Scale Finder
Any scale's notes on piano and fretboard, or find the scale.
About this tool
Pick a key and a scale to see its correctly spelled notes and degrees on a piano and a 15-fret fretboard (guitar tunings, bass or ukulele) and hear it played; or select notes to find every scale that contains them.
Scales, spelling and finding the key
A scale is a set of notes defined by its pattern of steps from the root: the major scale is whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half, and the natural minor starts the same pattern from the sixth note. The seven modes (Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian) are the major scale started from each of its degrees, each with its own mood. Pentatonic scales keep five notes and avoid clashing half steps, which is why they're the first scales guitarists learn for solos, and the blues scale adds the flattened fifth 'blue note'. This finder spells each scale properly: seven-note scales use every letter once, so F major has B♭, not A♯, and degrees are labelled (♭3, ♯4, ♭7) so you can see what makes each scale distinctive. The fretboard shows the notes across 15 frets for standard guitar, drop D, DADGAD, open G, 4-string bass or ukulele, with the root highlighted. Working backwards, pick the notes of a melody or riff to list every major, minor, pentatonic and blues scale that contains them all, smallest first. Honest limits: several scales often share the same notes, so the key also depends on which note sounds like home. The circle of fifths and the chord finder are related.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A minor pentatonic scale?
A, C, D, E and G — the most common scale for rock and blues guitar solos.
How do I find what scale a song is in?
Select the notes used in the melody or riff and the finder lists every scale containing them.
Why is it B♭ and not A♯ in F major?
Each letter appears once in a seven-note scale, so the fourth note of F major is a kind of B.
Can I see the scale on bass or ukulele?
Yes. Choose bass (EADG) or ukulele (GCEA), or alternate guitar tunings, from the fretboard menu.
Is anything stored or sent?
No. It all runs in your browser, and nothing you do is stored or sent anywhere.