Studying the Celtic fast dancing melodies (reels) and the Cretan fast dancing melodies (condilies) we find particular scales that are 6-notes and 5-notes (pentatonic).
The Greek pentatonic scale is a pentatonic scale with maximum number of major and minor chords. We must not be confused with the standard pentatonic scale (Egyptian, Mongolic, Western Indian etc of interval structure 2 2 3 2 3. (1st mode of the pentatonic minor. The 5th mode 3-2-2-3-2 is also the pentatonic minor, and there is also the 2nd mode or Egyptian scale 2-3-2-3-2 and the
3-2-2-2-3 pentatonic which is not a different mode of it )
The greek pentatonic (5-notes) scale is a subscale of the Celtic 6-notes minor scale.
But also the India or Egyptian pentatonic scale 2-2-3-2-3 is also a a subscale of the 6-notes celtic minor
This allows for interesting improvisations shifting from
1) Ionian more of diatonic 2-2-1-2-2-2-1
2) Celtic minor 2-2-3-2-2-1
3) Greek pentatonic 2-2-3-4-1 (known also as Raga Chitthakarshini)
4) Indian pentatonic 2-2-3-2-3
where in all cases the 3 first notes and interval structure in semitones 2-2 remain stable
The Celtic minor is a well-known scale (with various modes) that has also been used to tune hang percussion instruments. In these notes in music here, we have adopted the definition of a scale as a sequence of notes that give one or more octaves and also all cyclic permutations of them. In this way starting from a different note of the scale gives only a different mode, not a different scale.
The Celtic minor 6-notes scale has the next interval pattern in semitones
2-2-3-2-2-1
or
3-2-2-1-2-2
3-2-2-1-2-2
Thus as C major scale we just omit the f 4th note
E.g.
c4-d4-e4-g4-a4-b4-c5
It has 5 chords: C major (I), Em (iii), Am (vi) ,G (V), Bdim (vii).
As an alternative at its mode 2-2-1-2-2-3, it is again just the 7-notes diatonic scale 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 where we omit the 7nth note and it becomes 2-2-1-2-2-3.
As alternative if we omit the 3rd note in major mode diatonic scale we get the 6-notes scale
2-3-2-2-2-1 and its 6 modes. (e.g. 2-2-1-2-3-2 or 3-2-2-2-1-2 etc) We could call it 2nd celtic 6-tonic scale.
It is a 6-notes scale with a maximal number of major/minor chords (See post 117)
The chinese Bawu direct blowing or transverse blowing flutes, and the hulusi flutes as well utilize a celtic minor scale in the mode (starting from the lowest note ) 2-2-1-2-2-3. They name the Bawu or Hulusi tuning of the flute by the 4th note. The Bawu and Hulusi flutes are free-reed winds as the Crumhorn, the Schalmei, the harmonica and the Accordeon. I call them here free-reeds not mainly because they do not touch a surface when they vibrate (the Slamei does touch a surface) but because the lips do not touch the reed.
In a diatonic scale there are 3 intervals of major 3rd 1-3, 4-6 , 5-7 (e.g. in C major C-E, F-A , G-B) and 4 minor 2-4, 3-5, 6-1, 7-2. If we want a scale with more happy intervals of 3rd (major) than sad (minor) then should start with the 3 major 3rds 1-3, 4-6 , 5-7, and create the 6-notes enharmonic generation scale
1-3-4-5-6-7-1 (e.g. in C major C-E-F-G-A-B-C) with interval structure
4-1-2-2-2-1
WE may call it the happy enharmonic MAJOR 6-notes scale
Also in Japanese folk music are used a few enharmonic gendre 5-notes scales with more intervals of major 3rd than minor 3rd. See also post 274 where harmonicas are tuned in this hexatonic scale.
As an alternative at its mode 2-2-1-2-2-3, it is again just the 7-notes diatonic scale 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 where we omit the 7nth note and it becomes 2-2-1-2-2-3.
As alternative if we omit the 3rd note in major mode diatonic scale we get the 6-notes scale
2-3-2-2-2-1 and its 6 modes. (e.g. 2-2-1-2-3-2 or 3-2-2-2-1-2 etc) We could call it 2nd celtic 6-tonic scale.
The chinese Bawu direct blowing or transverse blowing flutes, and the hulusi flutes as well utilize a celtic minor scale in the mode (starting from the lowest note ) 2-2-1-2-2-3. They name the Bawu or Hulusi tuning of the flute by the 4th note. The Bawu and Hulusi flutes are free-reed winds as the Crumhorn, the Schalmei, the harmonica and the Accordeon. I call them here free-reeds not mainly because they do not touch a surface when they vibrate (the Slamei does touch a surface) but because the lips do not touch the reed.
