Lots of differents scales around the world, which define the differents types of music. In this part, we are going to see two differents systems, the most used in the world : the Occidental system, from the first scale to our current scale, and the Oriental system, with some exemples of the scales used in this part of the world.
Let's see these scales !
The Pentatonic scale : a universal scale
The pentatonic scale is a "universal" scale, there are 5 notes in this scale.
Bobby Mc Ferrin demonstrate its universality during a scientist meeting.
Its origin seems to go back up at least to 35000 years. A flute with 5 holes (made with a bone of vulture) was found in Bavaria, in Germany.
From lefigaro.fr Provided by luventicus.org
The music made with this scale is basic. It doesn’t transmit any feeling (there are no half tones, no sharps and no flats)
The pentatonic scales have evolved by integrating half tones. It makes the music more expressive.
In the world, there are two musical systems: the Western and the Oriental :
- The Occidental one is based on 1 octave and 12 intervals (with tones and half tones).
- The Oriental one is based on 2 octaves and 48 intervals (with tones, quarter tones, half tones, three-quarters tones)
In each system, each note has a name.
But this scale was too basic, so scientists and musicians from around the world tried to determined new notes, to make it more lively.
Western system
Pythagorean scale
Zarlino' scale or The Physician' scale
This is a heptatonic scale (7 notes).
Now we have to define the rate of each interval between frequencies:
- The first interval is :
- The second interval is :
- The third interval is :
represent a full tone.
represent a half tone.
Gioseffo Zarlino has worked on another scale, based on harmonics.
This scale is nearly the same as the Pythagorean’ scale, but it introduced 2 new tones.
Finally, this scale is not used because it needs to create specific instrument like clavichord with 2 keyboards.
Oriental system
Arabian scale
Rodolphe d’Erlanger ‘s scale (http://www.lorientales.com)
YAKAH....................SOL
Tik Yakah.................Sol+
Qarar Hisar.............Sol#/ Lab
Qarar tik Hisar.........Sol#+/ Lab-
OUCHAÏRAN..........LA
Qarar nim Adjam.....La+
QARAR ADJAM.....SIb
IRAQ.........................SIb+
QAOUACHT............SI
Tik Qaouacht...........Si+
RAST........................DO
Nim Zirkoulah..........Do+
Zirkoulah..................Do#/Réb
Tik Zirkoulah............Do#+/Réb-
DOUKAH.................RE
Nim Kourdi...............Mib-/Ré+
KOURDI...................MIb
SIKAH.......................MIb+
Bouzalik....................Mi
Tik Bouzalik..............Mi+/Fa-
DJAHARKAH..........FA
Nim Hedjaz...............Fa+/Solb-
Hedjaz.......................Fa#/Solb
Tik Hedjaz................Sol-/Fa#+
Those are the names of the 24 first notes of the oriental scale.
For the second octave, the names of the notes are different, but the order of the notes is still the same.
The Rast scale
This scale is the scale of Do, in the Arabian system.
This mode is the one of the most used. This melodic progression is considered as the most regular and the most natural.
It created a feeling of pride, of power.
The notes of this scale are so:
do _ ré _ mib+ _ fa _ sol _ la _ sib+ _ do
Chinese scale
In 2500 Before Christ, twelve sounds were determined. They establish the twelve chromatics degrees (called « liu ») of an interval of octave. On this model, twelve bells were made. The bell which reproduces the fundamental sound is called "houang tchong". She will be of use as base to the Chinese musical system.
6000 years ago, the Chinese already played with tubes containing seven holes and marks of division.
They confirm that the researches on the heights of the sound, as well as the musical practices go back to very old times. Researches on the fundamental sound "houang tchong" allowed to place its height to 325 Hz, between the mi 3 and the fa 3 of our western music.
The Chinese scale, elaborated from twelve liu, consists of five sounds: gong – shang – jiao - zhi - yu
According to the theory of the 5 elements, each note correspond to values which humans can have :
The gong note, (do) lead the Man towards the holiness, making them soft and tolerant.
The shang note (ré) creates in the Man a sense of justice.
The jiao note (mi) make the Man compassionate, affectionate and good with the others.
The zhi note affects the heart, people are delighted at what is good and like the charity.
The yu note make the Men staying in order. They like the wisdom and the rites.
The Equal Tempered scale
All the composers needed a simplify scale. In the Pythagorean scale, we can see that sharp and flat didn’t have the same frequency.
No easy to build piano with all these notes.
In 1722, Bach created a new scale, with which musicians could play together, with no problems of translation between many scales.
Everybody accepted that sharp and flat became the same note.
With this scale, it’s now easier to write orchestra pieces; all the instruments can play the same tone.
It’s also easier to create instrument.
With Pythagore and Zarlino scales, it was hard transpose pieces, because the interval wasn’t constant.
With the Equal Tempered scale, intervals are constant, and sharp and flat are the same note.
The Equal Tempered scale is now the scale the most used in the world. In fact, every musicians playing every instruments can play in the same piece because they now have the same scale, and so the same notes with the same frequencies.