Chromatic scale: construction. Musical scales Rules for constructing a chromatic scale

The content of the article

MUSICAL SCAMS, sequences of musical sounds arranged in ascending or descending directions. Gamma (more precisely, the scale) represents in a generalized form, usually in the range of an octave (for example, from before first octave to before second octave), the foundation of the music from which this scale is extracted. Theoretically, the number of scale scales is very large; different national cultures have different scales.

Chromatic scale.

The chromatic scale contains all the sounds included in the tempered European scale. In this scale, each tone is a semitone from the previous and subsequent; in a tempered scale, a semitone is the smallest possible distance between sounds.

The chromatic scale notation changes depending on the musical context, as shown in example 1. For example, C-sharp (cis) And D flat (des) represent a sound of the same pitch. There is a phenomenon called anharmonicity . Usually, but not necessarily, ascending chromatic sequences are written using sharps (), backs () and double sharps (), and descending sequences are written using flats (), backs () and double flats () (example 2).

Only by the 20th century. the chromatic scale began to be regarded as a self-sufficient scale for musical composition. This can be shown by the example of A. Schoenberg's dodecaphone composition - suite, op. 25. The sequence of sounds presented in example 3 is the “series” (or “row”) of this work; in accordance with the rules of dodecaphony, this set of sounds, exactly in the order in which they appear, constitutes the melodic-harmonic structure of the work. Schoenberg's series can be compared to a chromatic scale: the scale contains the same sounds, but does not bring individual order to them.

diatonic scales.

In previous eras, chromatism served primarily to enrich and expand the expressive possibilities of several diatonic scales, the composition of which is determined by the octave range, the presence of two semitones and five whole tones (as in modern major and minor, also related to diatonic scales). In the Middle Ages, all scales were diatonic and included in the so-called modal cosmos. A perfect system, this misinterpreted legacy of classical antiquity. The perfect system was a kind of modern chromatic system, i.e. was a set of all the main tones (scales) used in music. These scales were diatonic - they corresponded to the white keys of the modern piano. Deviations from the basic tones that inevitably arose in musical practice were considered by medieval theorists as musica falsa or musica ficta - "false", "false" music. In the canon of Odo of Cluniy (10th century), letter designations were first attached to the sounds of the consolidated diatonic scale, which are presented (in their modern form) in example 4.

The perfect system defines the basic rule for the notation of diatonic scales: each letter within an octave is used only once. This is where a number of difficulties and ambiguities arise in the designation of the tones of the chromatic scale: you have to use seven basic letters with the endings -is or -es (for example, C-sharp denoted as cis, D flat- How des etc.).

Frets.

The diatonic scale can be built from any degree, for example: la - b-flat - do - re - mi - fa - sol or re - mi - fa - salt - la - b-flat - do etc. Since in the Perfect System (as in the arrangement of white keys on the piano keyboard) two semitones are fixed - mi-fa And si - to, they can take different positions in relation to the initial tone of the scale. It is this quality, the arrangement of semitones in relation to the initial tone - the initialis, that makes it possible to distinguish seven diatonic modes (“modes”) (example 5). They are sometimes called "church" modes, and they determine the appearance of all medieval music, especially church singing. Any medieval mode is characterized not only by the ratio of semitones with the initialis, but also by the position of the dominant as the most frequently repeated tone (in some styles of church singing), as well as by the ambitus, those. fret volume. Ambitus could be of two types: if the mode was built from the initialis up, it was called "authentic"; if the mode started a fourth below the initialis and ended a fifth above it, it was called "plagal" ("secondary").

Transposition and alteration.

The frets can be transposed (moved); they can be built from any tone within an octave. However, in this case, to preserve the structure of the mode, it is necessary to introduce the so-called "random signs" - sharps and flats. If the Dorian mode is built from salt, not from re, its third step should be b flat, but not si. In practice, other chromatisms arose in the modes, especially in the final cadences, where, for example, in the Dorian mode, instead of a move do - re chromatism appeared C-sharp - re.

The modes of the type described above are used primarily to classify monodic music, especially medieval church singing. That is why ambitus and dominant are considered as distinctive features of such modes. Another possible way to classify ancient (and folklore) modes can be a melodic formula ("singing") or a group of formulas characteristic of a given mode. Such a connection of certain melodic formulas with one mode or another is typical for most non-Western European cultures, in particular Eastern ones (for example, for Indian raga). This connection can be traced in ancient Russian church singing and in the ancient layers of Russian folklore.