THE HAPPY ENHARMONIC MAJOR 6-NOTES SCALE
In a diatonic scale there are 3 intervals of major 3rd 1-3, 4-6 , 5-7 (e.g. in C major C-E, F-A , G-B) and 4 minor 2-4, 3-5, 6-1, 7-2. If we want a scale with more happy intervals of 3rd (major) than sad (minor) then should start with the 3 major 3rds 1-3, 4-6 , 5-7, and create the 6-notes enharmonic generation scale
1-3-4-5-6-7-1 (e.g. in C major C-E-F-G-A-B-C) with interval structure
4-1-2-2-2-1
WE may call it the happy enharmonic MAJOR 6-notes scale
Also in Japanese folk music are used a few enharmonic gendre 5-notes scales with more intervals of major 3rd than minor 3rd. See also post 274 where harmonicas are tuned in this hexatonic scale.
In the Celtic Minor scale which can be derived by the 3 minor 3rd intervals of the diatonic scale 2-4, 3-5, 6-1 or in C major
C-D-E-F-G-A-C with interval structure 2-2-1-2-2-3 (see also post 276)
The Cretan 6-notes scale is identical with this enharmonic gendre hexatonic scale and it has the next interval pattern in semitones
4-1-2-2-2-1
It is derived from taking the major 3rd 1-3 of a root chord 1-3-5 and inverting it to be from 3 to next root 1'
It is derived from taking the major 3rd 1-3 of a root chord 1-3-5 and inverting it to be from 3 to next root 1'
Thus as C major scale we just omit the d 2nd note
E.g.
c4-e4-f4-g4-a4-b4-c5
It has 4 chords all of them major or minor. They are the C major (I) , F major (IV), Em (iii), Am (vi).
It is met most often in "condilies" with 2-3 cadenzas in the part 1-2-2-2-1.
We may compare it with the Hexatonic scale
3-2-2-1-2-2. (Celtic minor)
which can also be derived by taking the minor 3rd 3-5 of a root chord 1-3-5 and inverting it to be from 5 to next octave 3'.
Both scales occur in the Cretan mantinodies or kondilies.
The hexatonic scale is most often an embelishment extension ofthe stanrd diatonic tetrachord 1-2-2.
Common pattern of simplicial submelody of Cretan folk rapsody music: : As intervals of a scale they are in pitch order 1-2-2. In other words the most common pattern of simplicial submelody is a descending tetrachord , in semitones and in temporal order it is 2-2-1. An example the andalusian cadenza that in ordinal numbers of the diatonic scale it is 6-5-4-3.
We may compare it with the Hexatonic scale
3-2-2-1-2-2. (Celtic minor)
which can also be derived by taking the minor 3rd 3-5 of a root chord 1-3-5 and inverting it to be from 5 to next octave 3'.
Both scales occur in the Cretan mantinodies or kondilies.
The hexatonic scale is most often an embelishment extension ofthe stanrd diatonic tetrachord 1-2-2.
Common pattern of simplicial submelody of Cretan folk rapsody music: : As intervals of a scale they are in pitch order 1-2-2. In other words the most common pattern of simplicial submelody is a descending tetrachord , in semitones and in temporal order it is 2-2-1. An example the andalusian cadenza that in ordinal numbers of the diatonic scale it is 6-5-4-3.
The Greek pentatonic (5-notes) scale has the next interval pattern in semitones
2-2-3-4-1
Thus as C major scale we just omit the f 4th note and the 6th note
E.g.
c4-d4-e4-g4-b4-c5
It has the 3 chords C major G major E minor.
It appears also in the Richter Tuning of the harmonica at the first octave andthe Chords 1M-5M.
It appears also in the Richter Tuning of the harmonica at the first octave andthe Chords 1M-5M.
The Greek pentatonic scale is a pentatonic scale with maximum number of major and minor chords. We must not be confused with the standard pentatonic scale (Egyptian, Mongolic, Western Indian etc of interval structure 2 2 3 2 3. (1st mode of the pentatonic minor. The 5th mode 3-2-2-3-2 is also the pentatonic minor, and there is also the 2nd mode or Egyptian scale 2-3-2-3-2 and the
3-2-2-2-3 pentatonic which is not a different mode of it )
The greek pentatonic (5-notes) scale is a subscale of the Celtic 6-notes minor scale.
But also the India or Egyptian pentatonic scale 2-2-3-2-3 is also a a subscale of the 6-notes celtic minor
This allows for interesting improvisations shifting from
1) Ionian more of diatonic 2-2-1-2-2-2-1
2) Celtic minor 2-2-3-2-2-1
3) Greek pentatonic 2-2-3-4-1 (known also as Raga Chitthakarshini)
4) Indian pentatonic 2-2-3-2-3
where in all cases the 3 first notes and interval structure in semitones 2-2 remain stable
The way that these scales derive from folk fast solos over two only chords (I-V-I) is as in the post 203.
