Wholetone scale music britannica encyclopedia britannica. The column on whole and half step construction i have listed for each scale on the syllabus should prove helpful when transposing a scale to any of the twelve keys. In this book are 26 scales notated in all 15 key signatures. The whole tone scale for guitar jazz guitar online. Wholetone scale article about wholetone scale by the. Jan 30, 2020 what makes this an example of the chromatic scale and not just chromaticism is that it is impossible to reduce the music to a diatonic or another kind of scale.
The whole tone scale, consisting entirely of whole tones is in contradistinction to the chromatic scale which consists entirely of half steps or semitones, as well as diatonic scales like the major and minor scales which consist of semitones and whole tones. Inspired by the performances of the american dancer loie. The whole tone scale is easily recognizable for a few reasons. A compilation of scales for trombone twentysix scales in all key signatures. The whole tone scale is comprised completely of whole steps, like the chromatic. Apr 23, 2011 symmetrical scales symmetrical scales are those that have an even number of degrees. This is a resource with free piano lessons and printable scale charts for beginners. In a whole tone scale, all notes are separated by 1 whole step tone, and all note has the same importance the same function, so there is no tonic. The fractured sound of the whole tone scale seymour duncan. The wholetone scale, as the name implies, is made up exclusively from whole tones.
In this short scale tutorial we will be discussing the whole tone scale. And in the book on page 28, on the bottom, you see examples of two whole tone scales written out in scores and in tab which gives you one octave of an e whole tone scale playing. In twelve tone equal temperament, there are only two complementary whole tone scales, both sixnote or hexatonic scales. In this case you could only take the scale up a semi tone because if it goes up one more semitone then you would be back to where you started. The whole tone scale is an elusive and, for most musicians, problematic series of notes.
This is further increased by the fact that the only triads that are able to be built from the whole tone scale are augmented triads. The whole tone scale learn how the whole tone scale is built and how to use it. Not an answer to your question, but perhaps of interest anyway. A whole tone is the same as two steps on the keyboard a half tone is consequently one step. It is perhaps easiest to sing as overlapping 123 patterns, repeating notes to switch patterns. This is a list of notable musical works which use the whole tone scale. Composing using a wholetone scale my teacher has given us a task of writing a piece of music any instrumentation, any style etc using a wholetone scale. Voiles, the second piece in debussys first book of preludes, is almost entirely within one wholetone scale. The only other scale like this is the chromatic scale.
List of pieces which use the whole tone scale wikipedia. Whole tone scale, in music, a scalar arrangement of pitches, each separated from the next by a whole tone step or whole step, in contradistinction to the chromatic scale consisting entirely of half steps, also called semitones and the various diatonic scales, such as the major and minor scales which are different arrangements of whole and. In twelvetone equal temperament, there are only two complementary wholetone scales, both sixnote or hexatonic scales. Wholetone scale article about wholetone scale by the free. The whole tone workbook author bruce saunders uses exercises, etudes and chord progressions from jazz standards to explore the sound of the wholetone scale, the augmented scale and drop2, d. There is also a type of scale that has six notes and all of them are a tone apart called a whole tone scale. Aug 17, 2001 there are only two whole tone scales with different notes in as each step of the scale is a whole tone. Because of this there are only 2 distinct wholetone scales i. Its used by jazz guitarists to improvise over dominant chords as it produces jazzysounding dissonances tensions. In music, a wholetone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from its neighbors by the interval of a whole tone. The following public domain patterns for whole tone and diminished scales were gleaned. There is always one note in between each pair of notes of the whole tone scale counting all the notes. Adding whole tones to your soloing gives you a unique sound that sets you apart from other players. Download our free pdf versions of each scale with fingering.
The wholetone scale, consisting entirely of whole tones is in contradistinction to the chromatic scale which consists entirely of half steps or semitones, as well as diatonic scales like the major and minor scales which consist of semitones and whole tones. Jan 04, 2018 it is probably one of the most insightful and useful ideas that has come out of the study of scio. May 20, 2015 this relationship is worthy of an article by itself, so i wrote one, but here we are talking about a very specific scale, the whole tone scale. Exercises in this book cover long tones, scales, arpeggios, ascending and descending tetrachords, modes, scales in thirds, and arpeggiated diatonic chords for all major and minor keys followed by pairs of exercises for chromatic, major blues, minor blues, major pentatonic, minor pentatonic and whole tone scales. The theory behind this scale is pretty evident from its name alone. In music, a wholetone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from its neighbors by. The whole tone scale consists of a scale that is built on whole steps between each scale degree. Using only tones also called whole steps as in a whole tone scale, creates an open sound without the feeling of major or minor, since it. Every note in a whole tone scale is the same distance from its neighbor as the name suggests, the interval between each note is a whole tone, or whole step. Because this scale has no half steps, composed can use the wholetone scale to. This is a socalled symmetrical scale, meaning that the interval is the same throughout the scale.
