Learn how to play 12 essential scales on your keyboard

Scale new heights.
Scale new heights. (Image credit: Mint Images/REX/Shutterstock)

We've shown you how to play a dozen common chords on your keyboard, and now it's time to turn our attention to scales.

Check out the diagrams below to see a range of essential scales mapped out on a keyboard, along with interval info so that you can transpose each scale to the key of your choosing.

1. Major (aka Ionian mode)

2. Natural minor (aka Aeolian mode)

3. Harmonic minor

4. Melodic minor

5. Pentatonic minor

6. Blues scale

7. Dorian mode

8. Phrygian mode

9. Lydian mode

10. Mixolydian mode

11. Locrian mode

12. Phrygian Dominant

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