Flute major and minor scales are two of the most common scales used in Western flute music. A scale is a series of notes played in a particular order that give a sense of pitch and harmony.
The flute major scale is made up of seven notes and is often associated with a bright and cheerful sound. The notes in a major scale are usually labeled using the letters A through G. For example, the C major scale consists of the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.
The flute minor scale, on the other hand, is often associated with a sad or melancholic sound. There are several different types of minor scales, including natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. The natural minor scale is made up of the same notes as its relative major scale (i.e., the major scale that starts on the same note), but with a different starting point.
List of all flute major and minor scales and their notes
Flute major scales
- C Major (natural)
- G Major (one sharp) – also known as “G major with one sharp”
- D Major (two sharps) – also known as “D major with two sharps”
- A Major (three sharps) – also known as “A major with three sharps”
- E Major (four sharps) – also known as “E major with four sharps”
- B Major (five sharps) – also known as “B major with five sharps”
- F# Major (six sharps) – also known as “F sharp major with six sharps”
- C# Major (seven sharps) – also known as “C sharp major with seven sharps”
- F Major (one flat) – also known as “F major with one flat”
- Bb Major (two flats) – also known as “B flat major with two flats”
- Eb Major (three flats) – also known as “E flat major with three flats”
- Ab Major (four flats) – also known as “A flat major with four flats”
- Db Major (five flats) – also known as “D flat major with five flats”
- Gb Major (six flats) – also known as “G flat major with six flats”
- Cb Major (seven flats) – also known as “C flat major with seven flats”
Flute minor scales
- A minor scale
- D minor scale
- G minor scale
- C minor scale
- F minor scale
- B-flat (Bb) minor scale
- E-flat (Eb) minor scale
- A-flat (Ab) minor scale
- A-sharp (A#) minor scale
- D-sharp (D#) minor scale
- G-sharp (G#) minor scale
- C-sharp (C#) minor scale
- F-sharp (F#) minor scale
- B minor scale
- E minor scale
Flute Major scales
C Major Scale
C Major scale is the simplest and most common major scale. It has no sharps or flats, and its sequence of notes is C D E F G A B C. To play the C Major scale on the flute, use the chart below:
G Major Scale
G Major is another common major scale. It has one sharp, which is F#, and its sequence of notes is: G A B C D E F# G. To play the G Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
D Major Scale
D Major is a slightly more advanced major scale. It has two sharps, which are F# and C#, and its sequence of notes is: D E F# G A B C# D. To play the D Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
A Major Scale
A Major is another challenging major scale. It has three sharps, which are F#, C#, and G#, and its sequence of notes is: A B C# D E F# G# A. To play the A Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
E Major Scale
E Major is a challenging major scale that has four sharps, which are F#, C#, G#, and D#. Its sequence of notes is: E F# G# A B C# D# E. To play the E Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
B Major Scale
B Major is a challenging major scale that has five sharps, which are F#, C#, G#, D# and A#. Its sequence of notes is: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B. To play the B Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
F# Major Scale
F# major scale has six sharps, which are F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, and E#. Its sequence of notes is: F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E#, F#. To play the F# Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
C# Major Scale
C# Major scale has seven sharps, which are F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, and B#. Its sequence of notes is: C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B#, C#. To play the C# Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
F Major Scale
F Major is a challenging major scale that has one flat, which is Bb. Its sequence of notes is: F G A Bb C D E F. To play the F Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
B-flat (Bb) Major Scale
Bb Major is a challenging major scale that has two flats, which are Bb and Eb. Its sequence of notes is: Bb C D Eb F G A Bb. To play the Bb Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
E-flat (Eb) Major Scale
Eb Major is a challenging major scale that has three flats, which are Bb, Eb, and Ab. Its sequence of notes is: Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb. To play the Eb Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
A-flat (Ab) Major Scale
Ab Major is a challenging major scale that has four flats, which are Bb, Eb, Ab, and Db. Its sequence of notes is: Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab. To play the Ab Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
D-flat (Db) Major Scale
Db Major is a challenging major scale that has five flats, which are Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, and Gb. Its sequence of notes is: Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db. To play the Db Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
G-flat (Gb) Major Scale
Gb Major is a challenging major scale that has six flats, which are Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, and Cb. Its sequence of notes is: Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb. To play the Gb Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
C-flat (Cb) Major Scale
Cb Major is a challenging major scale that has seven flats, which are Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, and Fb. Its sequence of notes is: Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Bb Cb. To play the Cb Major scale on the flute, follow these charts below:
Flute minor scales
A minor scale
A minor scale on flute has its tonic on A natural. It also has the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The key signature of this scale has no flats and no sharps. The A minor scale is relative to C major scale, parallel to the A major scale, dominant to the E minor scale, and subdominant to the D minor scale.
D minor scale
D minor scale on flute has its tonic on D natural, and it also has the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B-flat, and C. The key signature of this scale has one flat, which is B-flat. The D minor scale is relative to F major scale, parallel to the D major scale, dominant to the A minor scale, and subdominant to the G minor scale.
