A Composer’s Guide to Understanding Music
SAMPLE CHAPTER
IX. Scale Systems
Scale systems (a regular recurring ascending pattern of at least five notes) are the most common method of organizing musical pitch. Most scale systems use the same notes when descending with the exception of the melodic minor scale. The regularly recurring pattern provides unity. Each scale system is unique due to the arrangement of whole step and half step intervals. Some scales contain intervals larger than a whole step, such as harmonic minor and pentatonic. Other scales have equal intervals throughout, such as a chromatic scale and a whole tone scale.
| Discovery Activity #1 - Go to any keyboard and locate the note C (the white key immediately to the left of two black keys). Play the C and the next seven white keys to the right successively. You are playing a C major scale which is made up of a whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. Now play the fifth note of the scale followed by the first note of the scale (G down to C). Then play the seventh note of the scale up to the eighth note of the scale (B to C). These are the important notes for establishing a strong sense of tonality. |
| Discovery Activity #2 - From the C you began on in activity 1, go one white key to the left. This is the note B. Play the B and the next seven white keys to the right successively. You are playing a B locrian scale. Now play the fifth note of the scale followed by the first note of the scale (F down to B) and the seventh note of the scale up to the eighth note (A up to B). This scale lacks the perfect fifth between scale degree five and scale degree one and the half step between scale degree seven and scale degree eight, therefore making it weaker in tonality. |
Most scales have a strong tonal center that is created by the scale containing a note a perfect fifth above the tonic and a note a half step below the tonic. The note that is one half step below tonic is referred to as the leading tone because it leads up to tonic. When scales lack one or both of these intervals, tonality becomes more vague. Some scales contain an upper leading tone (a pitch one half step above tonic that leads down to tonic) in order to create a tonal sense, such as the phrygian mode (see example 9-1). Scales that contain equal intervals throughout are the least tonal, such as the chromatic scale, whole tone scale (see example 9-2), and octatonic scale (a scale that alternates whole step, half step throughout) (see example 9-3).
Example 9-1 – E Phrygian Mode
Example 9-2 – C Whole Tone Scale
Example 9-3 – C Octatonic Scale
Using a single scale system throughout a movement or piece provides unity. In order to create variety, composers can change the tonal center of the scale system (modulation) and/or change the scale system.
Activities for Listeners
1. Listen to a movement from a Mozart or Haydn Symphony. Observe the strong sense of tonality throughout most of the movement.
2. Listen to Debussy’s "Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Faun" and observe how tonality is vague. The opening flute solo is part of a chromatic scale. This melody will recur several times. A whole tone scale is frequently used as the basis of harmony in this composition, as well. Both these scales are equal interval scales and disguise tonality.
Activities for Performers, Conductors, and Educators
1. Using a piece of music that you are studying, determine the scale system and keys that are used. In your performance try to bring out the notes that define tonality and change tonality in scales that have a strong tonal sense. In pieces with scales that obscure tonality, avoid emphasizing any particular pitch.
Activities for Composers
1. Create a short piece that uses a scale system that clearly defines tonality. Feel free to modulate or change scale systems during the piece to add variety.
2. Create a short piece that uses a scale system that obscures tonality. Feel free to modulate or change scale systems during the piece to add variety.