Major and minor scales (scales).

With the development of polyphony, the modal theory lost its comprehensive meaning. By the 16th century theorists have already observed only four used authentic modes (from re,mi,F,salt) and four corresponding plagal ones. At the same time, the strengthening of the harmonic basis of polyphonic writing and the appearance of various altered tones led to the expansion of the mode table from twelve to fourteen - by adding theoretically "calculated" Locrian and Hypolocrian modes (with the initialis si). Among all the modes (twelve or fourteen), two stood out - the Ionian mode from before and the Aeolian mode from la, which formed the basis of the emerging major-minor system. The transition from the twelve frets of the 16th century. to major and minor of the modern tonal system occurred in the 17th century. But the predominance of major and minor was also felt in earlier music; these modes retain their significance to this day.

The major scale (example 6) is distinguished by the clarity of the structure. The location of melodically active semitones - between the third and fourth and between the seventh and eighth steps - gives the major scale intonation gravity, strictly oriented towards the initialis, aka the finalis – final tone: now it is called the tonic. At the same time, in the major, a conjugation is created between the dominant (V degree) and the tonic, which imparts harmonic clarity to the mode. Similar properties of the melodic and harmonic order, observed in the music of the 17th-20th centuries, allow the major to withstand diverse chromatic changes without losing its individuality.

Other frets.

There are many different modes in Western music. These are scales with "gaps", i.e. intervals greater than a major second are formed between the steps of the mode. This type includes the so-called. pentatonic (five-step) frets. There are also whole-tone frets. Both types are shown in example 8. However, the value of such formations is incomparable with the universal value of major and minor.

A sequence of 12 semitones that does not have a tonal center is called chromatic.

The term chromatic means color, which can be understood as the artist's palette.

It has several different varieties and exists in a wide variety of musical systems.

The development of chromatics goes from diatonic to hemitonic (a system of 12 equal semitones).

Between these two extreme systems there are 6 varieties of chromaticity (classification by V.M. Barsky).
1. Modulation chromaticity

Occurs in places of gradual change of tone. As a result of active modulation in melodics, in fact, a chromatic scale is formed, however, if we analyze the functions of the steps, it becomes clear that this is a mixture of two diatonic (for example, when modulating from C to C #, 12 notes will be involved, but the ear will perceive this movement only within the key ). Therefore, modulation chromaticity is considered the smallest manifestation of chromatization.
2. Subsystem chromaticity

Its typical manifestation is in deviations. According to the method of formation, the subsystem chromaticity is close to the modulation one and is also characterized by the appearance of a new scale in another tonal area. Very often, signs of subsystem chromaticity are various kinds of harmonic deviations (for example, I-I7 or V - IVm)
3. Introductory (introductory) chromaticity
In contrast to the two previous types of chromaticity, based on a mixture of diatonic, a pure chromatic beginning begins to appear in this type. Each sound of diatonic is overgrown with introductory tones.

In the input-tone system, each chromatic sound is considered as unstable, requiring resolution in semitone steps. This interaction of diatonic and chromatic enhances the role of certain tones.

In fact, introductory tone is the basis of the tonal system, since, for example, it always has an introductory tone to the first step (harmonic minor), which violates the diatonicity of the system.
4. Alteration chromatics (chromatic modification of a sound or chord)
It differs from the input tone in that the first one uses a diatonic semitone as a basis, alteration chromatic semitone. Alteration does not involve the resolution of a chromatic sound into a nearby diatonic one. In alteration chromatics, all sorts of unusual ones are formed with increased tonics, lowered fifths, which may not be resolved or move in a circle, etc.
5. Mixed chromaticity (from mix shifting)
It implies a shift of different diatonic modes, in which a pseudochromatic scale is formed. I gave an example of obtaining mixed chromaticity from blues frets in the article.

In terms of mixing goes at the level of one-terts, the same keys, the penetration of major into minor and vice versa.

Up to the chromatic harmonic system. It must be understood that in any case, such chromaticism is treated as an extended diatonic, in contrast, for example, to dodecaphony, where the steps are treated as hemitonic.

6. Offline or Natural Chromatics

Based on the 12 semitone system. In this system, all sounds are equal. Used in dodecaphony and other atonal styles. There is no concept of steps and functions.

