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Scale Computer de Groot

By the way, you need to enable editing to be able to select a new starting note.

Type your desired starting note (F, Ab, B, C#, E, whatever) in the BLUE square and the scale computer will generate all the info for the diatonic, melodic minor, harmonic minor, harmonic major, diminished,whole tone and pentatonics scales in that key.
 
LATEST REVISION (REV #) attached. Error in 5 degree of Super Locran scale fixed.

Special thanks to Steve CS who reviewed the spreadsheet and caught an error. He also pointed out the enharmonics (i.e F# vs Gb) were not always correct which is true. Sorry, I cant do enharmonic checking due to the additional programming complexity.
 

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Lot of work, thanks for posting.

About 3 hours worth. The programming was easy, it took about an hour to type it all in. Figuring out the correct modes and their names took 2 hours.

I am proud because now I have all the scales in one spot. Helps me see the forest for the trees.

Does everyone need this tool? No.

Most bass players could get by very comfortably by learning just the diatonic, and pentatonic scales. If you play jazz, you probably need to know all the symmetric scales plus the Melodic Minor. The harmonic scales are exotic sounding, but I dont use any except the first degree of the major and minor plus the Phrygian #3 (Freygish).
 
BTW, This may be easier for some (like me)


1 Ionian 1 3 5 6 8 10 12
2 Dorian 1 3 4 6 8 10 11
3 Phyrg 1 2 4 6 8 9 11
4 Lydian 1 3 5 7 8 10 12
5 Mixoly 1 3 5 6 8 10 11
6 Aeolian 1 3 4 6 8 9 11
7 Locrian 1 2 4 6 7 9 11

This is absolutely lovely
Would be great to see this accompanying a visualization of the fretboard (5 string standard tuning perhaps) so that the various patterns for these different scales (notated in integer notation) might be more easily conceived.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Put together last night after too much coffee. You Like?
Nice job. I believe it may useful to lots of people.

Here is one remark, though.
I noticed that you do not adhere to the principle of spelling heptatonic scales (such as the major, melodic minor, harmonic minor, harmonic major scale, and their modes) with using all 7 name letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G once, equiped with the appropriate alteration #, b, x (double sharp), bb where needed. Instead you are using an enharmonic spelling for some notes of the scale, resulting in some scales that have 2 "F"s and no "G" for example.

While your motivation for using enharmonic spelling is quite clear (typically avoid writing E#, Cb or Abb, because some people find it easier to read F, B and G instead), I find that this practice has the inconvenient of making the harmonic role the various scale degrees quite obscure, and makes transposition to a different key quite awkward.

For example: if C major is C, D, E, F, G, A, B it makes more much sense (to me) to write that C# major as C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B#, instead C#, D#, F , F#, G#, Bb, C as you propose. While it is immediately obvious (to me) that (in C# major) the 3rd of the I chord (C# major) is E#, that A# is the 3rd of the IV chord (F# major) and B# the leading tone of the scale, using F, Bb, and C, respectively, as you propose, makes my brain melt and my ears bleed.(*)

I understand that these things are essentially a matter of personal preferences, and that every one needs to use what works for themselves; but it would be good to inform users of your program of the choices you have made in this respect, and (maybe) to offer as an option the "rigorous" spelling.

(*)I get the same kind of ear bleeding when playing an F blues, and the guitar player calls the IV chord "A#"!!
(actually, guitar players would most likely put a capo on fret 1 to play an F blues, and then call the IV chor "A"!)
 
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