I. Intervals

II. Scale Degrees

III. Scales and Keys

IV. Modes

V. Intro to Modulations

VI. Modulations of Aeolian and Ionian

VII. Other Modulations and Ethnic Scales

VIII. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 Tone Scales

 

 

Part VII: Other Modulations and Ethnic Scales (7 tone)

However, in countries...somewhat north and south and west of Greece during the late BC era was the development of a myriad of scales. This section contains many scales, they are still those most commonly used in the outside the Western system by Westerners.

 

One last note before we begin. You may notice that some scales are not present in this section. The next section will discuss scales that don’t contain 7 tones. This lesson will simply present the scale to you with a simple description; application of the scales will be discussed in later lessons.

 

At a later date I may expand this section to further explain each specific mode and various things about its construction. For the time being, I am dealing solely with the first mode.

 

Hungarian Major – This fascinating scale is a basically the Diminished scale (see next section) with a missing 2nd degree. It has a beautiful Middle Eastern sound to it and avoids the 3 note chromatic of many Middle Eastern scales. However I sometimes feel it not to be as totally conclusive as many of the other scales with minor thirds.

 

Each of its modes has a beautiful sound quality to it. The names vary from place to place, but the modes of Hungarian Major are listed below. I have not made the giant charts as I have before; by now you should be able to replicate them with little difficulty.

 

Mode

Step Pattern

Pitches Altered

Hungarian Major

3 1 2 1 2 1 2

1 #2 3 #4 5 6 b7

Alt bb6 bb7

1 2 1 2 1 2 3

1 b2 b3 b4 b5 bb6 bb7

Locrian nat. 2 nat 7

2 1 2 1 2 3 1

1 2 b3 4 b5 6 b7

Alt nat. 6

1 2 1 2 3 1 2

1 2 b3 4 #5 6 7

Melodic Augmented

2 1 2 3 1 2 1

1 2 b3 4 #5 6 b7

Dorian b2 #4

1 2 3 1 2 1 2

1 b2 b3 #4 5 6 b7

Lydian Augmented #3

2 3 1 2 1 2 1

1 2 #3 #4 #5 6 7

 

Hungarian Minor – This set of modes is by far my favorite in terms of sound. Anything I compose often ends up returning to the sound of these modes, specifically the fifth mode, known as the double harmonic major scale. The only qualm I have about this mode is the chromatic between the octaves. Whenever I refer to “the chromatic” I am talking about the set of three notes that are commonly in various ethnic scales. It feels almost unexpected in its sound and I find it useful to skip a note between octaves sometimes. Of course if you are playing a very fast run at some point in on of your compositions, this chromatic will generally go unnoticed.

 

Mode

Step Pattern

Pitches Altered

Hungarian Minor (Dbl. Harm. Minor)

2 1 3 1 1 3 1

1 2 b3 #4 5 b6 7

Minor Gypsy Inverse

1 3 1 1 3 1 2

1 b2 3 4 b5 6 b7

Ionian Augmented #2

3 1 1 3 1 2 1

1 #2 3 4 #5 6 7

Locrian bb3 bb7

1 1 3 1 2 1 3

1 b2 bb3 4 b5 b6 bb7

Double Harmonic Major

1 3 1 2 1 3 1

1 b2 3 4 5 b6 7

Lydian #6 #2

3 1 2 1 3 1 1

1 #2 3 #4 5 #6 7

Alt nat.5 bb7

1 2 1 3 1 1 3

1 b2 b3 b4 5 b6 bb7

 

And Ionian and Locrian Modulation:

 

Ionian b5 (Ionian Diminished)

 

Mode

Step Pattern

Pitches Altered

Ionian b5

2 2 1 1 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 b5 6 7

Dorian b4

2 1 1 3 2 1 2

1 2 b3 b4 5 6 b7

Phrygian bb3

1 1 3 2 1 2 2

1 b2 bb3 4 5 b6 b7

Lydian b2

1 3 2 1 2 2 1

1 b2 3 #4 5 6 7

Super Lydian Augmented

3 2 1 2 2 1 1

1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 7

Aeolian bb7

2 1 2 2 1 1 3

1 2 b3 4 5 b6 bb7

Locrian bb6

1 2 2 1 1 3 2

1 b2 b3 4 b5 bb6 b7

 

Locrian Natural 7

 

Mode

Step Pattern

Pitches Altered

Locrian nat. 7

1 2 2 1 2 3 1

1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 7

Ionian #6

2 2 1 2 3 1 1

1 2 3 4 5 #6 7

Dorian Augmented

2 1 2 3 1 1 2

1 2 b3 4 #5 6 b7

Phrygian #4

1 2 3 1 1 2 2

1 b2 b3 #4 5 b6 7

Lydian #3

2 3 1 1 2 2 1

1 2 #3 #4 5 6 7

Dominant #2

3 1 1 2 2 1 2

1 #2 3 4 5 6 b7

Alt alt

1 1 2 2 1 2 3

1 b2 bb3 b4 b5 bb6 bb7

 

Neopolitan Major

 

Mode

Step Pattern

Pitches Altered

Neapolitan Major

1 2 2 2 2 2 1

1 b2 b3 4 5 6 7

Leading Whole-Tone

2 2 2 2 2 1 1

1 2 3 #4 #5 #6 7

Lydian Dominant Augmented

2 2 2 2 1 1 2

1 2 3 #4 #5 6 b7

Lydian Minor

2 2 2 1 1 2 2

1 2 3 #4 b6 b7

Major Locrian

2 2 1 1 2 2 2

1 2 3 4 b5 b6 b7

Alt nat. 2

2 1 1 2 2 2 2

1 2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7

Alt bb3

1 1 2 2 2 2 2

1 b2 bb3 b4 b5 b6 b7

 

Neopolitan Minor

 

Mode

Step Pattern

Pitches Altered

Neopolitan Minor

1 2 2 2 1 3 1

1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 7

Lydian #6

2 2 2 1 3 1 1

1 2 3 #4 5 #6 7

Dominant Augmented

2 2 1 3 1 1 2

1 2 3 4 #5 6 b7

Hungarian Gypsy

2 1 3 1 1 2 2

1 2 b3 #4 5 b6 b7

Locrian nat. 3

1 3 1 1 2 2 2

1 b2 3 4 b5 b6 b7

Ionian #2

3 1 1 2 2 2 1

1 #2 3 4 5 6 7

Alt bb3 bb7

1 1 2 2 2 1 3

1 b2 bb3 b4 b5 b6 bb7

 

A few more modes are soon to come.