SHOSYS ACADEMY 9.3 LESSON: Conventions Of Scale Labeling
Kelvin Sholar
1 Introduction To The Blog Series
This series of lessons and tests incorporates an easy music appreciation curriculum for adult beginners who are remote learning, or are self-taught. Lessons are posted on Mondays while Tests are posted on Saturdays. For more in depth and private guidance, I offer personal instruction by Zoom (Personal Meeting ID 8522954569) – for 1 dollar a minute. Time schedules range from a minimum of 30 minutes to a maximum of 60 minutes. Email me at [email protected] to set up personal instruction. I accept payments and cash gifts by Cash App ($KelvinSholar), Zelle ([email protected]) or Paypal (paypal.me/kelvinsholar).
2 Revisiting The Tree Of Knowledge
In Lesson 9.2, we learned about conventions of labeling chords. In this Lesson, we will learn about labeling scales. This knowledge resides in the Ways branch (1.20) of the Tree of Knowledge (1.00), at the third leaf from the left (1.21) – Conventions.
2.4 Conventions Of Labeling Scales
Here are ten scales which can be found in Western music: major, minor, melodic minor, major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, whole tone, augmented, diminished, mother, chromatic.
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A scale is a group of successive tones from which melody tones, intervals, chords are derived (Kamien 46). In traditional western diatonic music, scales have seven tones. The major scale is the base scale of most of western classical music, and most of its basic harmony comes from this scale. This shows why harmonic materials from other scales (e.g. harmonic minor) are considered to be less consonant the least the scale resembles the major scale.
The Major scale is the modern name for the Lydian mode of the ancient seven-tone diatonic scale that was standardized by Pythagoras. Heinrich Glarean erroneously changed the name from Lydian to Ionian in his book “Dodecachordon“; he intended it to be a a reformation of the diatonic modes in 1547 (Jeans 169).
Western scales are normally called “major” or “minor” according to whether the third tone of the scale composes the interval of a major or minor third with the root tone. Measure one above shows the staff notation for the C major scale; while measure two shows the staff notation for the C natural minor scale (Aeolian minor).
In terms of staff notation, certain major and minor scales are very easy to form. One can simply choose successive lines and spaces of the staff. For example, when using staff notation, the C major scale is easily formed by starting on the tone C then choosing seven successive lines and spaces; see measure one above.
Like the major scale, the melodic minor scale is a seven tone scale. It has two different forms traditionally; it has the melodic minor scale form when ascending, but the Aeolian minor scale form when descending. In modern uses, (such as in Jazz), the melodic minor scale has the same form ascending and descending.
The melodic minor scale has seven modes, like the major scale. Because of its major seventh leading tone (B), the melodic minor functions harmonically as the minor equivalent of the major scale; they share all of the same tones except one. In terms of structure, the melodic minor scale is half whole tone scale and half diminished scale (see above).
While the major scale contains major, minor and diminished triads, the melodic minor scale contains an augmented triad. The melodic minor scale contains a major dominant V and subdominant IV scale degrees; like the major scale. It naturally incorporates two types of altered half-diminished chords, and two types of altered dominant chords.
The Pentatonic Scale has five tones. The most common pentatonic scales are those without half steps (anhemitonic), however, there are many five tone scales around the world that include half steps. Pentatonic scales are among the oldest and most widely used pentatonic scales in the world.
The whole tone scale is a six tone scale. The whole tone scale is constructed by repeating major seconds. The whole tone scale is also constructed by superimposing two augmented triads, a major second, minor seventh or tritone apart.
The augmented scale is a six tone scale. It is constructed of augmented triads, a minor third apart. The augmented scale contains major, minor and augmented triads. The major and minor triads are combined in major thirds to construct this scale. The augmented scales are combined in minor thirds to construct this scale.
The diminished scale is an eight tone scale. It is constructed by superimposing two diminished seventh chords, a whole step apart. The diminished scale contains both major and minor triads, minor seventh chords, dominant seventh chords, and diminished triads and diminished seventh chords related by minor thirds.
The Mother scale is a nine-tone scale. It contains major and minor triads a major third apart; among other chords.
The chromatic scale is a twelve tone scale. It is the basis of western harmony as used in modern pianos, synthesizers and organs.
3 Bibliography
Bloom, B. S.; Engelhart, M. D.; Furst, E. J.; Hill, W. H.; Krathwohl, D. R. Taxonomy Of Educational Objectives: The Classification Of Educational Goals. Handbook I: Cognitive Domain. New York: David McKay Company, 1956
Jeans, Sir. James. Science And Music, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1937
Kamien, Roger. Music: An Appreciation. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2018