♪ Musical Scales Guide

This guide introduces you to musical scale recognition by ear. You will learn what a scale is, the structural differences between the various scales in the exercise, how the interface works, and practical strategies to train your ear.

1. What is a scale?

A musical scale is an ordered sequence of notes (called degrees) within an octave. The interval sequence (expressed in tones and semitones) determines the character or "colour" of the scale, influencing the style and emotion of the melody built upon it.

Every scale starts on a fundamental note (the root note) and develops upwards (ascending scale) or downwards (descending scale). For example, the Major scale has a fixed sequence of intervals: 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1 semitones (Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Whole - Half).

📌 Root Note This is the scale's gravitational center, the note that provides resolution. In the exercise, the root note is highlighted in yellow on the piano keyboard and the staff at the start of each turn.

2. Table of scales by level

All scales used in the exercise, structured by difficulty level with their semitone interval sequence and sonic character.

Level 1 — Basic (the two fundamental scales)

Scale	Intervals (semitones)	Sonic character
Major	2-2-1-2-2-2-1	Bright, joyful, stable, classical.
Natural Minor	2-1-2-2-1-2-2	Melancholic, dark, nostalgic. (Aeolian mode).

Level 2 — Easy (harmonic and melodic minor scales)

Scale	Intervals (semitones)	Sonic character
Harmonic Minor	2-1-2-2-1-3-1	Middle Eastern or Baroque flavour, strong final tension (leading tone).
Melodic Minor	2-1-2-2-2-2-1	Bright ascending (resolves upwards); descends like a natural minor.

Level 3 — Medium (Gregorian/Diatonic Modes)

Scale	Intervals (semitones)	Sonic character
Dorian	2-1-2-2-2-1-2	Minor but with a bright note (major sixth), common in jazz and Celtic music.
Phrygian	1-2-2-2-1-2-2	Very dark, Spanish/flamenco-like, characterized by the minor second.
Lydian	2-2-2-1-2-2-1	Dreamy major, ethereal, sci-fi flavour (augmented fourth).
Mixolydian	2-2-1-2-2-1-2	Major but more relaxed, typical of blues/rock (minor seventh).
Aeolian	2-1-2-2-1-2-2	Identical to the Natural Minor scale.
Locrian	1-2-2-1-2-2-2	Unstable and tense, features a diminished fifth. Very rare mode.

Level 4 — Expert

Scale	Intervals (semitones)	Sonic character
Major Pentatonic	2-2-3-2-3	5-note scale. Open, pop/folk, Asian flavor, no half steps.
Blues	3-2-1-1-3-2	Standard jazz/blues scale, includes the chromatic "blue note".
Diminished	2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1	8-note scale, symmetric (tone-semitone), cinematic/suspense flavor.

Level 5 — Advanced

Scale	Intervals (semitones)	Sonic character
Augmented	3-1-3-1-3-1	Symmetric, mysterious, dreamy. Splits the octave in minor thirds.
Altered	1-2-1-2-2-2-2	Modern jazz scale. High tension, features all possible alterations.

3. How the exercise works

The system proposes a randomly generated scale starting from a root note. You can guess the scale via the grid or play the notes on the virtual/physical keyboard.

Interface Elements

▶ Play Button

Plays the current scale. If you have already answered correctly, pressing it generates a new question.

⇅ Direction (Ascending / Descending / Both)

Choose how the scale is played: only upwards, only downwards, or both directions in a row.
Note: For the melodic minor scale (which ascends differently than it descends), the descending mode is disabled to prevent ambiguity.

🎹 Piano Keyboard (Active Recognition)

The root note is highlighted in **yellow**. You can answer by playing the consecutive notes of the scale: - Correct keys turn **green**. - Incorrect keys turn **red**. If you press all correct notes of the scale without making any mistakes, the exercise ends successfully and the point is awarded.

■ Scale Grid

Shows the active scales for the chosen difficulty level. Click the corresponding button to guess. If you guess right on the first try, you get the point. Afterwards, you can click on other buttons to play and compare other scales starting on the same root note.

4. MIDI Input (Physical Keyboard)

You can connect a real **USB MIDI keyboard** to your computer to perform the exercises naturally.

The MIDI input is always active (no configuration needed). It supports hot-plugging: you can plug in the USB cable before or after opening the browser.
Exact octave matching: you must play the notes in the exact octave shown on the screen. If the displayed root is C4 (60), you must start playing from the middle C of your physical keyboard. Notes played in different octaves will be ignored.
All notes pressed on the physical keyboard are immediately reflected on the virtual keyboard on screen, turning green (if correct) or red (if wrong).

5. Ear Training Tips

Listening to key degrees

Many modes and scales differ by just one note compared to the major or natural minor scale. Pay attention to these telltale degrees:

If you hear a major scale but it sounds slightly "strange" or "spacey", listen to the 4th degree: if raised, it's a **Lydian**. If it has a blues/rock vibe on the end instead, check the 7th degree: if lowered, it's a **Mixolydian**.
If you listen to a minor scale, check the 6th degree: if it sounds higher (more open) than usual, it's a **Dorian**. If the beginning immediately feels dark (lowered 2nd degree), it's a **Phrygian**.

Melodic Minor Scale

Remember that the melodic minor scale is asymmetrical: it ascends with a raised 6th and 7th degree (closer to a major scale with a minor third) and descends like a natural minor. In the exercise, if you select ascending or both directions, you must play the ascending version on the keyboard to complete the exercise.