Groups of Pitches / (?)

Objective. To gain a sense of how we can extract smaller loops of pitches from within the chromatic scale, creating the essential groups of pitches used by composers for their works of musical art.

A five note group of pitches. Having previously defined the backbone of our music theory as the 12 pitch loop of the chromatic scale, we can now begin to extract the distinct groupings of pitches that composers rely on to create their musical art. To create these groups we simply select definite patterns of pitches based on their selected musical intervals, from within the 12 pitches of the chromatic scale. For example, a most lovely melodic color is termed the pentatonic scale, so named by virtue of its five ( penta ) pitches. Using the letter names of the pitches, the following illustration extracts the five notes of the C major pentatonic scale from the twelve note chromatic scale. Example 1.

So of the 12 core pitches, we only need five of them to create this group? Yep. Here is an old time melody that captures the carefree, jaunty air often characteristic of the major pentatonic color. Example 2.

"Mama's little baby loves shortnin shortnin ..." Know this melody? Cool, its been with us for quite a while. If you do not know it, do learn it here. The carefree and whimsical nature of this melody embodies one characteristic sound quality that the pentatonic group of pitches contains. We'll often find the pentatonic color in creating music for kids, world music, rock, reggae and the pop styles among others. This pentatonic color is also an essential group for creating characteristic melodies in the early music cultures of China, Africa, our own Native American Indian cultures and that of the Celts and Scots of the British Isles. (1) Perhaps needless to say, this pentatonic group of pitches is a locally handy, yet globally employed for creating some of the styles of music we love, that goes back a long, long way in our recorded history. Those lovely wind chimes we often hear, stirred to life by nature's breeze to remind us of our daily blessings and grace, are so often comprised of the five pitches of this major pentatonic color.

Going back to our music theory, we can also define the pentatonic group of pitches by the intervals created between the pitches. We call this an interval formula. Example 3.

To verbalize the chart; from our root pitch C, we move up a whole step to D, up a whole step to E, up a minor 3rd to G, up a whole step to A, and up another minor 3rd to perfectly close our loop back to our starting pitch C. Using this formula, could we create a similar sounding pentatonic scale color from each of the other eleven pitches of the chromatic scale? Absolutely! Hmmm ... Okay? In equal temper tuning all pitches are created equal. Thus they each have the same potential to become key centers. So there are 12 different major pentatonic scales? Yep. All created equal by the same interval formula? Yep. Do we need 12? Well, that depends on one's musical style I'd imagine. Generally speaking, the more complex the music, the more key centers involved.

A seven note group of pitches. So what other groups of pitches do we have in our musical organization? And like the chromatic and pentatonic colors, does each group have a unique sound and emotional quality? Well, there are quite a few different, set groups of pitches in equal temper. Their theory is oftentimes the easy part, basically memorizing interval formulas of whole steps, half steps and the occasional larger leap. The real trick for each artist is to try to internalize their emotional and artistic value as it applies to the music they create. Artists search for lifetimes and along the way discover new emotional nuance in musical colors, to better bring forth the "art in their hearts." And while there are a dozen or so unique melodic groups for composers to work their magic ...

5 + 2 = 7. Based on the sheer volume of songs in our historical written records, the natural major scale by far and away is the most common group of pitches used by composers to create the music we love, in all of our styles. (2) Let's extract this seven note major scale from the pitches of the chromatic scale in the next chart. (3) Example 4.

Counting the pitches of each group, we've kept our five pitches of the pentatonic color and added two pitches to create the seven pitch major scale. Dig the sound of this important group of pitches. Example 5.

C major scale

Recognize the sound? Are you familiar with the major scale? Got these pitches of the C major under your fingers on your chosen instrument? As presented above, while the theory of evolving the pentatonic color into the major scale, simply by adding in two pitches, seems easy enough, ( 5 + 2 = 7 ) the simplicity of this process belies the dramatic increase in artistic power within the major scale grouping of pitches. This is especially evident when creating in an "equal temper tuned environment" such as our piano. The equally tempered major scale creates a whole new level of emotional and artistic possibilities, with a good bit of the increase of possibilities created by the harmony, or chords, that the major scale can fully provide. Lets compare the two colors. Example 6.

