Chromatic Scale

The chromatic scale is a scale of 12 notes – all 12 notes in an octave.

The distance between every two notes of the chromatic scale is a half step (i.e., the next note on a piano keyboard).

The name of the scale, chromatic, comes from the word chroma, meaning color. The chromatic scale contains all the colors of the notes possible within an octave.

The ascending chromatic scale is usually written with sharps (to show the raising of the pitches) and with flats when descending (to indicate the pitches are lowered).

The chromatic scale is a symmetrical scale. The chromatic scale divides the octave into a number of equal parts. This scale can start on any note and the intervals contained in it are always the same – all half steps. Therefore, there is only one chromatic scale.

Student Exercises

1. Play the chromatic scale on your instrument. Start on different notes of the scale to be aware of the symmetry of the scale.

2. Improvise using the notes of the chromatic scale.