Flutopedia - an Encyclopedia for the Native American Flute

Index of Scales for the Native American Flute

This page gives you different ways to explore the Native American flute scales on Flutopedia. Click on any of the scales to take you to the page that explores that scale in depth.

Scales are provided as images with finger diagrams as well as in SNAFT format for limited-sight players.

Organized by Number of Notes

When counting the number of notes, I'm not including the octave note or any of the notes above the octave note. So for example, even though the Bugle scale below appears to have four notes, the last (octave) note is not counted.

Not all extended-range scales are shown in this section.

Three-Note Scales

Tritonic scales for the Native American flute:

Bugle Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed open closed closed closed open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open Bugle Scale

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xoo
<xox|xxo
<oox|ooo

Four-Note Scales

Tetratonic scales for the Native American flute:

Five-Note Scales

Pentatonic scales for the Native American flute:

Pentatonic Minor Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed open closed open open open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open Pentatonic Minor

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|ooo
<xox|ooo
<oox|ooo

Pentatonic Major Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed open closed open open open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open, wrap notes Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open Pentatonic Major

<xxx|xxo
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|ooo
<xox|ooo
<oox|ooo
<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo

Mode Four Pentatonic Minor Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed open closed open open, Finger diagram closed open open closed open open, Finger diagram open open open closed open open, wrap notes Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open Mode Four Pentatonic Minor

<xxx|xoo
<xxo|xoo
<xoo|xoo
<ooo|xoo
<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo
<xxx|xoo

Northern Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed open closed closed closed open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open Northern Scale

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|ooo
<xox|xxo
<oox|ooo

Hirajoshi Extended Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed closed open closed open open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open, Finger diagram second octave open closed closed closed closed half-closed, Finger diagram second octave half-closed closed closed closed closed open Hirajoshi Extended

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo
<xxx|ooo
<xxo|xoo
<oox|ooo
<oxx|xxh!
<hxx|xxo!

Miyako-Bushi Extended Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed closed open closed open open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open, Finger diagram second octave open closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram second octave half-closed closed closed closed open open Miyako-Bushi Extended

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|ooo
<xxo|xoo
<oox|ooo
<oxx|xxx!
<hxx|xoo!

Six-Note Scales

Hexatonic scales for the Native American flute:

Hexatonic Minor Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed closed open closed open open, Finger diagram closed open open closed open open, Finger diagram open open closed closed open open Hexatonic Minor

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|ooo
<xxo|xoo
<xoo|xoo
<ooo|xoo

Blues Six-Note Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed open closed open open open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open Blues Six-Note

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|oxo
<xxx|ooo
<xox|ooo
<oox|ooo

Seven-Note Scales

Heptatonic scales for the Native American flute:

Blues Seven-Note Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed open closed open open open, Finger diagram open open closed closed open open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open Blues Seven-Note

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|oxo
<xxx|ooo
<xox|ooo
<oox|xoo
<oox|ooo

Spanish Gypsy Extended Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed closed open closed open open, Finger diagram closed open open closed open open, Finger diagram open open open closed open open, Finger diagram second octave open closed closed closed closed closed Spanish Gypsy Extended

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xox
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|ooo
<xxo|xoo
<xoo|xoo
<ooo|xoo
<oxx|xxx!

Byzantine Extended Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed closed open closed open open, Finger diagram open closed open closed open open, Finger diagram open open open closed open open, Finger diagram second octave open closed closed closed closed closed Byzantine Extended

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xox
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|ooo
<xxo|xoo
<oxo|xoo
<ooo|xoo
<oxx|xxx!

Organized by Register

Scales in the Low Register

Scales that include the Minor Ninth

Extended-Range Scales

Pentatonic Minor Extended Scale: Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed closed, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed closed open, Finger diagram closed closed closed closed open open, Finger diagram closed closed closed open open open, Finger diagram closed open closed open open open, Finger diagram open open closed open open open, Finger diagram second octave half-closed closed closed closed closed open Pentatonic Minor Extended

<xxx|xxx
<xxx|xxo
<xxx|xoo
<xxx|ooo
<xox|ooo
<oox|ooo
<hxx|xxo!

Organized by Cultural “Flavor”

Scales with a Middle-Eastern Flavor

Scales with an Asian Flavor

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