According to the 6 types of chromaticity, there are 6 ways to record the chromatic scale.

However, only 2 are acceptable from the point of view of musical practice.

The first way is to record chromatic steps depending on their function and proximity to the original key.

For example, a note between C and D in C major would be more logical to write as C# rather than Db since C# is present in the key of Dm which is related (first degree of relationship).

And for C minor, it is more logical to write the same step as Db, since it is in Fm, the key of the first degree of kinship. Such a record allows you to reflect the harmonic and functional relationships of chromatic tones with diatonic ones and contributes to the correct perception of music when reading from a sheet.

In this way, we write the major and minor scales

The second way is to increase all steps up and down when moving down. In this case, there is neither major nor minor.

Application of the chromatic scale.

When playing chords, the chromatic scale can be used in a variety of ways. The most common are all kinds of passing and auxiliary sounds, lower and upper introductory, as well as second-order chromatism.

An example of a phrase built entirely on the chromatic scale:

With the active use of harmonic substitutions, in fast tempos or in free improvisation, playing on a chromatic scale is used without reference to the chord being played.

The specificity of the ear is such that it still detects the notes corresponding to the chord, and perceives the rest as unstable.

An example of a phrase in chromatic style:

Hello dear site visitors. We know which ones can be taken for development, from which stages to build them, and so on. We also looked at ways to change the harmony using the features of octave modes (or varieties of major and minor scales). Let's remember a little about all this.

Harmony in a given key can be represented using chords built from any note in the scale of that key. The difference between these chords will only be in their belonging to a particular group: tonic, dominant or subdominant. We talked about this in detail in articles about. We can also use steps that distinguish the harmonic or non-natural form, in order to replace certain chords. It is for the purpose of making various substitutions, as well as changing the sound in one direction or another, that there is a concept that we consider below in this article.

Ladovaya alteration- this is an increase or decrease in unstable steps for a stronger gravitation into stable ones. If we have chosen some key with which we are going to work, then we need to define it. In the process of developing a given tonality, only these stable steps remain unchanged for us, while all the rest (unstable) give us scope for activity. The activity consists in the use of alteration, that is, a decrease or increase in unstable steps. There are some features of this process. Let's look at the example of C major, where the sounds do, mi, salt (1st, 3rd, 5th) are stable.

In the figure, stable steps that have already been voiced are marked with a circle, unstable steps are signed with numbers, and the signs "+" and "-" show in which direction the unstable ones change (flat - a minus sign or sharp - a plus sign). With the help of arrows, we emphasized that the altered sounds reach for stable steps. It turns out that if we are in the key of C major, we can lower the second step by half a tone or raise it, and in the first case it tends to sound "do", in the second to "mi". The fourth step rises and gravitates more towards G, the sixth goes down and gravitates towards the same note. Why exactly this way and not otherwise? It's just that during alteration, an unstable step does not increase and does not decrease to another unstable one. So that's exactly what the scheme is. And here is the diagram for the minor scale:

The figure shows possible alterations in the key of A minor. In this case, the altered unstable steps are already the second, fourth and seventh.

What we have considered above is again used in harmony, or to build melodic lines. You already know that tonality can be developed with the help of dominants and subdominants, while all the chords of these groups are considered in the context of exactly one tonality (which is shown by the root). Consequently, the short arpeggio of the tonic mainly affects all components of the harmony. Three sounds in this case will be unchanged to keep the context, and the rest can be raised or lowered. The point is the following. Let's say we have the tonic in C major, the subdominant chord of the group is taken from the second step of D minor, and the dominant is the G-seven chord (from the fifth step):

The first chord - a major triad - consists of notes that will not change (after all, this is the main sound of the sequence). The remaining two chords contain unstable steps of the main key, and we will work with one of them using alteration. In D minor, we lower the notes a and re, according to this scheme:

Then, using the same trick, we get an A-flat-seven chord from the same Dm, lowering the note A in it and raising the F. The sound of our sequence changed noticeably, as the D minor chord became a D flat major chord, and then became an A flat seven. And then we move to the dominant G-seven and start the circle anew. Here is another way to diversify harmony, which is often used in jazz and other musical directions.

