Piano Music Scale Complete List |
Major Music Scale
Major scales are the most common scale utilized in music. Major scales are also one of the first scales taught to new musicians, as they sound familiar to the person because major scales are commonly used in popular music. Similarly, they are great piano music scales.
Natural Minor Music Scale
Minor scales sound less uplifting than their counterpart major scales. Major scales are more for happy, uplifting sounds, whereas minor scales are used to reveal a mysterious mood or sometimes a depressing atmosphere.
Harmonic Minor Scale
Harmonic minor scales are similar to the natural minor scale, however, because of a raised 7th, the harmonic minor scale has a more definitive end.
Melodic Minor Scale
Melodic minor scales are unique because they ascend differently then they descend. They are a very interesting piano music scale.
Less Commonly Used Music Scales
Whole Tone Scale
Whole tone scales have a jazzy sound and are often used in modern jazz writing. The whole tone scale, unlike other scales, is completely symmetric, allowing the performer to have an easier time improvising. The jazz sound comes from the fact that the triads in the scales are augmented.
Pentatonic Scale
As the name penta implies, the pentatonic scales are 5 notes (not counting the octave).
Blues Scale
Blues scales are used in many jazz songs. Blues scales convey a funky, earthy feel. Jazz phrases are typically 12 measures long, rather than the usual 4 or 16 that is used in popular songs. This is a fun piano music scale
Arabian Scale
If you are a composer, then you deserve to learn Arabian scales! Arabian scales differ from the common, too often played, major and minor scales, and can help to surprise your listeners with an exotic Arabian sound.
Hungarian Minor Scale
Dare to learn Hungarian minor scales for piano compositions. Hungarian minor scales are amazing to practice because of the eastern sound that it makes. Personally, I find that Hungarian minor scales are one of my favorite piano music scales due to their exotic and romantic feel.
Oriental Scales
Oriental scales are interesting to practice because of the interesting sound the oriental scale makes. Western ears are unaccustomed to oriental scales causing them to have a unique sound not normally found in popular music.
The above piano music scales can help find new sounds for your piano compositions. They open new doorways and new notes that you can play with in your compositions.