Some Other Musical Scales (using western instruments)

The spacing between adjacent notes on the chromatic scale is referred to as a half step. The number of half steps between adjacent notes for the following scales are:

• "Hungarian Minor": 2-1-3-1-1-3-1 (example: C D Eb F# G Ab B C)
• Phrygian dominant scale: 1-3-1-2-1-2-2 (example: A Bb C# D E F G A)

These examples are, of course, approximations to the actual scales used by performers. They are the closest one can expect using a keyboard and the equal tempered scale.

A good source for many additional scales is in the translation of Helmholtz's book. Some other scales, which cannot be easily played on a keyboard, and a critique of Western scales, can be found in the book by Daniélou (see below).

If you are unfamiliar with a keyboard, refer to this figure:

A. Daniélou, Introduction to the study of musical scales (Indian Press, 1943).

Questions/Comments to: suits@mtu.edu

There are no pop-ups or ads of any kind on these pages. If you are seeing them, they are being added by a third party without the consent of the author.