Chromatic scale and its spelling

There is one more, which is usually considered together with alteration. Chromatism is very often used for variety and knowing the spelling of the chromatic scale can also be useful (for example, sometimes when using chromaticism you don’t know how to write A flat or G sharp in notes, because they are the same note). Chromatism is a way of playing a chord using a sequence of notes separated only by semitones. This is how you can write down the chromatic sequence in C major in notes:

This is a variant of writing the major sequence from bottom to top. The 3rd and 6th steps are circled in the picture - we circled them because they are not changeable in this case, that is, you cannot write E-flat or A-flat, they are only "clean". If the major chromatic scale is written from top to bottom, then the first and fifth steps will be unchanged:

If we have a minor chromatic scale, then when writing it, both up and down, the first and fifth steps will be unchanged. The considered method of constructing a scale (chromatic) can be used and is often used in constructing phrases (after all, for the richness of the sound, it is important to combine different ones). Also, now you will know exactly how to write down the "chromatic parts" of your compositions in music. By the way, in order for chromatism to sound good, you need to understand that altered unstable steps must be used as passing and eventually resolved into stable ones, they are like additional "paths" by which we can come to the main sounds of the key, reflecting its main tone.

), it's time to learn piano scales.

Scales- a fundamental element of musical theory. Learning to play any musical instrument, be it harp, violin, guitar or piano, is necessarily accompanied by the study of scales.

Scales, along with musical diatonic modes, not only help to understand how music works, but also increase the skill of a musician. Knowing the structure and composition of the scales opens up access to free improvisation in any key (if you know the sounds in the scale, you won’t miss the notes), it serves as a tool for developing the dexterity of the hands and fingers of the musician.

All scales are accompanied by explanations, diagrams, the composition of incoming notes and intervals, which will help you transpose the scale into any key. Each scale is accompanied by an audio example to help you understand the differences in the sound of different scales.

Scales for piano and keyboards:

Frets of folk music for piano and keyboards:

In terms of music theory, gamma is a scale of any length, moving up or down. The steps of the scale are always located at a certain distance from each other, which is a whole or half a tone. Theoretically, the length of the scale is infinite, but the domestic music school somewhat narrows the concept of the scale, using shorter scales - one or several octaves.

Based on the principles of construction, scales are divided into two types: major And minor. Regardless of the tonality and subspecies of the scale (natural, harmonic), the distance between sounds in diatonic scales almost always fits into the following schemes:

• For major scale- tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone;

Major scale structure.

• For minor scale- tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone.

The structure of the minor scale.

There is also a third, special type of scales - chromatic scales, in which the distance between sounds is always half a tone.

The structure of the chromatic scale. The distance between all sounds of the chromatic scale is equal to half a tone.

Chromatic scales

Chromatic scales are easy to learn - the distance between sounds is equal to half a tone, and the scale itself is built on the basis of a major or minor scale. In this case, the gamma can move both up (ascending gamma) and down (descending gamma).

Ascending chromatic scale C

Diagram of the chromatic ascending C scale (C).

In an ascending chromatic scale, the scale moves upward, and the scale includes all sounds (tones and semitones) within an octave (see).

Ascending chromatic scale

Structure of the chromatic ascending C scale

• C sharp
• D sharp
• F-sharp
• Sol-sharp
• A sharp

Descending chromatic scale C

Diagram of a chromatic descending C scale (C).

The descending scale also involves all sounds within an octave (two, three, or any number of more octaves), but the movement goes down.

Descending chromatic scale

Chromatic descending C scale structure

• B flat
• A-flat
• G flat
• E-flat
• D flat

Natural diatonic scales for piano and keyboards

Unlike chromatic, built on semitones, diatonic scales alternate 2-3 whole tones with semitones and always consist of seven steps (seven sounds + final sound).

Natural Major / Natural Scale C Major (Ionian mode)

Diagram of the C major scale (natural major, Ionian mode).

A fundamental scale of seven notes, familiar to everyone since childhood. All musical theory is built around the natural major scale.

It sounds easy and fun thanks to the major triads included in it.

Natural major, Ionian mode

Construction principle

Tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone

Major scale structure

Natural minor / Natural scale C minor (Aeolian mode)

Scheme of scale C minor (natural minor, Aeolian mode).

Among the three types of minor scales, the Aeolian mode (natural minor) is the most common. The composition of the natural minor includes minor triads, which makes the sound of the minor scale sad and gloomy.

Natural minor, Aeolian mode

Construction principle

Tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);

Harmonic scales

Harmonic Major / Harmonic Scale C Major

Scheme of the harmonic scale in C major (harmonic major).