G minor scale
G minor scale on flute has its tonic on G natural and has the pitches G, A, B-flat, C, D, E-flat, and F. The key signature of this scale has two flats, B-flat and E-flat. The G minor scale is relative to B-flat major scale, parallel to the G major scale, dominant to the D minor scale, and subdominant to the C minor scale.
C minor scale
C minor scale on flute has its tonic on C natural. It also has the pitches C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, and B♭. The key signature of this scale has three flats – B♭, E♭, and A♭. The C minor scale is relative to the E♭ major scale, parallel to the C major scale, dominant to the G minor scale, and subdominant to the F minor scale.
F minor scale
F minor scale on flute has its tonic on F natural. It also has the pitches F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, and E♭. The key signature of this scale has four flats. The F minor scale is relative to A♭ major scale, parallel to the F major scale, dominant to the C minor scale, and subdominant to the B♭ minor scale.
B-flat (Bb) minor scale
B-flat minor scale on flute has its tonic on B-flat natural. It also has the pitches B-flat, C, D-flat, E-flat, F, G-flat, and G. The key signature of this scale has five flats, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat, and G-flat. The B-flat minor scale is relative to D-flat major scale, parallel to the B-flat major scale, dominant to the F minor scale, and subdominant to the E-flat minor scale.
E-flat (Eb) minor scale
E-flat minor scale on flute has its tonic on E-flat. It also has the pitches E-flat, F, G-flat, A-flat, B-flat, B, C-flat, and D-flat. The key signature of this scale has six flats. The E-flat minor scale is relative to the G-flat major scale, parallel to the E-flat major scale, dominant to the B-flat minor scale, and subdominant to the A-flat minor scale.
A-flat (Ab) minor scale
A-flat (Ab) minor scale on flute has its tonic on A-flat natural. It also has the pitches A-flat, B-flat, C-flat, D-flat, E-flat, F-flat, and G-flat. The key signature of this scale has seven flats. The A-flat minor scale is relative to C-flat major scale, parallel to the A-flat major scale, dominant to the E-flat minor scale, and subdominant to the D-flat minor scale.
A-sharp (A#) minor scale
A-sharp (A#) minor scale on flute has its tonic on A-sharp. It also has the pitches A-sharp, B-sharp, C-sharp, D-sharp, E-sharp, F-sharp, and G-sharp. The key signature of this scale has seven sharps. The A-sharp minor scale is relative to C-sharp major scale, parallel to the A-sharp major scale which is enharmonic to B-flat major scale, dominant to the E-sharp minor scale which is enharmonic to F minor, and subdominant to the D-sharp minor scale.
D-sharp (D#) minor scale
D-sharp (D#) minor scale on flute has its tonic on D-sharp. It also has the pitches D-sharp, E-sharp, F-sharp, G-sharp, A-sharp, B, and C-sharp. The key signature of this scale has six sharps. The D-sharp minor scale is relative to F-sharp major scale, parallel to the D-sharp major scale which is enharmonic to E-flat major scale, dominant to the A-sharp minor scale, and subdominant to the C-sharp minor scale.
G-sharp (G#) minor scale
G-sharp (G#) minor scale on flute has its tonic on the G-sharp. It also has the pitches G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, and F#. The key signature of this scale has five sharps. The G-sharp minor scale is relative to B major scale, parallel to the G-sharp major scale which is enharmonic to A-flat major scale, dominant to the D-sharp minor scale, and subdominant to the C-sharp minor scale.
C-sharp (C#) minor scale
C-sharp (C#) minor scale on flute has its tonic on C-sharp. It also has the pitches C-sharp, D-sharp, E, F-sharp, G-sharp, A, and B. The key signature of this scale has four sharps. The C-sharp minor scale is relative to E major scale, parallel to the C-sharp major scale, dominant to the G-sharp minor scale, and subdominant to the F-sharp minor scale.
F-sharp (F#) minor scale
F-sharp (F#) minor scale on flute has its tonic on F-sharp. It also has the pitches F-sharp, G-sharp, A, B, C-sharp, D, and E. The key signature of this scale has three sharps. The F-sharp minor scale is relative to A major scale, parallel to the F-sharp major scale, dominant to the C-sharp minor scale, and subdominant to the B minor scale.
B minor scale
B minor scale on flute has its tonic on B natural. It also has the pitches B, C#, D, E, F#, G, and A. The key signature of this scale has two sharps, F#, and C#. The B minor scale is relative to D major scale, parallel to the B major scale, dominant to the F# minor scale, and subdominant to the A major scale.
E minor scale
E minor scale on flute has its tonic on E natural. It also has the pitches E, F#, G, A, B, C, and D. The key signature of this scale has one sharp, F#. The E minor scale is relative to G major scale, parallel to the E major scale, dominant to the B minor scale, and subdominant to the A minor scale.
