7 (The most important progression in jazz)

50s Progression

I
vi
IV
V

In C: C - Am - F - G (Classic doo-wop and early rock)

12-Bar Blues

I
I
I
I
IV
IV
I
I
V
IV
I
V

In A: A7 - A7 - A7 - A7 - D7 - D7 - A7 - A7 - E7 - D7 - A7 - E7 (12-Bar Standard)

Advanced Chord Progressions

Cycle of 4ths

iii
vi
ii
V
I

In C: Em7 - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7

Rhythm Changes (A Section)

I
vi
ii
V

In C: Cmaj7 - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 (Based on "I Got Rhythm" - foundation of countless jazz standards)

Chord Functions

  • Tonic (I, vi) - Home base, stable, resolution
  • Subdominant (ii, IV) - Moves away from tonic, builds tension
  • Dominant (V, vii°) - High tension, wants to resolve to tonic

Flow: Tonic → Subdominant → Dominant → Tonic

Common Substitutions

  • Relative minor/major
    I ↔ vi (C ↔ Am)
  • Tritone substitution
    V7 ↔ bII7 (G7 ↔ Db7)
  • Secondary dominants
    Any chord can be preceded by its V7
  • Borrowed chords
    Use chords from parallel minor