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SCALESANDKEYSIGNATURES
PARTATETRACHORDS
1.TetrachordStructure
a.Atetrachordisaseriesoffourtonesonsuccessivedegreesofthestaffwith
anintervaloffivehalfstepsbetweenthefirstandlasttones.Thetetrachordis
usedinconstructingandanalyzingscales.
b.Tetrachordsusedarethemajor(M),minor(m),natural(N),andharmonic
(H).Anytetrachordmaybeconstructedonanypitchandwillretaintheinterval
relationshipofthetetrachord.
2.MajorTetrachord(M).Themajortetrachordiscomposedoftwohalfsteps,two
halfsteps,andonehalfstepascendingonfoursuccessivestaffdegrees(Figure12).
Figure12:MajorTetrachords
3.MinorTetrachord(m).Theminortetrachordiscomposedoftwohalfsteps,onehalfstepand
twohalfstepsascendingonfoursuccessivescaledegrees(Figure13).
Figure13:MinorTetrachords.
4.NaturalTetrachord(N).Thenaturaltetrachordiscomposedofonehalfstep,two
halfstepsandtwohalfstepsascendingonfoursuccessivestaffdegrees(Figure14).
Figure14:NaturalTetrachords.
5.HarmonicTetrachord(H).Theharmonictetrachordiscomposedofonehalfstep,
threehalfsteps,andonehalfstepascendingonfoursuccessivestaffdegrees(Figure
15).
Figure15:HarmonicTetrachords.
6.ScaleConstructionUsingTetrachords
a.Scalesconstructedwithtetrachordscombinetwotetrachordsandalink
(abbreviatedL).Thelinkisalwayscomposedoftwohalfsteps(awholestep)
onadjacentstaffdegrees.Thelinkmaybeplacedatthebottom,inthemiddle,
oratthetopofthescale.Thecombinationoftwotetrachordsandalinkforma
scalethatencompassesanoctave(Figure16).
Figure16:TetrachordsandLinkinScaleConstruction.
b.Thecombinationoftwotetrachordsandalinkformascalethatencompasses
anoctave.Anoctaveisanintervalcontainingtwelvehalfsteps.Itisthe
distancefromonepitchtothenexthigherorlowerpitchwiththesameletter
nameCC(Figure17).
Figure17:OctaveonaPianoKeyboard.
PARTAMAJORSCALES
1.MajorScaleStructure.
a.TheformulaforamajorscaleisMajor(M),Link(L),Major(M)(Figure2
1).
Figure21:MajorScaleFormula.
b.Themajorscaleisaseriesofeightsuccessiveascendingordescending
pitcheswithaspecifiedintervalpattern.Amajorscalebeginsandendswiththe
samelettername(uppercase)ofthemusicalalphabet(AA).
c.Thescale'swholestepandhalfstepintervalrelationshipcorresponds,ona
keyboard,toawhitekeyscalefromCtoC(Figure22).
NOTE:Upperandlowercaselettersareusedtodifferentiatebetweenmajorand
minorkeys.Uppercaselettersrepresentmajorkeys(CMajor).Lowercaseletters
representminorkeys(cminor).
Figure22:CMajorScaleonKeyboard.
2.UseofChromaticSignsinMajorScaleConstruction.Toconstructascaleother
thanCMajor,chromaticsigns( or )mustbeusedtomaintainthescaleformula
(wholestep/halfstep).TheDMajorscaleiswrittenwithchromaticsignsonthethird
andseventhnotes(Figure23).
Figure23:DMajorScale.
PARTBSCALESANDKEYSIGNATURES
3.Scales.
a.Thefirstnoteofamajorscalegivesthescaleitsidentityorname.For
example,amajorscalebeginningonthenoteE iscalledan"E Majorscale"
(Figure24).
Figure24:E MajorScale.
b.Musicalcompositionsarebasedonscales.AcompositionbasedonanE
MajorscaleissaidtobeinthekeyofE Major(Figure25).
Figure25:MelodyinE .
SELFREVIEWEXERCISE#1
Constructingmajorscales.
