8. Whole Tone, Pentatonic, Blues and Octatonic Scales Flashcards
What are the names of four 20th century scales?
Whole Tone Scales
Pentatonic Scales
Blues Scales
Octatonic Scales
What is a whole tone?
A tone with one semi-tone between the first and second key.
What is a Whole Tone scale?
A series of seven notes made up of six consecutive whole tones (six different letter names), beginning and ending on the same letter name.
What are the only two ways of writing the whole tone scale?
Using the group of 3 black keys or the group of 2 black keys.
What does a whole tone scale use ascending and descending?
The same notes ascending and descending. Use all sharps or all flats.
How many letter names are omitted in a whole tone scale and what is created as a result?
One letter name is omitted creating a diminished third.
What does a Pentatonic scale consist of?
5 notes plus the upper tonic, for a total of 6 notes.
How do you form a Major Pentatonic scale?
By taking a Major scale and omitting the 4th and 7th degrees.
What is the distance between the first 2 notes of a Major Pentatonic scale?
A Major 2nd.
How do you form a minor pentatonic scale?
By taking a natural minor scale and omitting the 2nd and 6th degrees.
What is the distance between the first two notes of a minor pentatonic scale?
A minor 3rd.
What notes does a Major Pentatonic Scale and a minor pentatonic scale use?
The same notes.
How do you form a Blues scale from a Major scale?
By taking a Major scale,
- omitting the 2nd and 6th degrees,
- lowering the 3rd and 7th degrees, and
- creating the “blue note” by repeating the 5th one chromatic semitone lower or repeating the 4th one chromatic semitone higher.
How may a blues scale be written?
With a lowered 5th degree or a raised 4th degree.
How do you form a Blues scale from the natural minor scale?
By taking the natural minor scale,
- omitting the 2nd and 6th degrees (minor pentatonic scale), and
- adding the “blue note” of the raised 4th or lowered 5th degree.
What does an Octatonic scale consist of?
Eight notes plus the upper tonic for a total of 9 notes.
How do you form an Octatonic scale?
By alternating whole tone (whole step) and semitone (half step) OR semitone (half step) and whole tone (whole step)
What is a Whole Tone scale?
7 notes - 6 whole tones
Beginning and ending on the same letter name
What is a Major Pentatonic scale?
6 notes plus repeated Tonic
Major scale omitting the 4th (fa) and 7th (ti) degrees
What is a minor pentatonic scale?
6 notes plus repeated Tonic
Natural minor scale omitting the 2nd (rae) and 6th (la) degrees.
What is a Blues scale?
7 notes - 6 plus repeated Tonic
Minor pentatonic scale adding the “blue note” of the raised 4th (fa) or lowered 5th (so) degree
What is an Octatonic scale?
9 notes - 8 plus repeated Tonic
Alternates between whole tones and semitones or between semitones and whole tones.
What is the definition of alla, all’?
In the manner of
What is the definition of assai?
Much, very much ie allegro assai - very fast
What is the definition of ben, bene?
well ie ben marcato - well marked
What is the definition of col, coll’, colla,colle?
with ie coll’ ottava - with an added octave
What is the definition of con?
with
What is the definition of e, ed?
and
What is the definition of ma?
but - ie- ma non troppo - but not too much
What is the definition of meno?
less
What is the definition of molto?
much, very
What is the definition of non?
not
What is the definition of non troppo?
not to much
What is the definition of piu?
more
What is the definition of poco?
little
What is the definition of poco a poco?
little by little
What is the definition of quasi?
as if
What is the definition of sempre?
always, continuously
What is the definition of senza?
without
What is the definition of troppo?
too much
What is the term for “in the manner of”?
alla, all’
What is the term for “much, very much”?
assai
What is the term for “well” as in well marked?
ben, bene
What is the term for “with” as in with an added octave?
col, coll’, colla, colle
What is the term for “with”?
con
What is the term for “and”?
e, Ed
What is the term for “but”?
ma
What is the term for “less”?
meno
What is the term for “much”, “very”?
molto
What is the term for “not”?
non
What is the term for “not too much”?
non troppo
What is the term for “more”?
piu
What is the term for “little”?
poco
What is the term for “little by little ?
poco a poco
What is the term for “as if ?
quasi
What is the term for “always, continuously”?
sempre
What is the term for “without”?
senza
What is the term for “too much”?
troppo
How many notes in a Whole Tone Scale?
Seven
How many notes in a Blues Scale?
Seven
How many notes in a Pentatonic Scale?
Six
How many notes in a Octatonic Scale?
Nine
What makes up the seven notes of a Whole Tone Scale?
Six consecutive whole tones beginning and ending on the same letter name.
What notes (degrees) are omitted from a Major Blues Scale?
2nd and 6th notes (degrees)
What notes (degrees) are lowered one semitone in a Major Blues Scale?
3rd, 5th and 7th.
What note (degree) is repeated in a Major Blues Scale and what is done to the repeated note?
5th note (degree) is repeated and it is first lowered one semitone, then raised one semitone.
What notes (degrees) are omitted in a Major Pentatonic Scale?
The 4th and 7th degrees of a Major scale.
What notes (degrees) are omitted in a Minor Pentatonic Scale?
The 2nd and 6th degrees of the natural minor scale.
