Music Theory Illustrated: Color and Metaphor

Pitches
Cool Warm

Cycles

Scales and Keys

Parent Scale: C Major Parent Scale: C Major
D Dorian E Phrygian D Lydian

C C# D D# E E# F# G G# A A# B

The Circle of Fifths

C
C# C G

G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian

& =
0 Sharps Relative Minor: A Minor

D Dorian E Phrygian D Lydian G Mixolydian A Aeolian B Locrian

& =
0 Sharps Relative Minor: A Minor

Db

F# B E A

Parent Scale: G Major

D
A Dorian B Phrygian C Lydian D Mixolydian

& =
1 Sharp Relative Minor: E Minor

Parent Scale: F Major

G Dorian A Phrygian Bb Lydian C Mixolydian D Aeolian E Locrian

=
1 Flat Relative Minor: D Minor

b &

Eb Fb
The Circle of Fourths

E Aeolian F# Locrian

Parent Scale: D Major

Parent Scale: B Major

F Gb

b bbb b b bb bb b

b bbb b bb
Gb Db

E Dorian F# Phrygian G Lydian

& =
2 Sharps Relative Minor: B Minor C# Locrian

C Dorian D Phrygian Eb Lydian F Mixolydian G Aeolian A Locrian

=
2 Flats Relative Minor: G Minor

b &

Cb

C F Bb

b bb
B Dorian

A Mixolydian B Aeolian

Parent Scale: A Major

Ab

Ab

b bbb

Eb

b bb

C# Phrygian D Lydian E Mixolydian F# Aeolian G# Locrian

& =
3 Sharps Relative Minor: F# Minor

Parent Scale: E Major

F Dorian G Phrygian Ab Lydian Bb Mixolydian C Aeolian D Locrian

=
3 Flats Relative Minor: C Minor

bb &

Parent Scale: E Major

Bb Cb

F# Dorian G# Phrygian A Lydian B Mixolydian C# Aeolian D# Locrian

& =
4 Sharps Relative Minor: C# Minor

Parent Scale: A Major

Bb Dorian C Phrygian Db Lydian Eb Mixolydian F Aeolian G Locrian

=
4 Flats Relative Minor: F Minor

bb bb &

Symmetries
Chromatic Scale
All 12 notes of the chromatic scale C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B

Parent Scale: B Major

C# Dorian D# Phrygian E Lydian F# Mixolydian G# Aeolian

Bb

& =
5 Sharps Relative Minor: G# Minor

Parent Scale: D Major

Eb Dorian F Phrygian Gb Lydian Ab Mixolydian Bb Aeolian C Locrian

=
5 Flats Relative Minor: Bb Minor

bb bbb &

Diminished Scale 1
The chromatic scale, beginning on C, divided in groups of alternating whole and half steps. C C# D# E F# G A

A# Locrian

Diminished Scale 2
The chromatic scale, beginning on C#, divided in groups of alternating whole and half steps. C# D E F G Ab Bb Cb

Parent Scale: F# Major

G# Dorian A# Phrygian B Lydian C# Mixolydian D# Aeolian E# Locrian

Whole Tone Scale 1

The chromatic scale, beginning on C, comprised of all whole steps. C D E F# G# A#

& =
6 Sharps Relative Minor: D# Minor

Parent Scale: G Major

Ab Dorian Bb Phrygian Cb Lydian Db Mixolydian Eb Aeolian F Locrian

bbb bbb =

&

6 Flats Relative Minor: Eb Minor

Whole Tone Scale 2

The chromatic scale, beginning on C#, comprised of all whole steps. Db Eb F G A B

Tri-tones
C C# D D# E F
1 step

An interval spanning the distance of 3 whole tones. There are 6 groups of non-repeating tri-tones, one-half of the chromatic scale. D
1 step

Parent Scale: C# Major

C C# D D# E

1 step

F# G G# A Bb B

D# Dorian E# Phrygian F# Lydian G# Mixolydian

& =
7 Sharps Relative Minor: A# Minor

Parent Scale: C Major

Db Dorian Eb Phrygian Fb Lydian Gb Mixolydian Ab Aeolian Bb Locrian

bbb bbb & b =

7 Flats Relative Minor: Ab Minor

A# Aeolian B# Locrian

Copyright 2008, Lee Barry. All rights reserved.