Scale (music)

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C chromatic circle

Scale (music) refers to a sequence of musical notes in ascending or descending order. These sequences are used in the creation of melody and harmony in music theory. Scales are fundamental to the construction of musical compositions and are one of the first things taught in music education.

Types of Scales

There are various types of scales in music, each with its unique set of rules and sounds. The most common types include:

• Major scale: Characterized by its bright and joyful sound, the major scale is one of the most frequently used scales in Western music. It consists of seven notes with a specific pattern of whole and half steps.
• Minor scale: Known for its melancholic tone, the minor scale also consists of seven notes but with a different pattern of whole and half steps compared to the major scale. There are three variations of the minor scale: natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor.
• Pentatonic scale: Consisting of five notes, the pentatonic scale is widely used in various music genres across the world. It is particularly prominent in folk music, blues, and rock.
• Chromatic scale: This scale includes all twelve notes available in the Western musical system, separated by half steps. It is often used for modulation and in atonal music.
• Whole tone scale: Comprising six notes each a whole step apart, the whole tone scale creates a dreamy and ambiguous sound. It is often used in impressionist music.

Scale Degrees

Each note in a scale has a specific name, referred to as its scale degree. The degrees have traditional names that denote their function within the scale:

• Tonic: The first degree of the scale, considered the home note where music feels at rest.
• Supertonic: The second degree, one step above the tonic.
• Mediant: The third degree, halfway between the tonic and dominant.
• Subdominant: The fourth degree, just below the dominant.
• Dominant: The fifth degree, which has a strong harmonic function and leads back to the tonic.
• Submediant: The sixth degree, which serves as a sort of mirror to the mediant.
• Leading tone: The seventh degree in a major scale, a half step below the tonic, leading strongly back to the tonic. In the natural minor scale, the seventh degree is called the subtonic since it is a whole step below the tonic.

Scale Construction

The construction of scales involves specific intervals between the notes. In Western music, these intervals are whole steps (whole tones) and half steps (semitones). The pattern of these intervals defines the type of scale. For example, the major scale pattern is whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

Modes

Modes are scales derived from the major scale by starting on a different degree of the scale. The most commonly known modes include:

• Ionian: Equivalent to the major scale.
• Dorian: Starts on the second degree of the major scale.
• Phrygian: Starts on the third degree.
• Lydian: Starts on the fourth degree.
• Mixolydian: Starts on the fifth degree.
• Aeolian: Equivalent to the natural minor scale, starts on the sixth degree.
• Locrian: Starts on the seventh degree.

Use in Music Composition

Scales are the foundation of melody and harmony in music. Composers and musicians choose scales to set the mood, style, and tonal center of their pieces. Understanding scales and their characteristics allows musicians to improvise, compose, and interpret music more effectively.