Talk about an educational, yet super hip sounding scale. There are only two whole tone scales with different notes in as each step of the scale is a whole tone. Wholetone scale a sixpitchclass scale made up of successive whole tones, prime form. The whole tone scale is a sixnote or hexatonic scale.
The major scale, harmonic minor scale and melodic minor scale all have seven different notes and an eighth note that repeats the first. Acoustic scale a sevenpitchclass scale that resembles the major scale, but with fa raised to fi and ti lowered to te, in order to match the seventh and eleventh partials of the natural harmonic series. Thus, the whole tone scale comprises six degrees per octave. As a rule of thumb many people think of the scale as starting on the b9 of the chord, but of course it could just as easily be the 3rd, 5th or 7th. This effect is especially emphasised by the fact that triads built on such scale tones. Inspired by the performances of the american dancer loie fuller, whose scarf dances were. In music, a whole tone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from the next one by an interval of a whole tone. Constructing the scale is rather simplesix wholesteps and youre there. Scales must be performed over the full range of the instrument. Glinka used the wholetone scale in ruslan and liudmila as the motif identifying chernomor the chernomor scale. In this lesson, you will learn how to build the whole tone scale and apply it to your jazz guitar playing. Jazz players will find bebop scales, altered scales, whole tone scales, for metal players there are all the modal scales, phrygian dominant scales and minor scales.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Every note in a whole tone scale is the same distance from its neighbor as the name suggests, the interval between each note is a whole tone. C ocarina g ocarina click on the score to view exercises for any scale. Whole tone scale definition of whole tone scale by the free. Thus, the wholetone scale comprises six degrees per octave. These are the notes that give the whole tone scale its unique, dreamlike sound. The whole tone workbook author bruce saunders uses exercises, etudes and chord progressions from jazz standards to explore the sound of the whole tone scale, the augmented scale and drop2, drop3. The wholetone scale is an elusive and, for most musicians, problematic series of notes. As the name suggests, the whole tone scale is constructed purely from whole steps 2 frets. The 16 most important scales in jazz updated learn. Adventist youth honors answer bookarts and craftsmusic. Because of this, theres one place in the scale where youll skip a letter, and. Aug 15, 2001 we can call this the ts tonesemitone or wh wholehalf diminished scale. Wholetone scale facts for kids kids encyclopedia facts in music, a whole tone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from the next one by an interval of a whole tone.
Whole tone scale, in music, a scalar arrangement of pitches, each separated from the next by a whole tone step or whole step, in contradistinction to the chromatic scale consisting entirely of half steps, also called semitones and the various diatonic scales, such as the major and minor scales. This scale has many names, including superlocrian, diminished whole tone or even the dimwit scale. Introduction to the scale syllabus jamey aebersold. Bop pianist thelonious monk often interpolated whole tone scale flourishes into his improvisations and compositions. Constructing the scale is rather simplesix whole steps and youre there. Two mutually exclusive wholetone scales are formed by choosing alternate notes of the chromatic scale which has 12 notes per octave.
Wholetone scale definition of wholetone scale by the free. But because any note of the scale can be considered the root, it does create a sound that seems to wander aimlessly. Pentatonic, chromatic, whole tone, blues and 12 tone series. A quick guide there are lots of different types of scales in music. In music, a whole tone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from its neighbors by the interval of a whole tone.
The pattern for a wholetone scale is easy to remember because it consists only of whole steps w. The whole tone scale is a coolsounding dominant 7th scale that you can use to add tension to your dominant 7th chords. Most of the ones that youre probably familiar with have seven notes, others have five, some even have twelve. Csharp wholetone scale play piano scales in all keys. Two mutually exclusive whole tone scales are formed by choosing alternate notes of the chromatic scale which has 12 notes per octave. Wholetone scale, in music, a scalar arrangement of pitches, each separated. Jul 26, 2010 more interesting are the diminished scales and whole tone scales. The scale tones of the major pentatonic scale form a succession of whole tone major 2nd and minor 3rd intervals. In this tutorial were going to learn an uncommon type of guitar scale, the whole tone scale, that, as the name suggests, is composed of only whole tones take a look at your guitar and give yourself a little bit of a music theory reminder. I understand that its impossible to create a standard major or minor chord, and that theres no distinguishable tonic to return to.
