What's Your Favorite Scale?

[snyprrr]

I've got that Pelog scale stuck in my head, the one that sounds like Indo-Pacifica.

I'm also fond of Egyptian-sounding noodling.

And some of those modern, spectral "scales", or wot not,... they sure make dreamy chords!

Otherwise, it's straight up minor/minor harmonic.


I could to expand my pallette(?). Would you enlighten me?

[Dax]

Alternate tones and semitones - mode 2 (Messiaen), octatonic if you're more academically minded, diminished if you're a jazzer, Pijper scale if you're Dutch . . .

[petrarch]

I could to expand my pallette(?). Would you enlighten me?

Take a look at chapter 7 of Xenakis' Formalized Music, where he explains his theory of sieves and non-octaviating scales.

Here's an example from Nomos Alpha:

http://recherche.ircam.fr/equipes/repmus/Analyse/Xenakis/

[snyprrr]

Take a look at chapter 7 of Xenakis' Formalized Music, where he explains his theory of sieves and non-octaviating scales.

Here's an example from Nomos Alpha:

http://recherche.ircam.fr/equipes/repmus/Analyse/Xenakis/

Haha, that page,... I can't even tell you the thoughts passing through my head,... oy, wwwwhhyyy didn't I take math seriously until now??? uhg, I feel shame.... I need more friends like you, haha!

[Cato]

For regular major/minor scales, I have always liked F# minor for some reason.

For microtonal scales, a 19-tone division has been my first choice, but NOT equally divided.  Rather, I preferred using the regular 12-tones with 7 additional 1/4 tones (or 1/3 tones) to create a kind of modal microtonality.

Since I do not have access to the usual quarter-tone symbols:

+ = 1/4 higher
* = 3/4   "

e.g.

C, C+, C#, D, D# D*, E, F, F+,F#,F*,G, G#,G*, A, A+, A#, B, B+ , C

[jowcol]

E Dorian also floats my boat.

Raga Malkuans is my favorite Indian scale.

"Malkauns (or Malkosh) was also referred to as Malav kaushika or Kaushik in the past. It is a majestic and somewhat introverted pentatonic raga, which seems to have undergone quite a transformation over the centuries. In ragamala paintings Malkauns is frequently portrayed as a heroic lord taking pan. [I have no idea what taking pan is]Superstitious musicians describe it as a raga with supernatural powers, and some believe that it can attract evil spirits.

Ma is the pivotal tone of this raga, and the tone in which the first string of the tanpura is usually tuned. Ga, Dha and Ni may be slightly oscillated. Malkauns should be performed in a slow and dignified manner, and to bring out its ethos the notes should be linked by glides, in particular N \ D, D \ M and M \ G."
As taken from:
http://www.wyastone.co.uk/nrl/world/raga/malkauns.html



I also like the Indian scale where you take a major scale and flatten the 2nd and 6th.

Finally, there is a Persian scale (a "major scale" with a flatted 3rd-- I know it is not major anymore) that is supposed to represents the lonely wanderer who is forever in search of warmth and comfort-- and never finds it.

[snyprrr]

E Dorian also floats my boat.

Raga Malkuans is my favorite Indian scale.

"Malkauns (or Malkosh) was also referred to as Malav kaushika or Kaushik in the past. It is a majestic and somewhat introverted pentatonic raga, which seems to have undergone quite a transformation over the centuries. In ragamala paintings Malkauns is frequently portrayed as a heroic lord taking pan. [I have no idea what taking pan is]Superstitious musicians describe it as a raga with supernatural powers, and some believe that it can attract evil spirits.

Ma is the pivotal tone of this raga, and the tone in which the first string of the tanpura is usually tuned. Ga, Dha and Ni may be slightly oscillated. Malkauns should be performed in a slow and dignified manner, and to bring out its ethos the notes should be linked by glides, in particular N \ D, D \ M and M \ G."
As taken from:
http://www.wyastone.co.uk/nrl/world/raga/malkauns.html



I also like the Indian scale where you take a major scale and flatten the 2nd and 6th.

