Rock / Blues Scales & Modes for Guitar:

Guitar scales and modes - an index

This article © 2011

A quick word before we start about two ways you can help yourself to become a better guitarist:

• Use guitar software - such as this one (go for the free trial download)
• Take guitar lessons - this guy's good (it's a 'learn guitar online' package)

A list of guitar scales and modes, showing intervals for each

On this page I've listed the more commonly used scales and modes, together with some of more obscure scales, giving the interval names for each one. I've encountered and learned these modes and scales from many different sources over the years. For many of the scales shown, I can't remember where I first learned them.

But to enable you to find out more about these scales, I've indicated a source of further info for each. This will enable you to find complete fretboard patterns/shapes on the guitar neck, or you can work these out for yourself from the intervals given.

Page navigation links:

Pentatonic scales and blues scales
'Ethnic' pentatonic scales
The major scale & its modes
The harmonic minor scale & its modes
The melodic minor scale & its modes
Other scales

Pentatonic scales and blues scales:

Minor pentatonic scale, aka minor blues scale

Intervals:
minor 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: This website - Pentatonic scale for guitar

Major pentatonic scale, aka major blues scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 5th - major 6th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: This website - Pentatonic scale for guitar

Minor hexatonic sharp 4 scale

Intervals:
minor 3rd - perfect 4th - augmented 4th - perfect 5th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: This website - Hexatonic scale for guitar 1

Minor hexatonic major 7 scale

Intervals:
minor 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 7th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: This website - Hexatonic scale for guitar 2

Major hexatonic minor 3rd scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - major 3rd - perfect 5th - major 6th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: This website - Hexatonic scale for guitar 3

Major hexatonic minor 6th scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 5th - minor 6th - major 6th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: This website - Hexatonic scale for guitar 4

Minor heptatonic blues scale

Intervals:
minor 3rd - perfect 4th - augmented 4th - perfect 5th - minor 7th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: This website - Heptatonic scale for guitar 1

Major heptatonic blues scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - major 3rd - perfect 5th - minor 6th - major 6th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: This website - Heptatonic scale for guitar 2

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'Ethnic' pentatonic scales:

Egyptian pentatonic scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Japanese pentatonic scale

Intervals:
minor 2nd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Pelog pentatonic scale

Intervals:
minor 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 5th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

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The major scale & its modes:

Major scale, aka Ionian mode

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Dorian mode

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Phrygian mode

Intervals:
minor 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Lydian mode, aka subdominant mode

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - augmented 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Mixolydian mode, aka dominant mode

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Natural minor scale, aka Aeolian mode

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Locrian mode

Intervals:
minor 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - diminished 5th - minor 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

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The harmonic minor scale & its modes:

Harmonic minor scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 6th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Phrygian major, 5th mode of harmonic minor, aka Spanish Phrygian

Intervals:
minor 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'
Listen to a solo using this scale

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The melodic minor scale & its modes:

Melodic minor scale, aka Jazz minor scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Dorian flat 2 mode, 2nd mode of melodic minor

Intervals:
minor 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Lydian augmented mode, 3rd mode of melodic minor

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - augmented 4th - augmented 5th - major 6th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Lydian dominant mode, 4th mode of melodic minor, aka overtone

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - augmented 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Mixolydian flat 6 mode, 5th mode of melodic minor

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Locrian major 2nd (or sharp 2) mode, 6th mode of melodic minor

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - diminished 5th - minor 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Super Locrian mode, aka altered scale or diminished whole tone scale, 7th mode of melodic minor

Intervals:
minor 2nd - minor 3rd - major 3rd - diminished 5th - minor 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

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Other scales

Chromatic scale

Intervals:
all intervals are semi-tones - 12 note scale
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Whole tone scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - augmented 4th - augmented 5th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Whole/half diminished scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - perfect 4th - diminished 5th - minor 6th - major 6th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Half/whole diminished scale

Intervals:
minor 2nd - minor 3rd - major 3rd - augmented 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Bebop dominant scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - minor 7th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Bebop major scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 6th - major 6th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Hungarian major scale

Intervals:
minor 3rd - major 3rd - augmented 4th - perfect 5th - major 6th - minor 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Hungarian minor scale

Intervals:
major 2nd - minor 3rd - augmented 4th - perfect 5th - minor 6th - major 7th - octave
Learn Guitar scales & modes: Guitar Software - 'Guitar Power'

Phrygian major 7, 5th mode of the Hungarian minor scale

Intervals:
minor 2nd - major 3rd - perfect 4th - perfect 5th - minor 6th - major 7th - octave
Listen to a solo using this scale

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This article © 2011. Permission has not been given for it to be reproduced anywhere else. All rights reserved.