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whole tone scale

The Meaning of Whole Tone Scale in Music

A whole-tone scale is a musical scale that consists of six notes, with each note separated from its neighbors by the interval of a whole tone. In other words, each note in the scale is two semitones or two half steps apart. The whole-tone scale is characterized by its symmetrical and uniform structure, as all intervals within the scale are the same. This scale is often associated with a dreamy, ethereal, and ambiguous sound.

Characteristics of the Whole Tone Scale

- The whole-tone scale is a hexatonic scale, meaning it is comprised of six notes per octave.- It is a symmetrical scale, meaning it is the same on the way up as it is on the way down.- Since there are no semitones in the whole-tone scale, all thirds are major and all triads are augmented.- The whole-tone scale lacks the harmonic contrasts and resolutions found in the major-minor system and its different keys.- In twelve-tone equal temperament, there are only two complementary whole-tone scales, both of which are six-note or hexatonic scales.

Building a Whole Tone Scale

To build a whole-tone scale, you start with any note and then move up or down by whole tones (two semitones) until you have included all six notes of the scale. For example, starting with C, a whole-tone scale would be C - D - E - F# - G# - A# - C. Another whole-tone scale starting on a different note would be C# - D# - F - G - A - B - C#.

Examples of Whole Tone Scale in Music

The whole-tone scale has been used by various composers in different musical genres. One notable composer who extensively used the whole-tone scale in his compositions is Claude Debussy. His piece "Voiles" from the piano suite "Preludes" is a well-known example of the whole-tone scale in action. The whole-tone scale creates a sense of ambiguity and floating quality in the music, contributing to its dreamlike atmosphere.

Conclusion

In summary, the whole-tone scale is a musical scale consisting of six notes, with each note separated by a whole tone. It is a symmetrical scale with a uniform structure and lacks the harmonic contrasts found in traditional major-minor scales. The whole-tone scale has been used by composers to create dreamy and ambiguous musical atmospheres.

A scale built entirely of whole tone . The whole tone scale was used commonly by the French impressionists.

See modern-scale-construction in the Appendix.

Popular questions related to whole tone scale

The whole tone scale consists of six notes and is therefore called a hexatonic scale. However, there are many possible six note piano scales, so musicians primarily refer to this set of pitches specifically as the whole tone scale. The whole tone scale also consists of half the notes from the chromatic scale.

What is a whole tone scale? A whole tone scale contains six notes and is made up entirely of whole-steps. For example: C–D–E–F♯–G♯–A♯. Since the interval between each note of the whole tone scale is exactly the same, it is considered a symmetrical scale.

jazz musicians The scale is known for its ambiguous, dreamlike quality and has been used to great effect by composers such as Claude Debussy and jazz musicians like Thelonious Monk. The whole-tone scale might not appear too frequently in roots music like blues, folk, and country, but it's great to have at your fingertips.

Exactly how it sounds it's all whole steps. So if you make a scale that is only whole steps. If you start on C. Go see e. Next notice F sharp then pin sharp a sharp. And then you're back to C.

What is a whole tone? In short, a whole tone is equivalent to two semitones: two steps between one note and another.

The Wholetone Scale, as the name implies, is made up exclusively from whole tones. Because of this there are only 2 distinct wholetone scales (i.e. scales with a unique collection notes) and then the various modes of those two scales: G Wholetone Scale = G A B C# D# F. C Wholetone Scale = C D E F# G# A#

Claude Debussy Whole-tone patterning, with no leading tones or dominant harmony, became a distinctive aspect of the music of the French composers Claude Debussy, Paul Dukas, and others at the turn of the 20th century.

heptatonic scale, also called Seven-note Scale, or Seven-tone Scale, musical scale made up of seven different tones. The major and minor scales of Western art music are the most commonly known heptatonic scales, but different forms of seven-tone scales exist.

two half steps A whole step (or “whole tone” or simply “tone”) is the same distance as two half steps. A whole tone (or “whole step” or simply “tone”) is the same distance as two half steps. Key 1 to Key 3 is a whole step.

The interesting thing about symmetrical scales is that they are 'non-functional'. That is, they don't sound like they have a definitive root note – like the Major Scale. Because the Wholetone scale is constructed entirely from whole tones, each 'mode' of the scale sounds exactly the same as all the others.

Johann Rudolf Ahle In 1662, Johann Rudolf Ahle wrote a melody to the lyrics of Franz Joachim Burmeister's "Es ist genug" (It is enough), beginning it with four notes of the whole-tone scale on the four syllables.

There are only two possible versions of the the whole tone scale - one beginning on C and the other on D♭. This is because of the whole tone scale has a symmetrical construction in which all notes are the same distance apart. In music theory, this is called a scale of limited transposition.

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