scale
A sequence of notes arranged in ascending or descending order by pitch.
In Depth
A scale is an ordered sequence of notes arranged by pitch, ascending or descending. The most common scales in Western music are the major scale (with its bright, stable quality) and the three forms of the minor scale (natural, harmonic, and melodic). Other scales include the chromatic (all semitones), whole-tone, and pentatonic (five-note) scales.
Scales are the raw material from which melodies and harmonies are built. Practicing scales is fundamental to instrumental technique, developing evenness, finger strength, and familiarity with every key. Beyond Western music, other cultures use different scale systems: Indian ragas, Arabic maqams, and Indonesian gamelan scales each divide the octave differently, creating distinct musical vocabularies.
The pentatonic scale is so universal that Bobby McFerrin demonstrated it at a TED talk by having an audience of strangers spontaneously sing it without any musical instruction.