Harmonic major is a natural major with a lowered sixth note (A-flat note). The reduced sixth step allows you to build intervals in major that are identical to minor ones (increased second from the VI step, see).

Harmonic Major

Construction principle

Tone, tone, semitone, tone, semitone, halftone, semitone

Major scale structure

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• Mi (E) - mediant (III stage);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• A-flat (Ab) - submediant (reduced VI step);
• C (B) - ascending introductory sound (VII degree).

Harmonic minor / Harmonic scale C minor

Scheme of the harmonic scale C minor (harmonic minor).

Harmonic minor is a kind of natural minor with raised VII degree (note C). The raised VII degree imitates the introductory tone and allows you to build major intervals in minor keys.

harmonic minor

Construction principle

Tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, halftone, semitone

Structure of the harmonic minor scale

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• E-flat (Eb) - mediant (reduced III degree);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• A-flat (Ab) - submediant (reduced VI step);
• C (B) - ascending introductory sound (VII degree).

melodic scales

Melodic scales got their name because of the peculiarities of sound - the upper half of the scale sounds melodic, light and melodious, as if forming a single melody.

Melodic major / Melodic scale C major

Diagram of a melodic major scale. The movement of this gamma always goes down (in the opposite direction).

Melodic major is a rare variety of natural major, the main feature of which is that the sound of the scale changes depending on the direction of movement. If you listen to the melodic major separately, then its sound resembles a natural minor.

Melodic major (short example)

The full version of the melodic major involves the performance of an ascending and descending scale one after another. When moving up, the musician plays the natural major, and when moving down, he lowers the VI and VII steps of the natural major. Thus, you can play a melodic major only when the scale moves down.

Moving up is natural major, moving down is melodic major.

Construction principle

Tone, tone, semitone, tone, semitone, tone, tone

The structure of the natural minor scale

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• Mi (E) - mediant (III stage);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• A-flat (Ab) - submediant (reduced VI step);
• B-flat (Bb) - ascending introductory sound (lowered VII degree).

Melodic minor / Melodic scale C minor

Scheme of the melodic scale C minor (melodic minor, jazz minor).

Like the major version, the melodic minor changes its sound depending on which way the scale moves.

Melodic minor (short example)

The melodic minor is also called jazz minor. In the full version of the melodic minor, the upstroke plays the melodic minor, while the downstroke plays the natural minor.

Moving up is melodic minor, moving down is natural minor.

Construction principle

Tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, tone, semitone

Structure of the melodic minor scale

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• E-flat (Eb) - mediant (reduced III degree);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• La (A) - submediant (VI stage);
• C (B) - ascending introductory sound (VII degree).

With a downward movement, the melodic minor scale is often replaced by a more natural-sounding natural minor scale in this case, which is why the erroneous idea that the structure of the melodic minor is exactly like this (that is, it differs depending on the direction of movement) has gradually taken root almost everywhere. A similar interpretation of the melodic minor is found even in some textbooks on music theory. (for example: Pavlyuchenko S. Elementary theory of music. M. - L., 1946; Vakhromeev V. Elementary theory of music. M., 1966).

However, this is not true, because in this case - with a downward movement - there is simply a substitution (but nothing more!) of one type of minor for another, namely: melodic - natural, which is done in order to weaken the upward direction of gravity of VII and VI elevated steps.

From the point of view of serious science, professional educators are right, but we are wrong. But since we speak simply and without wisdom, we will take into account the opinion of the authors of the textbook "Elementary Theory of Music" (1986, §43), and remember:

• melodic major= natural major (up) + melodic minor (down);
• melodic minor= melodic minor (up) + natural minor (down).

Pentatonic scales

Pentatonic Major / Pentatonic Scale C Major

Gamma pentatonic in major from C.

The major pentatonic scale consists of all the sounds of the natural major scale, with the exception of degrees IV and VII.

Pentatonic major

Construction principle

Structure of the pentatonic major scale

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• Mi (E) - mediant (III stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);

Pentatonic minor / Pentatonic scale C minor

Scheme of the pentatonic scale C minor (pentatonic C minor).

The minor pentatonic scale is a natural C minor scale, from which the 2nd and 6th steps have been removed.

Pentatonic minor

Construction principle

One and a half tone, tone, tone, one and a half tone, tone

Structure of the pentatonic minor scale

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• E-flat (Eb) - mediant (reduced III degree);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• B-flat (Bb) - ascending introductory sound (lowered VII degree).

