Scale Degree Note Calculator
Every degree of a scale sits a fixed number of semitones above the root. This calculator finds the note for any degree of a major or natural minor scale. Choose a root as a chromatic number from 0 (C) to 11 (B), pick the degree from 1 to 7, and select major or natural minor. The tool adds the scale's semitone offset, wraps it within the octave, and returns the resulting note name plus the semitone interval above the root. Because scale patterns are fixed by definition, the answers are exact.
Scale degree logic
major offsets = 0 2 4 5 7 9 11
natural minor offsets = 0 2 3 5 7 8 10
offset = pattern[degree - 1]
note index = (root + offset) mod 12
note name = chromatic name of note index
The scale pattern fixes the semitone offset for each degree. Adding it to the root and wrapping within the 12-note octave gives the degree's pitch class, which is then named with sharps.
Scale degree context
- Degree 1 is the tonic; the offset is always 0 semitones.
- The major fifth degree is 7 semitones above the root, a perfect fifth.
- The major scale offsets are 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11.
- The natural minor offsets are 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10.
- Note spelling (sharp or flat) depends on the key; pitch is the same.
Scale degrees: frequently asked questions
What is a scale degree?
A scale degree is the numbered position of a note within a scale, from the first degree (the tonic or root) up to the seventh. Each degree sits a fixed number of semitones above the root, set by the scale pattern. This calculator returns the note name and semitone offset for the degree you choose.
What are the major and minor scale patterns?
The major scale uses the semitone offsets 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 for degrees 1 to 7. The natural minor scale uses 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10. These fixed patterns define which note each degree lands on. The calculator applies them to your chosen root.
How do I choose the root?
Enter the root as a chromatic number from 0 to 11, where 0 is C, 1 is C-sharp, 2 is D, and so on up to 11 for B. The calculator adds the scale's semitone offset for your degree, wraps within the octave, and names the resulting note.
Why are some notes named with sharps?
This calculator names notes using sharps for the black keys (C-sharp, D-sharp, F-sharp, G-sharp, A-sharp). In real notation the spelling can be a sharp or a flat depending on the key, but the pitch is the same. Use the key signature calculator to decide the correct spelling for a given key.
What is the semitone offset used for?
The semitone offset tells you how many half steps the degree is above the root, which is useful for building chords, transposing, and understanding intervals. For example, the fifth degree of any major scale is 7 semitones above the root, a perfect fifth.
Official sources
- Library of Congress: Music Theory Reference Collections.
- U.S. National Park Service (music education resources): Music Preservation.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 16 June 2026. See our methodology.