4.KeySignatures.
a.Akeysignatureisthegroupingofchromaticsignsthathavebeenextracted
fromascaleandplacedaftertheclefsign.Thenumberofflatsorsharpsina
keysignaturedeterminesthekeyofacomposition.
b.TheE Majorscalehasakeysignatureofthreeflats(Figure26).
Figure26:ExtractingAccidentalsforKeySignatures.
c.TheE Majorscalewiththekeysignatureinplace,lookslikethis(Figure2
7).
Figure27:E MajorKeySignature.
5.PlacementofSharpsinaKeySignature.
a.Sharpsareplacedonthestaffinthefollowingorder(Figure28).
Figure28:OrderofSharps.
b.Todeterminethisorder,beginonF (thefirst addedtothestaff).Countup
fiveletternamestoC .ThenbeginonC andcountupfivemoreletternames
toGsharp.Continuethispatternuntilallsevensharpsareidentified(Figure2
9).
Figure29:DeterminingOrderofSharps.
c.Sharpsareplacedonastaffinaspecificpattern.Thefirstsharp,F ,is
placedonthefifthlineofthetreblestaffandthefourthlineofthebassstaff.
Thesecondsharp,C ,isplacedbelowthefirstsharp.Thethirdsharpisup,the
fourthsharpdown,thefifthsharpdown,thesixthsharpup,andtheseventh
sharpdown.Figure210indicatesthecorrectplacementofsharpsinakey
signature.
Figure210:PlacementofSharps.
6.PlacementofFlatsinaKeySignature.
a.Flatsareplacedonthestaffinthefollowingorder(Figure211).
Figure211:OrderofFlats.
b.Todeterminetheorderofflats,beginonBflat(thefirstflataddedtothe
staff).CountupfourletternamestoE .ThenbeginonE andcountupfour
moreletternamestoA .Continuethispatternuntilallsevenflatshavebeen
identified(Figure212).
Figure212:DeterminingOrderofFlats.
c.Thefirstflat,B ,isplacedonthethirdlineofthetreblestaffandonthe
secondlineofthebassstaff.Thesecondflat,E ,isplacedabovethefirstflat.
Thethirdflatisdown,thefourthup,thefifthdown,thesixthup,andthe
seventhdown(Figure213).
Figure213:PlacementofFlats.
NOTE:Theorderofflatsinakeysignatureisoppositetheorderofsharps(Figure
214).
Figure214:OrderofFlatsandSharps.
7.CircleofMajorKeys.MajorkeysarearrangedinacirclestartingwithCand
progressingthroughthesharpkeysclockwiseandtheflatkeyscounterclockwise.This
formsthecircleofmajorkeys,alsocalledthecircleoffifths(Figure215).
Figure215:CircleofMajorKeys(Fifths).
8.DerivingMajorKeyNamesfromKeySignatures.
a.Sharpkeys.Thenameofthesharpmajorkeyisthesameasthelettername
ofthescaledegreeabovethelastsharpinthekeysignature(Figure216).
Figure216:DeterminingSharpKeyNames.
b.Flatkeys.Thenameoftheflatmajorkeyisthesameastheletternameof
thescaledegreefivestepsabovethelastflatinthekeysignature(Figure217).
Figure217:DeterminingFlatKeyNames.
c.Whentherearetwoormoreflatsinthekeysignature,thekeynameisthe
nameofthenexttothelastflat(Figure218).
Figure218:DeterminingFlatKeyNames.
d.Ifthekeysignaturehasnoflatsorsharps,thekeysignaturenameisCMajor.
PARTCSCALEDEGREE
9.ScaleDegreeNamesforMajorScales."Scaletone,""scalestep,"and"scale
degree"allmeanthesamething.Eachscaletone,step,ordegreeisalsoknownbya
moreformalmusicalterm(Figure219).
Figure219:NamesofScaleDegrees.
a.Tonic.Thetonicisthebeginningscaledegree(thefirstscalestep)ofascale.
Itisthemostimportantscaledegree.Thetonicgivesthescaleitsidentity.Ina
CMajorscale,Cisthetonicscaledegree(Figure220).
