A bit of theory and some simple patterns to easily play major and minor scales on ukulele.

 

A diatonic scale is a scale composed of seven distinct pitch classes.

It includes five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps, depending on their position in the scale.


Major scale

The sequence of intervals between the notes of a major scale is:

whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half

where whole stands for a whole tone, and half stands for a semitone.

This is a simple pattern that can be easily played on all the fretboard:


Natural minor scale

For each major scale, there is a corresponding natural minor scale, also called relative minor.

It uses the same sequence of notes as the corresponding major scale, but starts from a different note: it begins on the sixth degree of the major scale and proceeds step by step to the first octave of the sixth degree.

The sequence of intervals is:

whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole

The pattern on ukulele is:


Harmonic minor scale

The notes of the harmonic minor scale are the same as the natural minor except that the seventh degree is raised by one semitone, making an augmented second between the sixth and seventh degrees.

The sequence of intervals is:

whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole and a half, whole

The pattern on ukulele is:


Melodic minor scale

For some composers, the augmented second of the harmonic minor scale could be an awkward leap, particularly in vocal music, considering a whole step between these two scale degrees more conducive to a smooth melody writing, so either the sixth scale degree was raised or the seventh flattened, in both cases by a semitone.

The descending intervals pattern is the same as the descending natural minor scale.

Therefore, the ascending sequence of intervals is:

whole, half, whole, whole, whole, whole, half

and, when descending:

whole, whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole

The pattern on ukulele is:

Download all patterns from the link below:

Major and Minor Scales on Ukulele