What Are the 12 Notes of the Chromatic Scale?

Written by

Kara Rogers

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Britannica Editors

History

Much of Western music is built from the same set of 12 notes known as the chromatic scale. These notes—represented by C, C♯, D, D♯, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A, A♯, and B—provide the raw material for melodies, harmonies, and scales in genres ranging from Classical music to jazz and rock. Western music has used the 12 notes of the chromatic scale for centuries. Historically, composers typically organized them around a central note or...