Scale DNA – Guide

Every scale has a unique set of intervals – its DNA. Learn to recognise these interval patterns and you'll understand any scale from the inside out, not just by memorising note positions.

What is Scale DNA?

A scale name appears on screen. Your job is to select the correct intervals that make up that scale from a grid of 15 options. It's a fast, focused way to internalise scale theory.

💡 Why 15 and not 12? Some intervals share the same pitch but have different musical meanings. For example, #4 (augmented 4th) and b5 (diminished 5th) are the same sound, but Lydian uses #4 (a raised 4th degree), while Locrian uses b5 (a lowered 5th). Choosing the correct name helps you understand how the scale is built.

How to Play

1 Choose a difficulty level at the top – Pentatonic, Modes, Minor Variants, or All.

2 A scale name appears – for example: Lydian.

3 Click the interval buttons that belong to that scale. For Lydian that would be: 2 3 #4 5 6 7 8

4 Press ✓ Check to see your result.

5 Press Next → for a new scale.

After Check

Each interval button changes colour to show your result:

Green – correctly selected (this interval is in the scale and you picked it)

Red – wrongly selected (this interval is NOT in the scale)

Pulsing green border – missed (this interval IS in the scale but you didn't pick it)

💡 Tip: Pay attention to the missed intervals – they show you exactly what you need to learn. Over time, the patterns stick.

Difficulty Levels

1 Pentatonic – Minor Pentatonic, Major Pentatonic, Blues, Major Blues. Start here – fewer intervals, easier to memorise.

2 Modes – Major, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Minor, Locrian. The core of Western music theory – 7 intervals each.

3 Minor Var. – Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor. Tricky because they differ from Natural Minor by just one or two intervals.

4 Exotic – Phrygian Dominant (the "Spanish/flamenco" sound), Double Harmonic Major (the "Byzantine/Arabic" sound). Distinctive colours that appear everywhere in metal and world music.

5 Symmetric – Whole Tone (dreamy, floating), Diminished Half-Whole (tense, angular). Symmetric scales have repeating interval patterns, making them unique to learn.

6 All – Random scale from the full pool of 17. The real test.

Language

Use the EN / HU toggle in the top right to switch between English and Hungarian. All interval names, scale names and UI text update instantly.

Practice Suggestions

1 Start with Pentatonic – learn Minor Pentatonic, Major Pentatonic and Blues first. Then add Major Blues to see how one extra note changes the colour.

2 Move to Modes – focus on how each mode differs from Major by one or two intervals.

3 Try Exotic – Phrygian Dominant is one of the most used scales in rock and metal. Compare it with regular Phrygian to spot the single interval difference.

4 Challenge yourself with Symmetric – the Whole Tone scale has only 6 notes, but the Diminished has 8, making it the hardest to memorise.

5 Use the HU mode if Hungarian interval names feel more natural to you.

6 Combine with Scale Finder – learn the theory here, then practice finding the notes on the fretboard.

💡 Tip: Knowing a scale's interval formula is like knowing the recipe – once you have it, you can build the scale from any root note on any string.