Finally, there is a Persian scale (a "major scale" with a flatted 3rd-- I know it is not major anymore) that is supposed to represents the lonely wanderer who is forever in search of warmth and comfort-- and never finds it.

I like Ahir Bhiaravi. Is that it? It's the most familiar to Western ears, IMO.

[jowcol]

I like Ahir Bhiaravi. Is that it? It's the most familiar to Western ears, IMO.

Raga Bhairvi is different in Hindustani (northern) and Carnatic (southern) traditions.  In the Hindustani, it is the major scale with the 2nd and 6th notes flattened.  In the southern tradtion, it has different ascending and descending values.  It's a fun one to play in.

[jochanaan]

I like the Arabian modes, especially the one that begins with a minor 2nd and a major 3rd (2nd Arabian mode?  I once had a table sheet of Arabian modes but can't put my hands on it right now.)  I also like to improvise on a modified Native American scale; example: A, C, D, D#, E, F#, G, A.

Alan Hovhaness was a master of Eastern scales.

[snyprrr]

I like the Arabian modes, especially the one that begins with a minor 2nd and a major 3rd (2nd Arabian mode?  I once had a table sheet of Arabian modes but can't put my hands on it right now.)  I also like to improvise on a modified Native American scale; example: A, C, D, D#, E, F#, G, A.

Alan Hovhaness was a master of Eastern scales.

I have invented 1001 Noodle Scales!

Yes, that Egyptian as you describe,.. hilarious,... all that Dick Dale stuff too, surf guitar! Gnarly!



What's the mode corresponding to the chords (in the key of G) a-minor to D-Major? The Jerry Garcia Scale?





I remember looking through a book of scales and seeing ridiculous stuff like three consecutive notes, and that's it! bah-da-da,... next register, bah-da-dah,... next register,...



I find the whole tone scale kind of pointless. What's so cool about it? Please.



Is Chinese music really just pentatonic? pentatonic-with-microtones?



Can we just play Scale Stereotypes, haha? Or is it Mode Stereotypes?

[jowcol]

I have invented 1001 Noodle Scales!




i  find the whole tone scale kind of pointless. What's so cool about it? Please.

Voiles by Debussy.
Impressions by Coltrane.

If it doesn't grab you, it doesn't grab you.

[AndyD.]

Big into Eb minor and major, also droopy old Ab minor.

Love the Natural minor, but I'm way into the Pentatonic major and minor as well.

[Josquin des Prez]

Any minor, but b and a in particular.

[snyprrr]

Big into Eb minor and major, also droopy old Ab minor.

Love the Natural minor, but I'm way into the Pentatonic major and minor as well.

Why the flats? I'm guessing you tune down one?

...haha, or, are you REALLY HardCore, and tune normal, but prefer to play in those torturous keys???

[snyprrr]

Any minor, but b and a in particular.

You can tell the difference in a blind hearing? Is it a guitar thing?

[snyprrr]

I brought this up in the "f# minor" Thread,... b minor and f# minor are two really choice keys for guitar players. Do piano players feel the same way?

I would say, going even further, that c# minor (or even g# minor) is as far into fantasyland as one can go. d#/eb minor seems to have too much of a "cloud" over it to be really really poppy. c# minor has a very searing potential, and,...yes, I'm making this up as I go along,... and I would say it IS c# minor, and not g# minor, because g# minor is too low to be The One.

So, Most Awesome "Regular" Scale?

c# minor



Well, f# minor is still really hard to beat,... especially for the Hard Stuff!

[snyprrr]

I'm working on this one:

E G G# C D# F# A A# C# (D)* F

*D optional

[AndyD.]

Why the flats? I'm guessing you tune down one?

...haha, or, are you REALLY HardCore, and tune normal, but prefer to play in those torturous keys???

I tuned down a half step (Eb Ab, etc) for many years, following the classic '70's tuning of one of my heros, Ulrich Roth. In the past year and a half I've tuned down to D, G, C, etc. mostly because of my increasing inspirational debt to Tony Iommi.

I write alot in D and G minor now, whereas roughly half of the 1st Lyraka cd was in Ab major and minor.

[karlhenning]

D Lydian

[DavidRoss]

This one's nice:



Otherwise I'm fond of D minor.