Hear the difference in their sound qualities? The heroic sounding major scale moving to the lighter pentatonic color. How about this idea? Example 7.

The line just seems to lighten up a bit in the 14th and 16th measures n'est pas? While these two colors are close in sound, the aural and emotional difference is eventually unmistakable. As artists we simply know the colors, then choose which will portray the "art in our hearts." As so often is the case, composers will simply let their muse dictate the music, while we theorists will come along after and try to figure out their magic. Such is the case with the following song. Example 8.

Recognize the melody? "Swing Low ... Sweet Chariot" has been with us for a while. Theoretically, 95% of the melody is drawn from the five note, major pentatonic scale, while the harmony is created from the pitches of the seven note major scale. Can you locate the one non-pentatonic pitch in the melody? Hint: look at the key signature. Need help? In composing, we can combine the best of both colors and create timeless, beautiful art n'est pas?

Another way cool aspect of these two important musical colors is in the way they are built right in to our modern day, equal tempered tuned piano. In this next graphic, the pitches of the C major scale are shown as built directly into the white keys of the piano. Example 9.

Examine the pitches of the Gb major pentatonic scale, built directly into the black keys of the keyboard. Example 10.

Interesting eh? Did you know that these two musical scales were built right into the patterns and colors of the piano keys? And if these two groups of pitches are, there must be others yes? Tis indeed the case. Not only the theory, the scales, arpeggios and chords, but lots of the music we love is in there too! Melodies, passions, joys and sorrows, all live within the piano and its silent architecture. All of which can begin to come to life with the push of a button. Oh, here's a tough riddle for you to solve. What is the musical interval between the pitches C and Gb? And is this interval the same as the interval between the two pitches we added in evolving the five note pentatonic color to the seven note major scale? Hmmm ... Need more info to solve this? Hint: think whole steps ... and that Gb = F#.

That's all for this chapter folks, go on and read the review, ace the quiz, pose any questions you might have and then go on to the next chapter and explore and learn some more!

Review. The chromatic scale is the backbone of our music theory system. Created by consecutive half step intervals, there are 12 different pitches within the interval span of one octave. The five pitch major pentatonic scale is carefree and whimsical in nature, often used to create the easy, fun melodies that children love to sing. A musical scale is simply a select group of pitches whose looping creates perfect closure. Their theoretical construction is defined by formulas of intervals between the pitches, usually half steps and whole steps. Internalizing the emotional quality and power of a particular group of pitches is the "art." The seven pitch major scale is the most popular group among most composers. A composer's "muse" will often combine similar but theoretically different scale colors in the same song. We can find the C major scale in the white keys of our piano keyboard and the Gb major pentatonic scale within the black keys. Using interval formulas, we can project any scale color from any of the 12 pitches of the chromatic scale. Thus, there are 12 major scales and how many eggs in a dozen?

Vocabulary for this chapter.

Here is the matching quiz for this chapter.

Pretty straight forward concepts eh? Simply creating smaller, distinct groups from a larger, complete loop of pitches, like subsets of the whole enchilada. What are your thoughts on this? info@jacmuse.com On to our next topic but first a quote.

"Never make fun of anyone ... ever."

major / minor tonality

(1) Appel, Willie and Ralph T. Daniel. The Harvard Brief Dictionary Of Music, p. 221. New York: Pocket Books, a Simon and Schuster Division of Gulf and Western, 1960.

(2) Aebersold, James and Slone, Ken. Charlie Parker Omnibook. New York: Atlantic Music Corp., 1978.

I know this is a troubling stand to take but I felt I had to and as jazz player, I based it on Charlie Parker's compositions in the Omnibook. Find a copy, count the number of tunes, then compare the number of major key to minor key songs. Any real book of popular American song, by a mix of composers, will follow along similar lines.

(3) Ottman, Robert. Elementary Harmony, First Edition, p. 4. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1970.