Figure220:TonicScaleDegree.
b.Dominant.Thenextmostimportantscaledegreeisthedominant.The
dominantisthefifthscaledegree.InaCMajorscale,Gisthedominantscale
degree(Figure221).
Figure221:TheDominantScaleDegree.
c.Subdominant.Thescaledegreefivesteps(fifth)belowthetonicisthe
subdominant.Itisthefourthscaledegree.Thesubdominantscaledegreeisthe
dominantunder(sub)thetonic.Itisnextinimportancetothedominant.InaC
Majorscale,thesubdominantisF(Figure222).
Figure222:SubdominantScaleDegree.
d.Mediant.Midwaybetweenthetonicandthedominantisthethirdscale
degree.Itiscalledthemediant.InaCMajorscale,Eisthemediantscale
degree(Figure223).
Figure223:MediantScaleDegree.
e.Submediant.Thesixthscaledegree,midwaybetweentheuppertonicandthe
subdominant,isthesubmediant.InaCMajorscale,Aisthesubmediantscale
degree(Figure224).
Figure224:SubmediantScaleDegree.
f.Supertonic.Thetoneabove(super)thetonic,orthesecondscaledegree,is
calledthesupertonic.InaCMajorscale,Disthesupertonicscaledegree
(Figure225).
Figure225:SupertonicScaleDegree.
g.Leadingtone.Theseventhscaledegreeistheleadingtone.Ithasastrong
tendencytopushupward(lead)tothetonic.InaCMajorscale,Bistheleading
tone(Figure226).
Figure226:LeadingTone.
PARTDSCALEDEGREEACTIVITY
10.ScaleDegreeActivityinMajorKeys.Scaledegreesareclassifiedintothreetype
oftones:stable,active,andtendency(Figure227).
Figure227:ScaleDegreeActivityinMajorKeys.
a.Stabletoneshaveasoundqualitythatsuggestscompletenessandstability
(Figure228).
Figure228:StableTonesinMajorKeys.
b.Activetoneslackstabilityandwanttomovetowardastabletone.Normally,
anactivetonemovestoanadjacentnoteinthescale(Figure229).
Figure229:ActiveTonesinMajorKeys.
c.Tendencytonesareactivetonesthatpulltowardaparticularpitch.Tendency
tonestendtomoveahalfsteptoanadjacentscaledegree.Aleadingtone
movestothetonicunlessitispartofadescendingscalewisemotion.The
subdominantmovestothemediantunlessitispartofscalewisemotionthatis
ascending(Figure230).
Figure230:TendencyTonesinMajorKeys.
MINORSCALESANDKEYSIGNATURES
NaturalMinorScaleStructure
a.Theformulaforanaturalminorscaleisminor(m),Link(L),Natural(N).A
naturalminorscaleisaseriesofeightconsecutivenoteswiththeintervals
betweennotesbeingtwohalfsteps,onehalfstep,twohalfsteps,twohalfsteps,
onehalfstep,twohalfsteps,twohalfsteps(Figure31).
Figure31:NaturalMinorScale.
b.Onakeyboard,theintervalrelationshipscorrespondtoawhitekeyscale
fromatoa(Figure32).
Figure32:"a"NaturalMinorScale.
MinorKeysandKeySignatures
a.Thetonicnoteofaminorscalegivesthekeyofthescale.Forexample,a
minorscalewithatonicof"c"isinthekeyofcminor.
b.Todeterminetheorderofsharpminorkeys,beginwiththekeywithnoflats
orsharps("a"minor).Countupfivescaledegrees(eminor).Then,starton"e"
andcountupfivemorescaledegrees.Continuethisuntilallkeysareidentified
(Figure33).
Figure33:DeterminingOrderofSharps.
c.Althoughthetonicsinnaturalminordifferfrommajor,theplacementof
sharpsremainsthesame(Figure34).
Figure34:PlacementofSharps.
d.Tofindtheorderofflatminorkeys,beginwiththekeyofnoflatsorsharps
("a"minor).Countupfourscaledegrees(dminor).Then,starton"d"and
countupfourmorescaledegrees.Continuethisuntilallkeysareidentified
(Figure35).
