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What Are the 12 Notes of the Chromatic Scale?
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Musical notation showing three scales: a chromatic scale with all semitones, a C major scale with no sharps or flats, and a C natural minor scale with three flats. Diagram of the circle of fifths showing major and minor key signatures arranged in a circle, with sharps and flats indicated, and musical notation for each key displayed around the edge.
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Musical notation showing three scales: a chromatic scale with all semitones, a C major scale with no sharps or flats, and a C natural minor scale with three flats.
Scales in music Examples of the chromatic, major, and minor scales.

What Are the 12 Notes of the Chromatic Scale?

Written by
Kara Rogers
Kara Rogers is the senior editor of biomedical sciences at EncyclopƦdia Britannica, where she oversees a range of content from medicine and genetics to microorganisms. She joined Britannica in 2006 and...
Kara Rogers
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

Much of Western music is built from the same set of 12 notes known as the chromatic scale. These notesā€”represented by C, Cā™Æ, D, Dā™Æ, E, F, Fā™Æ, G, Gā™Æ, A, Aā™Æ, and Bā€”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...

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