Piano Scales Reference
Keyboard diagrams for every major and natural minor scale, plus pentatonic, blues and the seven modes. Highlighted keys show which notes to play and each card carries the standard right-hand finger numbers. Hit Print or Download PDF for the whole set — no signup. Part of the music theory reference set.
Piano Scales & Modes
Highlighted keys are in the scale · numbers are right-hand fingering, thumb = 1
Major Scales
C Major
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5C - D - E - F - G - A - B
D Major
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5D - E - F# - G - A - B - C#
E Major
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D#
F Major
Fingers: 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4F - G - A - Bb - C - D - E
G Major
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5G - A - B - C - D - E - F#
A Major
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G#
B Major
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5B - C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A#
Natural Minor Scales
A Minor
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5A - B - C - D - E - F - G
B Minor
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5B - C# - D - E - F# - G - A
C# Minor
Fingers: 2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - B
D Minor
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5D - E - F - G - A - Bb - C
E Minor
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5E - F# - G - A - B - C - D
F# Minor
Fingers: 2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E
G Minor
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F
Pentatonic & Blues Scales
C Major Pentatonic
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2C - D - E - G - A
A Minor Pentatonic
Fingers: 1-2-1-2-3A - C - D - E - G
C Blues Scale
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3C - Eb - F - Gb - G - Bb
A Blues Scale
Fingers: 1-2-3-1-2-3A - C - D - Eb - E - G
Modes of the Major Scale
| Mode | Formula | Built on C | White keys | What it sounds like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionian (1st) | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | C D E F G A B | C to C | The major scale itself — bright and settled |
| Dorian (2nd) | 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 | C D Eb F G A Bb | D to D | Minor with a raised 6th — the folk and jazz minor (Miles Davis, “So What”) |
| Phrygian (3rd) | 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 | C Db Eb F G Ab Bb | E to E | Minor with a flat 2nd — the Spanish and flamenco sound |
| Lydian (4th) | 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 | C D E F# G A B | F to F | Major with a raised 4th — floating and filmic (the Simpsons theme) |
| Mixolydian (5th) | 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 | C D E F G A Bb | G to G | Major with a flat 7th — blues, rock and Celtic tunes |
| Aeolian (6th) | 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 | C D Eb F G Ab Bb | A to A | The natural minor scale charted above |
| Locrian (7th) | 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 | C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb | B to B | Flat 5th makes it restless — rarely used as a key of its own |
All seven modes use the same seven notes as C major — only the starting note changes. Play the white keys from the note in the White keys column to hear each one; the Built on C column transposes them all to C so the formulas can be compared side by side.
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How to Work Through These Scales
1. Take the keys in circle-of-fifths order
C major first because it is all white keys, then G, D, A and E — each one adds a single sharp to the last, so there is only ever one new black key to learn. The circle of fifths chart shows that running order, and the key signatures chart tells you how many sharps or flats each scale should have before you start.
2. Pair every major scale with its relative minor
A minor uses the same notes as C major, E minor the same as G major, B minor the same as D major. Learning them together means the second scale is free — the fingering barely changes and the key signature is identical. The natural minor charts above are laid out in the same order for exactly that reason.
3. Add a metronome once the notes are right
Play a scale in even quarter notes at 60 BPM before pushing the speed, and add 4–8 BPM only once it is clean twice in a row. The tempo markings chart gives named targets to work up through — adagio, andante, moderato, allegro — and the note values chart covers which note gets the beat when you move from quarters to eighths and triplets.
4. Use the modes to start improvising
The modes table is the cheapest way into improvisation: hold a D minor chord in the left hand, play only white keys from D in the right, and you are playing D Dorian. Swap the chord to G7 and the same white keys become G Mixolydian. More on how modes, intervals and chords fit together is in the music theory reference, and blank staff paper is the fastest way to memorize a scale — write it out from memory, then check it against the chart.
Make this chart last
Printed on 65 lb cardstock and laminated, a scale chart survives a year on the music stand. Our guide to the best printing supplies for charts and worksheets covers the cardstock, ink, laminating pouches, and sheet protectors worth buying.
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- Beginner method
Alfred's Basic Piano Library: Lesson Book Level 1A
The method book most teachers start a first-year student on. It introduces the five-finger position and the C, G and F patterns on this chart in the order they get easiest, so the diagrams here have something to practice against.
- Kid-friendly method
Faber Piano Adventures Level 1 Lesson Book
The other standard beginner series, with more pictures and shorter pieces than Alfred's — the better pick for a younger child. Scales arrive alongside pieces that actually use them.
- Scale technique
Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises
Part 3 runs every major and minor scale and arpeggio with the standard fingerings, which is exactly what the finger numbers on this chart are drilling. Cheap, and it stays useful for years.
- Starter keyboard
Yamaha PSR-E373 61-Key Portable Keyboard
Touch-sensitive keys, which matters more for a beginner than key count — 61 keys covers every scale on this chart with room to spare. Move to 88 weighted keys once a student is playing two-hand pieces.
Related Templates
FAQ
What is the best order to learn piano scales?
Start with C Major (all white keys), then G and F Major (one sharp/flat each). Progress to D, Bb, A, and Eb. Learn relative minors alongside each major scale. This builds technique gradually while introducing sharps and flats one at a time.
What are the correct finger numbers for piano scales?
Piano fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) through 5 (pinky). Most major scales use the pattern 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5 for the right hand ascending. The thumb tucks under after finger 3 to continue the scale smoothly. Left hand patterns are mirrored.
What is the difference between pentatonic and blues scales?
The pentatonic scale has 5 notes (removing the 4th and 7th from a major scale). The blues scale adds one chromatic 'blue note' to the minor pentatonic (flat 5th). Blues scales are essential for improvisation in jazz, blues, and rock.
What are the modes of the major scale?
The seven modes are Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. Each one is the major scale started from a different degree, so all seven are playable on the white keys alone: D to D is Dorian, F to F is Lydian, G to G is Mixolydian. Ionian is the major scale and Aeolian is the natural minor.
What is the difference between Dorian and Mixolydian?
Dorian is a minor mode and Mixolydian is a major one. Dorian is a natural minor scale with a raised 6th (1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7), which is why it sounds brighter than plain minor. Mixolydian is a major scale with a flat 7th (1 2 3 4 5 6 b7), the sound behind most blues and rock riffs. Play white keys from D for Dorian and from G for Mixolydian to hear the difference.
How do piano scales relate to key signatures?
A key signature is shorthand for the sharps or flats a scale needs. G major has one sharp (F#), D major has two (F# and C#), and so on around the circle of fifths — each new key adds one sharp or removes one flat. Every major scale also shares its key signature with a natural minor scale a minor third below, which is why A minor uses no sharps or flats like C major.