Additional scales

There are a wide variety of scales you can use in addition to the ones that derive naturally from the key signature. These other scales are either non-diatonic or abbreviations of longer scales. Some of these scales are derived from modes such as the following two pentatonic scales ("pent" is derived from the Greek word for five).

The major pentatonic scale is just the major scale playing only five of the notes. (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6).

The minor pentatonic scale is one of the most common scales of all but it is really just the Aeolian mode playing only five of the notes. (i.e. 1, b3, 4, 5, b7).

The blues scale is exactly the same as the minor pentatonic scale but with the inclusion of a flat 5th in addition to the perfect 5th (1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7, 1).

The melodic minor is also like the Aeolian mode but with a major 6th and 7th. This scale is often performed ascending/going up and then completed with a natural minor descending/going down.

Harmonic Minor

The harmonic minor is like the Aeolian mode but with a major 7th.

The whole tone scale is made entirely from whole tone intervals (1,2,3,#4,#5,b7).

The chromatic scale has all twelve notes one semitone after another.

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