Figure35:DeterminingOrderofFlats.
e.Althoughthetonicsinnaturalminordifferfrommajor,theplacementofflats
remainsthesame(Figure36).
Figure36:PlacementofFlats.
3.CircleofMinorKeys.
Sincethenatural,harmonic,andmelodicminorscalessharethesamegroupofkey
signatures,itispossibletoconstructonecircleoffifthsforallthreeformsofthescale
(Figure37).
Figure37:CircleofMinorKeys(Fifths).
4.DerivingMinorKeyNamesfromKeySignatures.
a.Theletternameofthescaledegreeimmediatelybelowthelastsharpinthe
keysignatureistheminorkeynameforsharpkeys(Figure38).
Figure38:DerivingNamesofSharpKeys.
NOTE:Thisisoppositetomajorkeyswheretheletternameabovethelastsharpis
thekeyname.
b.Forminorflatkeys,findthenameofthekeybycountingupthreescale
degreesabovethelastflat(Figure39).
Figure39:DerivingNamesofFlatKeys.
5.NaturalMinorScaleDegreeNames.
Thescaledegreenamesfornaturalminorscalesarethesameasformajorscales
exceptfortheseventhscaledegree.Theseventhscaledegreeiscalledthesubtonic
whenitistwohalfsteps(wholestep)belowthetonic(Figure310).
Figure310:NaturalMinorScaleDegreeNames.
6.NaturalMinorScaleDegreeActivity.
a.Comparedtoamajorscaleonthesametonic,thenaturalminorscalehasa
loweredmediant(third),loweredsubmediant(sixth)andasubtonic(seventh)
(Figure311).
Figure311:ComparingMajorandNaturalMinorScales.
b.Thescaledegreeactivityinnaturalminorscalesisdifferentfrommajor
scalesbecausethepatternofwholestepsandhalfstepsisdifferent(Figure3
12).
Figure312:MajorandNaturalMinorScaleDegreeActivity.
Figure313:HarmonicMinorStructure.
b.Thewholestep/halfstepintervalrelationshipsinharmonicminordonot
correspondtoanywhitekeyscale(Figure314).
Figure314:"a"HarmonicMinorScale.
NOTE:Natural,harmonic,andmelodicminorscaleshavethesamekeysignature.
Theraisedseventhscaledegreeoftheharmonicscalesandtheraisedsixthand
seventhscaledegreesintheascendingmelodicminorscalesareindicatedby
accidentals.Theseaccidentalswillnotappearinthekeysignature.
8.HarmonicMinorScaleDegreeNames.
Scaledegreenamesfortheharmonicminorscalesarethesameasforthemajor
scales(Figure315).
Figure315:HarmonicMinorScaleDegreeNames.
9.HarmonicMinorScaleDegreeActivity.
a.Theharmonicminorscaleevolvedbecauseofthelackoftendencytonesin
naturalminor.Theharmonicformoftheminorscaledevelopsabetterbalance
oftendencytonesinminorkeys(Figure316).
Figure316:ScaleDegreeActivity.
b.Thethreehalfsteps(augmentedsecond)betweenthesubmediantandthe
leadingtonecancausemelodicproblems.
10.MelodicMinorScaleStructure.
a.Ascending.TheformulafortheascendingmelodicminorscaleismLM.
Unlikeothermajorandminorscales,theascendingformofthemelodicminor
scaleisdifferentfromitsdescendingform.Theintervalsbetweenthenotesof
theascendingmelodicminorscalearetwohalfsteps,onehalfstep,twohalf
steps,twohalfsteps,twohalfsteps,twohalfsteps,onehalfstep(Figure317).
Figure317:MelodicMinorStructure(Ascending).
b.Raisethesixthandseventhscalesdegreesofanaturalminorscaleonehalf
steptoformtheascendingmelodicminorscale(Figure318).
Figure318:MelodicMinor(Ascending).
c.Descending.TheformulaforadescendingmelodicminorscaleisNLm.
