Pentatonic - here are some scales

[DCMagnuson at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/10/99 3:47:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
tpaddock at seanet.com writes:

> I was thinking more of an alternative tuning scheme than 
>  picking notes on the standard keyboard.
>  Using some *eastern* type scaling, if that makes any sense.
>  I really don't know what I'm talking about here,
>  it's all just assumptions. But if there is an idiot
>  proof scale, I want one.
>  
>  And I was thinking instead of switches, use copper
>  pads - each with a voltage on it - that you bang on
>  with a conductive mallet to pick off the voltages.
>  
>   - -- -  Toby


Hi Toby,  

I decided to post a list of scales for you.  I collected these off of a few 
newsgroups over about 6 months time, so their accuracy is not guaranteed, but 
this should be fun to mess around with.  I have all of the modes of the major 
and melodic minor scales as well as some oddball ones


****** 5 note scales

Kumoi:
      1 - 2 - b3 - 5 - 6

In Japanese Scale:
      Shown in D.
       1 - b2 - 4 - 5 - b6  
        D  Eb  G   A   Bb

Modern Japanese Scale:
       Shown in C
        1 - b2 - 4 - b5 - b6
         C  Db  F   Eb   Ab

***** 6 Note Scales:

Blues scale: same as minor pentatonic, only add the b5th.  The b5th is
      called a "blue" note.
      1 - b3 - 4 - b5 - 5 - b7
      A   C    D   Eb   E   G

DomSus:
      1 - 2 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7

Persian:
      1 - b2 - 3 - 4 - b5 - 7 

Whole tone scale:
     Comprised entirely of whole steps.  Works well over augmented chords
     Shown beginning on F:
     F G A B C# D# 

***** 7 Note Scales: (Alphabetical Order.)



Aeolian:
      the 6th mode of the major scale.  Works best over a minor 
      (because of flatted 3rd).  A is the 6th of C, so A aeolian 
      is C major scale, played A to A.  Constructed of a minor and
      a phrygian tetrachord.
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

Chinese Scale of the Chow Dynasty:
      circa 1122 BC.  Shown in F.
      1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - #7
       F  G   A    B   C   D    E

Chinese Scale of the Yuan Dynasty:
      Shown in F.
      1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 -#7
       F  G   A Bb  C  D   E

Dorian:
      The 2nd mode of the major scale.  Works best over a minor chord.  
      Formed from 2 minor tetrachords.  D dorian is the same as a C major 
      played from D to D.  Bluesy sounding due to the b3rd and b7th
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7 

Dorian-b2:
      Same as a Dorian, although the 2nd is flatted.  I beleive this would
      be formed by  phrygian and minor tetrachords.  This is the second
      mode of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
 
Enigmatic:
      1 - b2 - 3 - b5 - #5 - b7 - 7

Harmonic Minor:
      It's a two minor tetrachords joined together.  It's the same as the
      Melodic Minor, with a flatted 6th.
      Shown in G:
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - 7
      G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F#
      
Hindu:
      5th mode of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7 

Ionian:  
      The first mode of the major scale.  C Ionian is the C major scale.
      Ionian is constructed from 2 major tetrachords. Works best over a
      major scale.  This scale, also called the Heptatonic (means 7-tones)
      is comprised of a series of fifths.  C->G->D->A->E->B->F.
      1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 
      C - D - E - F - G - A - B

Locrian:
      The 7th mode.  B locrian is a C major played from B to B.  It's built 
      from  phrygian and lydian tetrachords, and plays best over a minor
      chord.  
      1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7

Locrian Natural 2:
      Locrian with the 2nd left natural rather than flatted.  The 6th mode
      of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7
      
Lydian:
      4th mode of the major scale.  F Lydian is the same as a C major 
      scale played F to F.  This is because C is the 4th of G.  Works 
      best over a Major chord, and is formed from lydian and major
      tetrachords.
      1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - 7 

Lydian Augmented:
      lydian with a #5.  The 3rd mode of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - #5 - 6 - 7 

Lydian Dominant:
      lydian with a b7.  It's a combination of a lydian and mixolydian.
      This is the 4th mode of the melodic minor scale.  Considered a
      "dominant" scale because of the formula for a dominant chord is
      1,3,5,b7.
      1 - 2 - 3 -#4 - 5 - 6 - b7 

Major: (See Ionian)

Melodic minor:
      First mode of the melodic minor scale.  Works well over augmented
      chords if scale is played a minor 3rd below the chord.   So for F+, 
play 
       D Melodic Minor.  Using the root D in this example suggests the F+ 
       chord would sound like a D minor with a major 7th....Dm(maj7).  Note 
       also that the D melodic minor is the same as an F lydian with a raised
       5th.
      1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7

Minor:  (See Melodic Minor)

Mixolydian:
      5th mode of the major scale.  G Mixolydian is a C major played from
      G to G.  It is built from a major and minor tetrachord, and works best 
      over a major scale.  the b7th adds a bluesy feel.
      1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7 

Nohkan Flute Scale:
      A Japanese scale, shown in D:
      1 - 2 - 4 - b5 - b6 - 6 - 7
       D  E  G   Ab   Bb   B  C#

Phrygian:
      The 3rd mode of the Major scale.  Works best over a minor chord.
      E is the 3rd of C, so E phrygian is the same as a C major scale 
      played from E to E.  Phrygian is built from 2 phrygian tetrachords.
      1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

Phrygian Dominant:
      Has an Egyptian or Arabic sound.  Used in bridge of Megadeth's
      "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due".  Shown in E:  
      1 - b2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
      E   F    G#  A   B   C    D
      Since E Phrygian is the 3rd mode of C Major, It would normally have
      no sharps or flats, but the Phrygian Dominant has a G#.  Notice the 
      notes for the E dominant 7th chord are in the scale... 1,3,5,b7
      
Spanish:
      1 - b2 - b3 - 3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7

Super Locrian:
      7th mode of the melodic minor scale.
      1 - b2 - b3 - b4 - b5 - b6 - b7

Dave Magnuson
Independent Music Site
http://members.aol.com/dcmagnuson