Blues scales for piano and keyboards

Blues scale in C major

Blues scale structure in major.

The blues major scale is a major pentatonic scale with the addition of additional sounds.

Blues major scale

Construction principle

Major blues scale structure

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• E-flat (Eb) - mediant (reduced III degree);
• Mi (E) - mediant (III stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• La (A) - submediant (VI step).

Blues scale C minor

The structure of the blues scale in minor.

The blues minor scale is a minor pentatonic scale with additional notes added. This is one of the most popular scales when writing guitar solos and melodic lines.

The blues minor scale is widely used in blues, rock, metal and other styles of music.

blues minor

Construction principle

One and a half tone, tone, semitone, semitone, one and a half tone, tone

Minor blues scale structure

• Do (C) - tonic (I degree, the main tone of the scale)
• E-flat (Eb) - mediant (reduced III degree);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• B-flat (Bb) - ascending introductory sound (lowered VII degree).

Diatonic modes of folk music

Folk music diatonic modes (or natural modes)- a concept introduced in 1937 by the Soviet musicologist Yu.N. Tyulin to describe the scales inherent in traditional and folk music. However, in international practice there is no concept of folk music modes and natural modes - instead, the term is used "diatonic modes".

Dorian mode

Diagram of the Dorian mode from Do.

The name Lada comes from the name of one of the tribes that inhabited the territory of Ancient Greece - the Dorians.

The mode was widely used in ancient and medieval music, and the ancient Greeks considered the Dorian mode the personification of courage and severity.

The second fret of the major scale. The Dorian mode is similar to the natural minor, but contains an additional major VI step (note A).

Dorian mode

Construction principle

Tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone, tone

Dorian mode structure

• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• E-flat (Eb) - mediant (reduced III degree);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• La (A) - submediant (VI stage);
• B-flat (Bb) - ascending introductory sound (lowered VII degree).

Phrygian mode

Diagram of the Phrygian mode from the note Do.

The Phrygian mode was also very popular in antiquity and the Middle Ages. Unlike the Dorian mode, the ancient Greeks considered the Phrygian mode to be frivolous, associating it with the god of winemaking, Dionysus.

This is the third fret of the major scale. The gloomy color of the sound of the Phrygian mode is achieved by a semitone between the first and second steps.

Phrygian mode

Construction principle

Semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone

Phrygian mode structure

• Do (C) - tonic (I stage, main tone)
• E-flat (Eb) - mediant (reduced III degree);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• A-flat (Ab) - submediant (reduced VI step);
• B-flat (Bb) - ascending introductory sound (lowered VII degree).

Phrygian dominant mode

The Phrygian dominant mode is similar to the ordinary Phrygian, but the emphasis here is on the third degree. The sound is dark, even exotic.

Phrygian dominant mode

Construction principle

Semitone, semitone, semitone, tone, semitone, tone, tone

Phrygian dominant mode structure

• Do (C) - tonic (I stage, main tone)
• D-flat (Db) - descending introductory sound (lowered II degree);
• Mi (E) - mediant (III stage);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• A-flat (Ab) - submediant (reduced VI step);
• B-flat (Bb) - ascending introductory sound (lowered VII degree).

Lydian mode

Fourth mode of the major scale. The sound is light and dreamy.

Lydian mode

Construction principle

Tone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone

Lydian mode structure

• Do (C) - tonic (I stage, main tone)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• Mi (E) - mediant (III stage);
• F-sharp (F#) - subdominant (reduced IV degree);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• La (A) - submediant (VI stage);
• C (B) - ascending introductory sound (VII degree).

Mixolydian mode

The fifth fret of the major scale, similar to the natural major scale. The difference lies in the use of the 7th degree, which came from the natural minor (B-flat note).

Mixolydian mode

Construction principle

Tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone

Mixolydian mode structure

• Do (C) - tonic (I stage, main tone)
• Re (D) - descending introductory sound (II stage);
• Mi (E) - mediant (III stage);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Salt (G) - dominant (V degree);
• La (A) - submediant (VI stage);
• B-flat (Bb) - ascending introductory sound (lowered VII degree).

Locrian mode

7th mode of the major scale. The rarest mode, whose sound cannot be called either major or minor. The uncertainty of the sound arises from the fifth degree - the note G-flat.

