Piano scales

Scales source and guide for musicians

Yo Scales

Yo Scale is one of the most common Japanese scales. It contains five notes (it can be seen as the 4th mode of the Major Pentatonic Scale), and is often used in Japanese folk music. One way to learn this scale is to look at it as a Major with the third and seventh degrees absent (see interval pattern below).

The Yo Scale is one of several Japanese scales. Some of the others are Hirajoshi, in sen, Iwato and Kumoï (Dorian Pentatonic).

Yo Scales overview
C: C, D, F, G, A, C
C#/Db: C#, D#, F#, G#, A#, C# / Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Db
D: D, E, G, A, B, D
D#/Eb: D#, F, G#, A#, C, D# / Eb, F, Ab, Bb, C, Eb
E: E, F#, A, B, C#, E
F: F, G, Bb, C, D, F
F#/Gb: F#, G#, B, C#, D#, F# / Gb, Ab, B, Db, Eb, Gb
G: G, A, C, D, E, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, C#, D#, F, G# / Ab, Bb, Db, Eb, F, Ab
A: A, B, D, E, F#, A
A#/Bb: A#, C, D#, F, G, A# / Bb, C, Eb, F, G, Bb
B: B, C#, E, F#, G#, B

Intervals: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6
Semitones: 2 - 3 - 2 - 2 - 3
Formula: Whole, Whole and a half, Whole, Whole, Whole and a half