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Scale type

Chromatic Scales on Piano

The chromatic scale includes all twelve pitches in an octave, each separated by a half step. It is not a key-specific scale but a complete catalogue of every note available in Western music. Practicing it builds even finger strength, familiarizes you with the entire keyboard geography, and is a staple of classical warm-up routines.

Each key below opens the full reference entry — keyboard diagram, audio, fingerings, and notation.

Formula: H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H–H (all half steps)
Intervals: Twelve consecutive minor seconds
Scale degrees: 1–♭2–2–♭3–3–4–♯4–5–♭6–6–♭7–7
Sound: Colorful, tense, ambiguous, atonal

Browse by key

All 18 spellings, ♯ and ♭ keys listed separately.

Chromatic Scale Starting on All 18 Keys

Every chromatic scale contains the same 12 pitches — only the starting note changes.

C Chromatic ScaleNotes: C – C♯ – D – D♯ – E – F – F♯ – G – G♯ – A – A♯ – B
C1C2C3CDEFGABCC6C7C8C♯D♯F♯G♯A♯
C♯ Chromatic ScaleNotes: C♯ – D – D♯ – E – F – F♯ – G – G♯ – A – A♯ – B – C
C1C2C3C4DEFGABCC6C7C8C♯D♯F♯G♯A♯C♯
D♭ Chromatic ScaleNotes: D♭ – D – E♭ – E – F – G♭ – G – A♭ – A – B♭ – B – C
C1C2C3C4DEFGABCC6C7C8D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭
D Chromatic ScaleNotes: D – D♯ – E – F – F♯ – G – G♯ – A – A♯ – B – C – C♯
C1C2C3C4DEFGABCDC6C7C8D♯F♯G♯A♯C♯
D♯ Chromatic ScaleNotes: D♯ – E – F – F♯ – G – G♯ – A – A♯ – B – C – C♯ – D
C1C2C3C4EFGABCDC6C7C8D♯F♯G♯A♯C♯D♯
E♭ Chromatic ScaleNotes: E♭ – E – F – G♭ – G – A♭ – A – B♭ – B – C – D♭ – D
C1C2C3C4EFGABCDC6C7C8E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭
E Chromatic ScaleNotes: E – F – F♯ – G – G♯ – A – A♯ – B – C – C♯ – D – D♯
C1C2C3C4EFGABCDEC6C7C8F♯G♯A♯C♯D♯
F Chromatic ScaleNotes: F – F♯ – G – G♯ – A – A♯ – B – C – C♯ – D – D♯ – E
C1C2C3C4FGABCDEFC6C7C8F♯G♯A♯C♯D♯
F♯ Chromatic ScaleNotes: F♯ – G – G♯ – A – A♯ – B – C – C♯ – D – D♯ – E – F
C1C2C3C4GABCDEFC6C7C8F♯G♯A♯C♯D♯F♯
G♭ Chromatic ScaleNotes: G♭ – G – A♭ – A – B♭ – B – C – D♭ – D – E♭ – E – F
C1C2C3C4GABCDEFC6C7C8G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭
G Chromatic ScaleNotes: G – G♯ – A – A♯ – B – C – C♯ – D – D♯ – E – F – F♯
C1C2C3C4GABCDEFGC6C7C8G♯A♯C♯D♯F♯
G♯ Chromatic ScaleNotes: G♯ – A – A♯ – B – C – C♯ – D – D♯ – E – F – F♯ – G
C1C2C3C4ABCDEFGC6C7C8G♯A♯C♯D♯F♯G♯
A♭ Chromatic ScaleNotes: A♭ – A – B♭ – B – C – D♭ – D – E♭ – E – F – G♭ – G
C1C2C3C4ABCDEFGC6C7C8A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭
A Chromatic ScaleNotes: A – A♯ – B – C – C♯ – D – D♯ – E – F – F♯ – G – G♯
C1C2C3C4ABCDEFGAC6C7C8A♯C♯D♯F♯G♯
A♯ Chromatic ScaleNotes: A♯ – B – C – C♯ – D – D♯ – E – F – F♯ – G – G♯ – A
C1C2C3C4BCDEFGAC6C7C8A♯C♯D♯F♯G♯A♯
B♭ Chromatic ScaleNotes: B♭ – B – C – D♭ – D – E♭ – E – F – G♭ – G – A♭ – A
C1C2C3C4BCDEFGAC6C7C8B♭D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭
B Chromatic ScaleNotes: B – C – C♯ – D – D♯ – E – F – F♯ – G – G♯ – A – A♯
C1C2C3C4BCDEFGABC6C7C8C♯D♯F♯G♯A♯
C♭ Chromatic ScaleNotes: C♭ – C – D♭ – D – E♭ – F♭ – F – G♭ – G – A♭ – A – B♭
C1C2C3C♭C4C♭CDF♭FGAC6C7C8D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭
Want the full theory? Intervals, construction, and how this scale connects to others.What Is a Scale? ›