What is a whole tone scale?
It’s made up entirely of whole step intervals (tones). It’s the completely opposite of a chromatic scale – which is made up entirely of half step intervals (semitones). The interval formula of a whole tone scale is: W – W – W – W – W – W (whole steps).
What is a tone in music example?
Tones. A tone (or whole step) is an interval of 2 semitones (or half steps) added together. For example, the interval between C and D is a tone because the note C sharp/D flat is between them: Tone C to D. Similarly, the interval between A and B is a tone (the note A sharp/B flat is between the 2 notes): Tone A to B.
What is a tone (whole step)?
What is a Tone (Whole Step)? A tone or whole step as it’s called in the US, is the next smallest interval after a semitone. The word semi actually means half and so we can think of a semitone as half a tone. Using that logic, a tone is therefore made up of two semitones intervals.
What is an example of a whole tone?
A whole-tone is equivalent to two semi-tones: C and D are a whole tone apart. F♯ and G♯ are a whole tone apart. E and F♯ are a whole tone apart. B♭ and C are a whole-tone apart.
How do you identify a whole tone scale?
0:313:47Exploring the Whole Tone Scale | Music Theory | Berklee OnlineYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you start on C. Go see e. Next notice F sharp then pin sharp a sharp. And then you're back to C.MoreIf you start on C. Go see e. Next notice F sharp then pin sharp a sharp. And then you're back to C. If you put this scale together it equals the whole tone scale it's all whole steps.
What is whole tone scale example?
A very well known example of a song that uses the whole tone scale is Stevie Wonder's You Are The Sunshine Of My Life. You'll hear it in the first 10 seconds of the intro with its distinctive sound. What is this? Another great example is Four in One by Thelonious Monk.
What is a whole tone scale called?
The Whole Tone Scale (a.k.a. the Augmented Scale) is, as the name implies, built from notes with intervals of a whole note. This is a so-called symmetrical scale, meaning that the interval is the same throughout the scale. A whole tone is the same as two steps on the keyboard – a half tone is consequently one step.
What is whole tone and semi tone?
A whole step (or whole tone in British English) is a distance of two sharps or two flats. A half step (or semitone in British English) is a distance of one sharp or one flat.
How many notes are in a whole tone scale?
six notesThe wholetone scale is exactly as it sounds – it's a scale made up exclusively of whole tones. It consists of only six notes (as the seventh would be the doubled root in the higher octave). What is this? It is a symmetrical scale with one interval – the whole step – between each note.
How do you write whole tones?
1:055:05Whole Tone Scales - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's quite easy to remember whole tone scale. Goes tone tone tone how many of them are there one.MoreIt's quite easy to remember whole tone scale. Goes tone tone tone how many of them are there one. Two three four five six six tones tone tone tone tone tone tone.
Where is the whole tone scale used?
You can play the whole-tone scale on any chord with a major third—a major triad, dominant-seventh chord, major-seventh chord, etc. Choose the whole tone scale starting on the root or third of the chord. Incorporate the whole-tone scale in a solo on the 12-bar blues.
What is a whole tone below F?
Remember, the distance between 2 white notes on a piano is not always a tone (whole step). For example, E does not have a black note between it and F and so a tone up from E is actual F sharp/G flat and a tone down from F is E flat/D sharp.
How do you improvise the whole tone scale?
3:086:47Improvising with the Whole Tone scale - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere we have a typical melody over a two-five-one progression in the key of. C we could improviseMoreHere we have a typical melody over a two-five-one progression in the key of. C we could improvise over it using the notes of the c major scale or use the appropriate pentatonic scale you can see my
How many tones are there in music?
twelve tonesMusical notes and their names. There are in total twelve tones (or notes), but at the same time seventeen note names. The reason behind this is that five of the tones, so-called enharmonic notes, can be referred to two different names.
What is semi tone in music?
(semitoʊn ) Word forms: plural semitones. countable noun. In Western music, a semitone is the smallest interval between two musical notes. Two semitones are equal to one tone.
Is F sharp to G sharp a whole step?
From F# to G, a move from a black key UP to the next white key, is a half step (see the piano keyboard). A natural ncancels, or eliminates, a sharp or flat. The distance between any two pitches that are TWO half steps apart is called a WHOLE STEP.
Where is the whole tone scale used?
You can play the whole-tone scale on any chord with a major third—a major triad, dominant-seventh chord, major-seventh chord, etc. Choose the whole tone scale starting on the root or third of the chord. Incorporate the whole-tone scale in a solo on the 12-bar blues.
What is the purpose of whole tone scale?
The whole tone scale is often one of the first symmetrical scales that many guitarists explore in their studies and is a cool-sounding dominant 7th scale that you can use to add tension to your 7th chords. The whole tone scale is a symmetrical scale with only one interval between each note: the whole step.
What style of music made use of whole tone scale?
Hindustani classical musicThe raga Sahera in Hindustani classical music uses the same intervals as the whole-tone scale.
What chords are in the whole tone scale?
To sum up, this scale can be applied to any dominant seventh raised fifth (7#5) chords or any dominant seventh chord when you want to add tension. That means you can play the C whole tone scale over the following chords : C7, D7, E7, F#7, G#7, Bb7, C7#5, D7#5, E7#5, F#7#5, G#7#5, Bb7#5.
Mozart
Mozart did not wait for the birth of Olivier Messian to use the whole-tone scale, he used it in Ein musikalischer Spaß (A joke musical) K. 522, Divertimento for 2 horns and string quartet.
Debussy
Another example of whole ton scale in Voiles for piano (book 1) by Claude Debussy:
What is the hexatonic scale?
