Major Scale Types Compared: Mixolydian, Harmonic, Melodic

Besides the natural major scale, three variants are taught as "types" of major scale: Mixolydian, harmonic major and melodic major. All three start from the natural major scale and differ from it in only one or two degrees. (Spanish conservatory teaching calls the last two mixta principal and mixta secundaria, "main" and "secondary" mixed major scales.) Being able to tell them apart at a glance is essential for scale exercises and for modal harmony. The natural major scale is the reference, and the others are changes to it.

Comparison table

Type	Altered degrees	Example on C	Other names
Natural major	None	C D E F G A B	Ionian mode
Mixolydian	7th lowered a half step (♭7)	C D E F G A B♭	Mixolydian mode, major with ♭7, "dominant scale"
Harmonic major	6th lowered a half step (♭6)	C D E F G A♭ B	Ionian ♭6; Spanish "mixta principal"
Melodic major	6th and 7th lowered a half step (♭6, ♭7)	C D E F G A♭ B♭	Mixolydian ♭6, Aeolian dominant; Spanish "mixta secundaria"

Interval patterns (W = whole step, H = half step, A2 = augmented second)

Type	1–2	2–3	3–4	4–5	5–6	6–7	7–8
Natural major	W	W	H	W	W	W	H
Mixolydian	W	W	H	W	W	H	W
Harmonic major	W	W	H	W	H	A2	H
Melodic major	W	W	H	W	H	W	W

Harmonic major has an augmented second (3 half steps) between the 6th and 7th degrees, because only the sixth is lowered. This gives it an exotic sound similar to the harmonic minor scale. Melodic major avoids that leap by lowering the seventh as well. Its upper half (G A♭ B♭ C in C) is the same as the upper half of C natural minor and of descending C melodic minor, while its lower half (C D E F) is major. In other words, it is the mirror image of ascending melodic minor, which has a minor lower half and a major upper half.

Each type has its own page with a table of all 15 keys: Mixolydian scales and harmonic major scales.

The examples below show the staff for the 4 types (natural major, Mixolydian, harmonic major and melodic major) in every major key. The changed notes are marked in red.

Every major key in its 4 types

C major

C Mixolydian, with the accidentals written next to each note: C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: B♭.

C harmonic major, with the accidentals written next to each note: C, D, E, F, G, A♭, B, C. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: A♭.

C melodic major, with the accidentals written next to each note: C, D, E, F, G, A♭, B♭, C. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: A♭, B♭.

G major

G Mixolydian with a key signature of 1 sharp: G, A, B, C, D, E, F♮, G. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: F♮.

G harmonic major with a key signature of 1 sharp: G, A, B, C, D, E♭, F♯, G. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: E♭.

G melodic major with a key signature of 1 sharp: G, A, B, C, D, E♭, F♮, G. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: E♭, F♮.

D major

D Mixolydian with a key signature of 2 sharps: D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♮, D. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: C♮.

D harmonic major with a key signature of 2 sharps: D, E, F♯, G, A, B♭, C♯, D. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: B♭.

D melodic major with a key signature of 2 sharps: D, E, F♯, G, A, B♭, C♮, D. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: B♭, C♮.

A major

A Mixolydian with a key signature of 3 sharps: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♮, A. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: G♮.

A harmonic major with a key signature of 3 sharps: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♮, G♯, A. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: F♮.

A melodic major with a key signature of 3 sharps: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♮, G♮, A. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: F♮, G♮.

E major

E Mixolydian with a key signature of 4 sharps: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♮, E. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: D♮.

E harmonic major with a key signature of 4 sharps: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♮, D♯, E. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: C♮.

E melodic major with a key signature of 4 sharps: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♮, D♮, E. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: C♮, D♮.

B major

B Mixolydian with a key signature of 5 sharps: B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♮, B. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: A♮.

B harmonic major with a key signature of 5 sharps: B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♮, A♯, B. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: G♮.

B melodic major with a key signature of 5 sharps: B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♮, A♮, B. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: G♮, A♮.

F♯ major

F♯ Mixolydian with a key signature of 6 sharps: F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E♮, F♯. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: E♮.

C♯ major

C♯ Mixolydian with a key signature of 7 sharps: C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♮, C♯. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: B♮.

C♯ harmonic major with a key signature of 7 sharps: C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♮, B♯, C♯. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: A♮.

C♯ melodic major with a key signature of 7 sharps: C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♮, B♮, C♯. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: A♮, B♮.

F major

F Mixolydian with a key signature of 1 flat: F, G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: E♭.

F harmonic major with a key signature of 1 flat: F, G, A, B♭, C, D♭, E, F. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: D♭.

F melodic major with a key signature of 1 flat: F, G, A, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: D♭, E♭.

B♭ major

B♭ Mixolydian with a key signature of 2 flats: B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: A♭.

B♭ harmonic major with a key signature of 2 flats: B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G♭, A, B♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: G♭.

B♭ melodic major with a key signature of 2 flats: B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: G♭, A♭.

E♭ major

E♭ Mixolydian with a key signature of 3 flats: E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: D♭.

E♭ harmonic major with a key signature of 3 flats: E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C♭, D, E♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: C♭.

E♭ melodic major with a key signature of 3 flats: E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: C♭, D♭.

A♭ major

A♭ Mixolydian with a key signature of 4 flats: A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: G♭.

A♭ harmonic major with a key signature of 4 flats: A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F♭, G, A♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: F♭.

A♭ melodic major with a key signature of 4 flats: A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: F♭, G♭.

D♭ major

D♭ Mixolydian with a key signature of 5 flats: D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: C♭.

D♭ harmonic major with a key signature of 5 flats: D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B double flat, C, D♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: B double flat.

D♭ melodic major with a key signature of 5 flats: D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B double flat, C♭, D♭. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: B double flat, C♭.

G♭ major

G♭ Mixolydian with a key signature of 6 flats: G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: F♭.

C♭ major

C♭ Mixolydian with a key signature of 7 flats: C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B double flat, C♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: B double flat.

C♭ harmonic major with a key signature of 7 flats: C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A double flat, B♭, C♭. In red, the note that changes from the natural major scale: A double flat.

C♭ melodic major with a key signature of 7 flats: C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A double flat, B double flat, C♭. In red, the notes that change from the natural major scale: A double flat, B double flat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why compare the types of major scales?

Comparing the four types lets you see which notes change from one to the next. The natural major scale is the reference: Mixolydian lowers the 7th degree, harmonic major lowers the 6th, and melodic major lowers both the 6th and the 7th.

How many types of major scale are there?

Four are usually studied together: the natural major scale, the Mixolydian scale, the harmonic major scale and the melodic major scale. Many more scales can be derived from the major scale, but these differ from it by only one or two degrees.

What is the difference between harmonic major and melodic major?

Harmonic major lowers only the sixth degree, while melodic major lowers both the sixth and the seventh. Both are built from the natural major scale. Harmonic major keeps the leading tone and has an augmented second; melodic major has no leading tone and no augmented second.

What music uses the Mixolydian scale?

The Mixolydian scale is very common in jazz, blues, rock and folk music, including Celtic folk. Lowering the seventh degree adds a characteristic tension without losing the major character. It is often used over dominant seventh chords: C Mixolydian fits a C7 chord.

How is the melodic major scale built?

Lower the sixth and seventh degrees of the natural major scale by a half step. For example, C melodic major is C-D-E-F-G-A♭-B♭. Its lower half is major and its upper half is minor, and it is the fifth mode of the F melodic minor scale. In jazz it is also called the Mixolydian ♭6 or Aeolian dominant scale.