Locrian mode

Construction principle

Semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone

Structure of the Locrian mode

• Do (C) - tonic (I stage, main tone)
• D-flat (Db) - descending introductory sound (lowered II degree);
• E-flat (Eb) - mediant (reduced III degree);
• Fa (F) - subdominant (IV stage);
• Sol-flat (Gb) - dominant (lowered V degree);
• A-flat (Ab) - submediant (reduced VI step);
• B-flat (Bb) - ascending introductory sound (lowered VII degree).

A chromatic scale is a scale that is built only on semitones.. By itself, it does not express any independent modal system, although it arose as a result of filling with chromatic semitones all the large-second ratios of the diatonic seven-step scale of the major or minor mode. If the fundamental fundamental principle of the chromatic scale is not emphasized by appropriate harmonic means, or at least by the metro-rhythmic selection of the supporting diatonic steps of the mode, then it is almost impossible to determine the modal inclination and tonality of the chromatic scale by ear. Visually, this can be done only by notation, which is produced according to the following rules:

1) the chromatic scale is notated taking into account the underlying diatonic major or minor scale, the steps of which always retain their spelling unchanged;

2) in the ascending movement, all diatonic steps that are a whole tone apart from the steps following them rise by half a tone, with the exception of the sixth step in major and

I step in minor, instead of increasing which, respectively, they decrease by a chromatic semitone. VII step in major and

II step in minor;

3) in a downward movement in major, all diatonic steps that are a whole tone apart from the steps following them are lowered by half a tone; the exception is the fifth stage, instead of lowering which the fourth stage rises.

The spelling of the descending chromatic scale in minor (where I and V do not decrease) coincides with the notation of the same scale in the major of the same name (of course, taking into account the key accidentals).

In C-dur (chromatic)

As can be seen from the above example, the difference in the recording of major and minor chromatic scales is determined primarily by which of the twelve sounds are taken as the seven-step diatonic basis of the mode, and the rest of the sounds are already notated in accordance with this (or the necessary accidental signs are added for diatonic steps).

In an ascending movement, any elevated step is perceived as a tense introductory tone attraction (that is, as a third of a dominant seventh chord or a prima of an introductory seventh chord) to the diatonic sound following it a semitone higher, on which a major or minor triad can be built, that is, a chord that can become a tonic foundation. Precisely because in the major at the 7th degree there is a diminished triad, which is an unstable chord, to which, of course, there can be no inclination, in the major chromatic scale the increase of the 6th degree is not performed either.

In the downward movement, any lowered degree is considered either as a seventh of the dominant seventh chord (that is, as the fourth degree of the mode), or as a seventh of the diminished introductory seventh chord, or as none of the small dominant non-chord (that is, as the sixth degree of the mode) in the corresponding related key. As you know, this sound should be resolved by moving half a step down: in the first case - to a third, and in the second - to a fifth of the corresponding tonic triad. However, since a diminished triad is under no circumstances a stable chord, there can be no inclination to it either from below or from above, therefore the V degree in the chromatic scale does not decrease.

In a minor, a diminished triad is built on the second step of the natural form of the mode, and it is for this reason that in the notation of the chromatic scale in the minor there are no sounds that have ascending and descending semitone gravitations, respectively, to the prime and fifth of this triad:

In C-dur (chromatic)

in c-moll (chromatic) mind 5/3

mind 5/3

mind 5/3

Nevertheless, in the music of the 19th and especially the 20th century, there are cases of a different - more free - notation of some sounds in separate segments of the chromatic scale. Often this is due to or with the use of this chromatism as a auxiliary sound to one of the diatonic steps, or with underlining using the voice parallelism notation itself due to passing chromatic sounds. For example:

289

290 F. Chopin. Nocturne op. 9 No. 1

291 Allegro non troppo S. Prokofiev. Op. “Love for three oranges”, d. II, k. 2

From what has been said above, it follows that two types of chromatism are distinguished:

a) melodic chromatism, which contributes to the “coloring” of the entire musical fabric as a whole (and, above all, the melodic line) due to the use of chromatic passing and auxiliary sounds in a particular voice;

b) harmonic chromatism associated with the exacerbation of existing or the formation of new modal-functional gravitations, manifested primarily in harmony and supported by the corresponding sharply directed chordal means. As a rule, harmonic chromatism leads to a change in foundations and the formation of new ladotonal centers, and actively contributes to the tonal development of music.