The hexatonic scale, or whole-tone scale, is a scale formed by the sequence: tone – tone – tone – tone – tone – tone – tone.
What scale has an augmented fourth and fifth?
Well, as we have already seen, the hexatonic scale has an augmented fourth and fifth, in addition to a minor seventh. The dominant V7 already has a minor seventh, so the hexatonic generates two alterations on it (the augmented fourth and fifth).
Can you play the whole tone scale on top of the dominant chord?
The whole tone scale can be applied on top of the dominant chords. To do this, just play the hexatonic of the dominant in question. For example: in the Am7 | G7 | C progression, we can play the hexatonic scale of G on top of G7.
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Who wrote the book Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns?
There is a great book by Nicolas Slonimsky called "Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns" which shows numerous ways to split the octave in equal intervals
How many notes are in a scale?
More common scales have 7 notes each (heptatonic), but this one has only 6 (hexatonic).
Can you get a different scale from two notes?
You can try it yourself, to see that on no matter which note you begin the scale, you won't get a different scale from these two (starting of course on the note you choose to begin).
What is a Tone (Whole Step)?
A tone or whole step as it’s called in the US, is the next smallest interval after a semitone.
What are some examples of tones?
Examples of tones (whole steps) With the example of E to F#, E to F is a semitone, and F to F # is another semitone and two semitones are equal to a tone. With the example of C to D, C to C# is a semitone and C# to D is another semitone and two semitones are equal to a tone.
What is the difference between chromatic and diatonic semitones?
For example C to Db or F# to G. On a piano, chromatic and diatonic semitones are exactly the same notes, but, when you write them on a stave they are written differently.
How do we work out large or small intervals?
We work out large or small intervals by how many semitones or tones the notes are apart.
What are the two types of semitones?
The Two Types of Semitones. There are two types of semitones to know about: Chromatic semitones. Diatonic semitones. They’re not to be confused with chromatic or diatonic scales though. It’s all to do with how we name the two notes in the semitone. Let’s take a look at chromatic semitones first.
What is an interval in music?
An interval in music, is the distance in pitch between any two notes. The larger the distance in pitch, the larger the interval, and vice versa, the smaller the distance in pitch, the smaller the interval.
Why are C# and Gb semitones?
For example, C to C# and Gb to G are both chromatic semitones because they share the same letter name.
What is music theory?
Music theory is a practice musicians use to understand and communicate the language of music. Musical theory examines the fundamentals of music. It also provides a system to interpret musical compositions. For example, basic music theory defines the elements that form harmony, melody, and rhythm. It identifies compositional elements such as song ...
Why is music theory important?
Music theory will give you a deeper understanding of music. But it’s also essential to remember musical theory is not hard rules. It’s a tool to help you create, understand, and communicate music.
What is a chord in music?
A chord has three or more notes that play at the same time. The chords and chord progressions in a piece of music support or complement the melody. Combining vocal parts also creates harmony. The combined voices of a choir are a perfect example. The multiple voices that make up a choir blend to make a harmonious sound.
What are the building blocks of music?
Chords are the harmonious building blocks of music. They evoke emotion and provide the foundation for creating melodies. Knowing how to build chords and how they interact with each other is essential when learning music theory. This section looks at basic chord types, chord extensions, and inversions.
What is a music scale?
A music scale is a set of notes within an octave arranged by their pitch. The ascending or descending interval relationships among the note pitches define each scale. Moreover, the notes from a scale form melodies and harmonies.
What is an interval in music?
An interval is a distance between two notes. There are several intervals. Measure these intervals by the number of half steps, whole steps, and their position in the scale.
What is counterpoint in music?
Counterpoint is the relationship between two or more melody lines played at the same time. These melodies or voices work together to create pleasant-sounding harmonies.
What line of music do you play the whole tone scale on?
If you start on C and play a whole tone scale you will play the scale on the top line of music. If you start on the next semitone up (D flat) then you will play the scale on the second line of music. It doesn’t matter which note of the respective whole tone scales you start on.
What is the difference between a B and C tone?
Also, B and C do not have a black note between them and so a tone up from B is C sharp/D flat, whilst a tone down from C is B flat/A sharp.
What is a whole step?
A tone (or whole step) is an interval of 2 semitones (or half steps) added together. For example, the interval between C and D is a tone because the note C sharp/D flat is between them: Tone C to D. Similarly, the interval between A and B is a tone (the note A sharp/B flat is between the 2 notes): Tone A to B.
How many semitones are there in an octave?
If you count up all the notes then you will find that there are 12 semitones in an octave. If you play a scale of all 12 semitones in the octave then this is called a chromatic scale. Here is an example of a chromatic scale played on the piano: Chromatic Scale.
What is the interval between two black and white notes on a piano?
The interval between two black and white notes that are next to each other on a piano is always a semitone – this is easy to remember. However, on 2 occasions in the octave there is a semitone interval between 2 white notes. This occurs between B and C and also between E and F:
What is a semitone?
Semitones Definition. A semitone (or half step) is the distance in pitch between a note and its nearest neighbour on a piano keyboard. Have a look at this keyboard: Can you see how each of the notes has another note right next to it? For example, C is next to C sharp/D flat. Semitone C to C sharp. So, the distance or interval between C ...
Can you play a whole tone scale?
However, it is possible to play a scale using just tones (whole steps) – it is called the whole tone scale: Whole Tone Scale Audio. The above sheet music and audio shows the 2 whole tone scales that are formed by starting on alternate notes of the chromatic scale.
