Sound scales (ES)
In the same way that the skeleton serves to structure and support the body, the sound scales (ES) help us to structure the sounds of a melody.
A sound scale is a set of notes (N) chosen within the register, and determines a structure in the sound dimension. Usually the register is divided into 12 parts, the 12 notes of the chromatic scale, so we will choose some of these 12 notes to create sound scales.
Sound scales are defined by their scalar structure (eE), which is the sequence of sound intervals (iS) between the chosen notes that are arranged in ascending order. The selected notes are renamed grades (Nº) and receive a new numbering.
Sound scales are used as collections of notes, from which we choose notes to combine and arrange them in our sound successions.
There are different ways to classify sound scales: by their number of notes, by their feeling of brightness, by their scalar structure…
In the Nuzic system we follow the proposal of Dmitri Tymoczko, who proposes an organization in 6 mother scales generating other scales, ordered by their symmetry in the scalar structure:
Look closely at the structure of each scale, and note that sometimes the same scale has been called by different names. For example, the diatonic scale is also known as the Major scale or Ionian scale, or the acoustic scale as the Lydian b7, or the whole-tone scale as the hexatonal scale, and so on.
Each of these mother scales generates other scales through the different rotations of its scalar structure: the Notes remain the same, but their order changes. For example, if we rotate the acoustic scale to the scalar structure 2122221, we obtain the melodic minor scale in ascending direction. Or if we rotate the diatonic scale, we obtain each of the Greek modes:
We can also obtain other scales by merging the iS of its scalar structure. For example, from the diatonic scale, we obtain the pentatonic scale:
In this way, these 6 mother scales are generators of the great majority of scales (not all), through a simple set of rotations and fusions in their scalar structure.
nonatonic scale. eA (121 121 121)
gipsy.
