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This lesson covers a variety of less common scales. Some are modes of more common scales or each other. Many go beyond the normal practice of using only whole and half step movements from note to note, incorporating whole + half and even whole + whole jumps. Each scale has a brief synopsis of its origins and tonality, then proceeds into discussion of ideal usage, including whether it can be translated into diatonic chord progressions.
== Pentatonic ==
'''Pentatonic''' means 5-note. The following scales consist of 5 distinct tones (excluding octaves).
=== Eastern Pentatonic - Yo ===
R M2 P4 P5 M6 R
w + w w +
The scale can be used anywhere in place of a major scale; however, its effect will be most prominent when the root note's M3 is not present in the accompanying chord, which is how this strongly differentiates from the major tonality. It achieves a [[Suspended Chords|suspended]] or [[Quartal Harmony|quartal harmony]] type sound that invokes a mystery to the listener.
=== Eastern Pentatonic - In ===
R m2 P4 P5 m6 R
h * w h *
|}
=== Egyptian/Suspended Pentatonic ===
R M2 P4 P5 m7 R
w + w + w
|}
=== Pentatonic - Minor Blues ===
R m3 P4 m6 m7 R
+ w + w w
|}
== Heptatonic ==
'''Heptatonic''' means 7-note. These scales contain 7 distinct tones (excluding octaves).
=== Double Harmonic ===
R m2 M3 P4 P5 m6 M7 R
h + h w h + h
|}
=== Hungarian Minor ===
R M2 m3 a4 P5 m6 M7 R
w h + h h + h
|}
== Octatonic ==
'''Octatonic''' means 8-note. These scales have 8 distinct tones (excluding octaves).
=== Whole-Half ===
R M2 m3 P4 d5 m6 M6 M7 R
w h w h w h w h
''* This scale is symmetric when dividing the octave into halves or quarters. Every other note can be the root and produce the same pattern.''
=== Half-Whole ===
R m2 m3 d4 d5 P5 M6 m7 R
h w h w h w h w
''* This scale is symmetric when dividing the octave into halves or quarters. Every other note can be the root and produce the same pattern.''
== Hexatonic ==
'''Hexatonic''' means 6-note. These scales have 6 distinct tones (excluding octaves).
=== Whole Tone ===
R M2 M3 a4 a5 a6 R = R M2 M3 d5 m6 m7 R
w w w w w w
''* These patterns will work with any root, as the whole tone scale is fully symmetric.''
=== Augmented ===
R m3 M3 a5 m6 M7
+ h + h + h
''* This scale is symmetric when dividing the octave into thirds. Every other note can be the root, and the scale pattern is identical.''
=== Prometheus ===
R M2 M3 tt M6 m7
w w w + h w
=== Tritone ===
R m2 m3 a4 P5 m7
h w + h + w
== Chromatic ==
R m2 M2 m3 M3 P4 d5 P5 m6 M6 m7 M7
h h h h h h h h h h h h
* John Petrucci
== Symmetric Scales ==
'''Symmetric Scales''' are scales that divide an octave into 2 or more equal parts. In other words, the whole/half pattern of notes for each piece will be identical and there are no leftover notes. Here is an example of a symmetric scale I am just inventing:
* Augmented
== Synthetic Scales ==
'''Synthetic Scales''' are formed by lowering or raising a single note of an existing scale by a half-step. We could consider harmonic minor a synthetic variation of natural minor. Similarly, many of the modes of the common major scale could be considered synthetic variations of the major or natural minor scales. Other interesting things can happen by simple alterations to a scale as such, especially when performed on the more exotic scales like the ones above.