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What are the most common musical scales?

C, F and G and their relative minors....
rada

"Most common" scales? I'm not sure what you mean by the question.

Anyone practicing/playing scales per se would eventually play all major and minor scales. If you are referring to key signatures, while it is true that the Baroque and Classical eras - because of tuning practices at the time - did not go much beyond signatures with four sharps or four flats, by the time one gets into the Romantic era, all key signatures were used and have been ever since.

You need to clarify what you mean by "most common scales."

Regards,

I mean the "types" of scales, not the pitch names of the scales. Take for example, minor and major.

Common in what way, then (i.e., how employed)? And do you mean intact and unmodified scales or fragments?

As complete scales aren't typically found in repertoire, doesn't the question come down to whether major keys or minor keys are more prevalent (at least as regards classical music)?

Steven

The ones I learned in (written) music theory were:
major, the three minors (natural, harmonic, melodic), chromatic, pentatonic, blues, octatonic (also known as diminished), whole tone, and all the modes except for Locrian which I understand is seldom used.

For what purpose, noSkillz?

I would say that the majority of works commonly performed are in keys with 4 accidentals or less.

For example of the 32 Beethoven sonatas, only 1 is in a key with more than 4 accidentals (Op. 78, in F# Major.) A few have movements in remote keys, but 4 accidentals can pretty much get you through a great deal of literature.

That being said, it makes sense to practice scales in all keys, if for no other reason than the keys with more than 4 accidentals (B Major, F# Major, and Db Major) are rather easy to play and use almost identical fingerings.

Oh, and if we're talking about quality, then I'd say Major and the three minors.

If you're looking at being a decent jazz player, then add to the list blues scales, dorian and mixolydian scales, and diminished scales.

True to his name, noSkillz digs deep to proffer two scales ... major and minor ... but after hitting him with an academic grand piano from 6 floors up with ...

"The ones I learned in (written) music theory were:

major,
the three minors (natural, harmonic, melodic),
chromatic,
pentatonic,
blues,
octatonic (also known as diminished),
whole tone, and
all the modes (except for Locrian which I understand is seldom used)."

keystring (with respect) then blithely asks the discombobulated beginner:

"For what purpose, noSkillz?"

Surely the novice deserves a practical response ...
for beginners there are only two keys ... major and the harmonic minor ... get these right in the "smaller" keys (not more than 4 sharps or flats, as suggested by the motley) ... and the path is open to playing the vast majority of masterpieces.

Try to duck flying grand pianos noSkillz.

NoSkillz stated specifically that he knows about major and minor scales, and wants to know about the other types of scales. I was in the situation myself not that long ago, when I knew even less. Some of us need a big picture in order to be oriented, before settling down to the little things again. While carefulness not to overwhelm is important, it is frustrating to have things doled out in little bits and pieces. I did not find it helpful myself. And *of course* our first questions reveal how little we know! How can it be otherwise! Most of us are scrambling to catch up.


This question was asked of me, equally discombobulated, and it was one of the most helpful things I had ever been asked.

On my list of "scales to learn" are...

I IONIAN (major)
VI AEOLIAN (minor)
Blues Scale
Harmonic Minor
Melodic Minor
Minor Pentatonic
Harmonic Major
Melodic Major
Major Pentatonic
Bebop Dominant ascending/descending
V MIXOLYDIAN (Dominant)
Whole Tone scale/s
II DORIAN
Chromatic Scale
IV LYDIAN
III PHYRIGIAN
VI LOCRIAN

... that's good enough for now, I believe. If I can learn all those and be fluent with them and the circle of fifths, I believe any missing scales can be instantly learned.

I wouldn't have responded to this 3-year old thread that RustyFortysome has inexplicably revived, given that the OP has not posted here in over a year, except for the fact that, among other things, RF is currently working on "Suffocation" by Chopin? What? by whom?!?

I think that's one of those stupid nicknames.

Probably for a Prelude, probably the A minor (#2) -- I think it was mentioned on this site, along with a bunch of others which I fortunately don't remember.