Chromatic Scale

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The chromatic scale is the full collection of note- or pitch-classes used in contemporary European-based music, as well as American music. The scale consists of a series of twelve half-steps, the totality of which span one octave.

Seven of these pitches are the natural notes which form the C major scale. Five of these pitches are located between natural notes, and are refered to according to which key is adjacent, and in which direction. If the note is one half-step higher than C, it is refered to as C sharp or raised. This same pitch is also a half-step below D, and can be refered to as D flat or lowered. This dynamic naming is refered to as enharmonic spelling.

This is easily seen in the pattern of the piano keyboard:

A complete list of enharmonic spellings includes the adjacent natural notes B / C and E / F.

Chromatic pitches can also be named as double-sharps () and double-flats (). The pitches D, G and A can only be renamed as double-sharps or double-flats.

The chromatic scale yields twelve tonal centers, one for each pitch. In this light, it is easily understood that for each kind or quality of chord or scale there are twelve transpositions. In other words, there are 12 major triads, 12 major [Ionian] scales, and so on, one based on each note in the chromatic scale. This provides us with a measurable set of limits for the tools of contemporary American music.

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