Theintervalsbetweenthenotesarethesameastheintervalsofadescending
naturalminorscale,ortwohalfsteps,twohalfsteps,onehalfstep,twohalf
steps,twohalfsteps,onehalfstep,twohalfsteps(Figure319).
Figure319:MelodicMinorStructure(Descending).
d.Theraisedsixth(submediant)andraisedseventh(leadingtone)scaledegrees
oftheascendingmelodicminorscaleareloweredinthedescendingmelodic
minorscale.Therefore,thedescendingmelodicminorscaleisidenticaltothe
descendingnaturalminorscale(Figure320).
Figure320:MelodicMinor(Descending).
11.MelodicMinorScaleDegreeNames.
a.ThescaledegreenamesforascendingmelodicminorareshowninFigure3
21.
Figure321:MelodicMinorScaleDegreeNames(Ascending).
b.Thescaledegreenamesforthedescendingmelodicminorscalearethesame
asthescaledegreenamesforthedescendingnaturalminorscale.
12.MelodicMinorScaleDegreeActivity.Figure322showsthescaledegreeactivity
formelodicminor.
Figure322:ScaleDegreeActivity.
13.ParallelKeys
Parallelkeysarekeysthathavethesametonicbutdifferentkeysignatures.For
example,thekeyofFmajorandfminorareparallelkeys(Figure323).
Figure323:ParallelKeys.
14.RelativeKeys
a.Majorandminorkeysthathavethesamekeysignaturearecalledrelative
keys.Relativekeysdonothavethesametonic(Figure324).
Figure324:RelativeKeys.
b.Thesixthscaledegreeofthemajorscaleisthetonicoftherelativeminor
scale(Figure325).
Figure325:RelativeKeyIdentification.
NOTE:Becauseofthisrelationship,youcandeterminetheminorkeysignatureby
firstdeterminingthemajorkeysignature.Thenameofthesubmediant(inthe
majorkey)isthenameoftherelativeminortonic.
c.Thethirdscaledegreeoftheminorscaleisthetonicoftherelativemajor
(Figure326).
Figure326:RelativeMajorandMinor.
MODALSCALES
INTRODUCTION
IntheMiddleAges,musicwasoftencomposedofeighttonescalesthatdidnotfollow
thepatternofmajorandminorscales.Theseearlyscaleswerecalledmodes.Modal
scaleshavesincebeenusedinmanyperiodsandstylesofmusic.
Mostmodalscalesareclassifiedasmajororminor.Themajormodalscalesare:
Lydian,Ionian,andMixolydian.Theminormodalscalesare:Dorian,Aeolian,and
Phrygian.TheLocrianmodalscaleisneithermajornorminor,ittendstowardminor
andwillbediscussedwiththeminormodalscales.
1.Lydian.
a.TheformulafortheLydianmodalscaleisLMM(Figure41).
Figure41:LydianFormula.
b.TheLydianscale'shalfstep/wholestepintervalrelationshipcorrespondstoa
whitescalefromFtoFonapianokeyboard(Figure42).
Figure42:LydianModeonPianoKeyboard.
c.ACircleofLydianKeyscanbeconstructedtorepresenttheremainingLydian
scalesbyusingtheMajorCircleofFifthsandshiftingthenumberofsharpsand
flatsonekeytotheright.Youcanfigureoutthenumberofflatsorsharpsby
subtractingoneflatoraddingonesharptotheparallelmajorscale.TheFLydian
scalehasnoflatsorsharps(Figure43).
Figure43:CircleofLydianKeys.
d.TheLydianscalehasaraisedsubdominant( 4)whencomparedtoitsparallel
(sametonic)majorscale(Figure44).
Figure44:LydianandParallelMajor.
2.Ionian.
a.TheformulafortheIonianmodalscaleisMLM.
b.TheIonianmodalscaleisidenticaltoamajorscale.
3.Mixolydian.
a.TheformulafortheMixolydianmodalscaleisMMLorMLm(Figure45).
Figure45:MixolydianFormula.
b.TheMixolydianscale'shalfstep/wholesteprelationshipcorrespondstoa
whitekeyscalefromGtoGonthepianokeyboard(Figure46).
