a twelve-note scale including all the semitones of the octave
chromatic scale in American English
a musical scale made up of thirteen tones succeeding by half steps
chromatic scale in American English
noun
Music
a scale progressing entirely by semitones
Word origin
[1780–90]This word is first recorded in the period 1780–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: dynamics, ego, fluff, oxygen, seep
Examples of 'chromatic scale' in a sentence
chromatic scale
The jazz-type solo simply involves going up all through the 12 notes in the chromatic scale.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
And what are thirds, fourths and chromatic scales?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The first movement is captivatingly feverish, the chromatic scales really pant, but the second movement cries out for one in a bar, not three.