Wholetone scales article about wholetone scales by the. Discover the fretboard with these pretty looking and sounding. The whole tone scale produces an unsettling, ambiguous sound. Perhaps the b9 is easier to mentally commute as it is juts up one semitone. This book has opened up my soloing by giving me the tools to expand on my knowledge of modes and the pentatonic scales. So, what this means in practical terms is that the g whole tone scale will work over chords that use those notes as extensions. They are often found in classical music from around the mid19th century, modern jazz and also in rock music, such as this example by sting of jimi hendrixs little wing, its the first scale you hear and keep listening. The wholetone scale is one of the modes of limited transposition, because there is only transposition of this mode. Needless to say, any scale you want to learn should be transposed and practiced in all twelve keys. If you are interested in purchasing the beato book click here. In a similar format to his other books, in symmetric solutions. All of the essential guitar scales are included, such as blues, pentatonic and major shapes. Whole tone scales are one of the most exotic sounding scales found in western music.
This means that it also has less notes than most of the other scales you use. Then go ahead, and go totally wild with debussyesque whole tone scales, and then, almost startrek out on augmented fifth chords and such, before playing through your typical two octave major scales, and then spending a little time on. Major and minor scales consists of 7 notes, while pentatonic scales are made of 5 notes. We can call this the ts tone semitone or wh whole half diminished scale. One way is to use it as a 12 whole diminished starting on the 5th of a maj chord. Mozart in the sextet a musical joke 1787, and it is encountered from time to time in romantic music. This whole tone scale has appeared occasionally and sporadically in jazz at least since bix beiderbeckes impressionistic piano piece in a mist. The wholetone scale has no leading tone and because all tones are the same distance apart, no single tone stands out, the scale creates a blurred, indistinct. Jan 09, 2010 voiles, number 2 from book i of debussys preludes. Moyses exercises journaliers chromatic scales play each slowly twice with glorious tone quality. Whole tone scales are very easy to build and to understand, since. The whole tone scale is constructed, just like it sounds, around whole tones, also known as whole. This is a really good instruction book if you are interested adding more color to your guitar. In a wholetone scale, all notes are separated by 1 whole step tone, and all note has the same importance the same function, so there is no tonic.
The guitar scales chart book is suitable for all guitarists. It will pull your ear away from the maj chord, so you will have to resolve it back until your ear gets use to it. The first interesting thing about symmetrical scales is that there arent 12 of them as there are with the major, minor, blues, etc. Composing using a whole tone scale my teacher has given us a task of writing a piece of music any instrumentation, any style etc using a whole tone scale. The whole tone scale is somewhat different from the majors and minors, since it has six notes instead of seven. Buy 20 steps e book four jazz scales you should know major scales. The wholetone scale has no leading tone and because all tones are the same distance apart, no single tone stands out, the scale creates a blurred, indistinct effect. A wholetone scale is a scale made entirely of whole steps and has only six notes. Wholetone scale a scale composed entirely of whole tones, six to the octave. David baker vol 1 the bebop scales and other scales in.
A scale that divides the octave into six equaltempered whole tones. Nov 17, 2016 in this short scale tutorial we will be discussing the whole tone scale. Print and learn to play piano scales in major and minor as well as in other interesting modes, in the lessons below. Try playing through the scale, and then playing some of these chords to hearsee how they fit together.
The classical concerto is a large scale work in three movements for. The whole tone scale is one of the modes of limited transposition, because there is only transposition of this mode. Mel bay in a similar format to his other books, in symmetric solutions. The whole tone scale is a nice tool to get some shifting outside ideas on a minor chord and has been used for this by quite a few people since. The wholetone scale is one of the modes of limited transposition, because there is only transposition of. The scale therefore sounds partly like a scale, partly like a broken chord. You can do the same thing with a whole tone scale, which i think sounds cooler. The entire scale can be built from just two augmented triads a major second apart. Half tone, whole tone, minor third, and major third are the building blocks of the scales in this book.
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