Figure46:MixolydianModeonPianoKeyboard.
c.ACircleofMixolydianKeyscanbeconstructedtorepresenttheremaining
MixolydianKeysbyusingtheMajorCircleofFifthsandshiftingthenumber
ofsharpsandflatsonekeytotheleft.Youcanfigureoutthenumbersofflats
orsharpsbysubtractingonesharporadding1flattotheparallelmajorscale.
TheGMixolydianscalehasnosharpsorflats(Figure47).
Figure47:CircleofMixolydianKeys.
d.TheMixolydianscalehasasubtonic( 7),insteadofaleadingtone,when
comparedtoitsparallelmajorscale(Figure48).
Figure48:MixolydianandParallelMajor.
4.Dorian.
a.TheformulafortheDorianmodalscaleismLm(Figure49).
Figure49:DorianFormula.
b.TheDorianscale'shalfstep/wholesteprelationshipcorrespondstoawhite
keyscalefromDtoDonapianokeyboard(Figure410).
Figure410:DorianModeonPianoKeyboard.
c.ACircleofDorianKeyscanbeconstructedtorepresenttheremaining
DorianKeysbyusingtheMajorCircleofFifthsandshiftingthenumberof
sharpsandflatstwokeystotheleft.Youcanfigureoutthenumberofsharps
andflatsbysubtractingtwosharpsoraddingtwoflatstotheparallelmajor
scale.ThedDorianscalehasnoflatsorsharps(Figure411).
Figure411:CircleofDorianKeys.
d.TheDorianscalehasaloweredmediant( 3)andsubtonic( 7)when
comparedtoitsparallelmajorscale(Figure412).
Figure412:DorianandParallelMajor.
e.TheDorianscalehasaraisedsubmediant( 6)whencomparedtoitsparallel
naturalminorscale(Figure413).
Figure413:DorianandParallelMinor.
5.Aeolian.
a.TheformulafortheaeolianmodalscaleismLN.
b.Theaeolianmodalscaleisidenticaltothenaturalminorscale.
6.Phrygian.
a.TheformulaforthePhrygianmodalscaleisNLN(Figure414).
Figure414:PhrygianFormula.
b.ThePhrygianscale'shalf/wholesteprelationshipcorrespondstoawhitekey
scalefromEtoEonthepianokeyboard(Figure415).
Figure415:PhrygianModeonPianoKeyboard.
c.ACircleofPhrygianKeyscanbeconstructedbyusingtheMajorCircleofFifths
andshiftingthenumberofflatsfourkeystotheleft.Youcanfigureoutthenumber
offlatsorsharpsbyaddingfourflatsorsubtractingfoursharpstotheparallel
majorscale.TheePhrygianscalehasnoflatsorsharps(Figure416).
Figure416:CircleofPhrygianKeys.
d.ThePhrygianscalehasaloweredsubtonic( 2),mediant( 3),submediant(
6),andsubtonic( 7)whencomparedtoitsparallelmajorscale.(Figure417).
Figure417:PhrygianandParallelMajor.
e.ThePhrygianscalehasaloweredsupertonic( 2)whencomparedtoitsparallel
naturalminorscale(Figure418).
Figure418:PhrygianandParallelMinor.
7.Locrian
a.TheformulafortheLocrianmodalscaleisNNL(Figure419).
Figure419:LocrianFormula.
b.TheLocrianscale'shalf/wholesteprelationshipcorrespondstoawhitescale
keyfromBtoBonapianokeyboard(Figure420).
Figure420:LocrianModeonPianoKeyboard.
c.ACircleofLocriankeyscanbeconstructedbyusingtheMajorCircleof
Fifthsandshiftingthenumberofflatsfivekeystotheleft.Youcanfigureout
thenumberofflatsorsharpsbyaddingfiveflatsorsubtractingfivesharpsto
theparallelmajorscale.ThebLocrianscalehasnoflatsorsharps(Figure4
21).
Figure421:CircleofLocrianKeys.
d.TheLocrianscalehasaloweredsupertonic(flat2),mediant(flat3),
dominant(flat5),submediant(flat6),andsubtonic(flat7)whencomparedto
itsparallelmajorscale.Thesubdominantistheonlyscaledegreethatremains
unaltered(Figure422).
