最常用音阶的音程结构:全音/半音步进模式、半音偏移量以及从 C 开始的示例音符。
| 音阶 | 步进 | 半音数 | 从 C 起的示例 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major (Ionian) | W–W–H–W–W–W–H | 0–2–4–5–7–9–11 | C, D, E, F, G, A, B |
| Natural Minor (Aeolian) | W–H–W–W–H–W–W | 0–2–3–5–7–8–10 | C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭ |
| Harmonic Minor | W–H–W–W–H–W+H–H | 0–2–3–5–7–8–11 | C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B |
| Melodic Minor | W–H–W–W–W–W–H | 0–2–3–5–7–9–11 | C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B |
| Dorian | W–H–W–W–W–H–W | 0–2–3–5–7–9–10 | C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ |
| Phrygian | H–W–W–W–H–W–W | 0–1–3–5–7–8–10 | C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭ |
| Lydian | W–W–W–H–W–W–H | 0–2–4–6–7–9–11 | C, D, E, F♯, G, A, B |
| Mixolydian | W–W–H–W–W–H–W | 0–2–4–5–7–9–10 | C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭ |
| Locrian | H–W–W–H–W–W–W | 0–1–3–5–6–8–10 | C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭ |
| Major Pentatonic | W–W–W+H–W–W+H | 0–2–4–7–9 | C, D, E, G, A |
| Minor Pentatonic | W+H–W–W–W+H–W | 0–3–5–7–10 | C, D♯, F, G, A♯ |
| Blues | W+H–W–H–H–W+H–W | 0–3–5–6–7–10 | C, D♯, F, F♯, G, A♯ |
全代表全音(2 个半音),半代表半音(1 个半音)。大调音阶为全–全–半–全–全–全–半。从任意音开始并套用该模式,即可在那个调中构建音阶。
七个调式是大调音阶的旋转:多利亚从其第 2 级开始,混合利底亚从第 5 级开始,以此类推。五声音阶使用七个音中的五个,而布鲁斯音阶在小调五声音阶中加入一个半音的“布鲁斯音”。
全–全–半–全–全–全–半:全音、全音、半音、全音、全音、全音、半音。以从根音起的半音计:0、2、4、5、7、9、11。
调式是通过从大调音阶的七个音级各自开始而构建的音阶。伊奥尼亚就是大调音阶本身,爱奥利亚是自然小调,而多利亚、弗里几亚、利底亚、混合利底亚和洛克里亚各有其独特的色彩。
布鲁斯音阶是小调五声音阶加上一个“布鲁斯音”——降五度(0–3–5–6–7–10)。这个额外的半音赋予了布鲁斯和摇滚独奏其标志性的音响。