Figure422:LocrianandParallelMajor.
8.IDPLMAL.
a.AneasywaytoremembermodalscalesistouseamnemonicIDPLMAL,
whichstandsforIDontPunchLikeMuhammadALi.Eachletterstandsfora
modalscale:IforIonian,DforDorian,PforPhrygian,LforLydian,Mfor
Mixolydian,AforAeolianandLforLocrian.
b.Byassigningthenumbersfrom1to7foreachletterofIDPLMAL,youcan
determinethescaledegreeofamajorscaleamodalscalestartsonandthen
buildamodelforthatmodalscale(Figure423).
MODALSCALE
Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Aeolian
Locrian
SCALEDEGREE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Figure423:IDPLMAL.
c.Anotherwaytoremembermodalscalesistorelatethemtoamajorscaleand
howeachscaledegreeisaltered.(Figure424).
Figure424:ComparisonofModalScaleDegreestoMajorScaleDegrees.
CHROMATIC,WHOLETONEANDPENTATONICSCALES
INTRODUCTION
Chromatic,wholetone,andpentatonicscalescannotbeanalyzedusingtetrachords.
Thesescalesdonotformregularkeysanddonothaveregularkeysignatures.
Chromaticandwholetonescalesrequireaccidentalswhenusedwithkeysignatures.
1.TheChromaticScale.
a.Thechromaticscaleconsistsentirelyofhalfsteps.Therearetwelvehalf
stepsorthirteenpitchesinanoctave.Ifallthirteenpitchesarerepresentedin
ascendingordescendingorder,theresultisachromaticscale.Thenameofthe
chromaticscaleisthefirstnoteofthescaleregardlessofthekeysignature
(Figure51).
Figure51:DChromaticScale.
b.Whennotatingchromaticscales,anypitchrequiringanaccidentaliswritten
asachromaticalterationofthepreviouspitch(Figure52).Usesharpswhen
ascendingandflatswhendescending.
Figure52:AccidentalsinaChromaticScale.
c.Avoiddoublesharpsanddoubleflatswhennotatingchromaticscales.Use
naturalsignsonadjacentstaffdegreestoavoiddoublesharpsanddoubleflats.
2.TheWholeToneScale.
a.Thewholetonescale,asitnameimplies,isconstructedusingwholesteps.
Accidentalsareusedtocreatewholesteps(Figure53).
Figure53:WholeToneScale.
b.Thewholetonescaleconsistsofsevenpitchesinsteadofeight(includingthe
octave).Oneofthestaffdegreeswithinthescalewillnotcontainanote.
3.PentatonicMajorScale.
a.APentatonicMajorscaleisconstructedstartingonthefirstdegreeofa
Majorscale.APentatonicMajorscalecontainsthetonic(1),supertonic(2),
mediant(3),dominant(5),andthesubmediant(6)ofaMajorscale(Figure5
4).
Figure54:ScaleDegreesinPentatonicMajor.
b.ThePentatonicMajorscalecorrespondstoablackkeyscaleonthekeyboard
fromG toG (Figure55).
Figure55:GflatPentatonicMajorScaleonPianoKeyboard.
c.ThetonesomittedarethetendencytonesinaMajorScale:thesubdominant
(4)andtheleadingtone(7).
4.PentatonicMinorScale.
a.APentatonicminorscaleisconstructedstartingonthefirstdegreeofa
naturalminorscale.APentatonicminorscalecontainsthetonic(1),mediant
(flat3),subdominant(4),dominant(5),andsubtonic(flat7)ofanaturalminor
scale(Figure56).
Figure56:ScaleDegreesinPentatonicMinor.
b.ThePentatonicminorscalecorrespondstoablackkeyscaleonthepiano
keyboardfromE toE (Figure57).
Figure57:EflatPentatonicMinorScaleonPianoKeyboard.
c.Thetonesomittedaretheactivetoneandtendencytonewhichformhalf
stepsinnaturalminor:thesupertonic(2)andsubmediant( 6).