[Smt-talk] Harmonic and Melodic Scales

[Martin Braun]

Dimitar Ninov wrote:

"Do we not know that mode is not just a scale but an environment, and the 
vertical aspect of this environment may imply a scale, as well as the linear 
aspect of this environment may imply a chord? This is why "mode" is used 
today with the meaning of both a scale and tonality."

Mode is neither a scale, nor an environment, nor a tonality. In the history 
of European music theory the term mode was used for many different, totally 
incompatible, and mutually exclusive things. There is excellent literature 
out there that describes this.

This course of history of music theory cannot, however, be a justification 
to mix up historical meanings in rational descriptions today.

Current rational usage of the terms is as follows:

Regarding a-minor,

"scale" is the chain of these intervals a-b-c-d-e-f-g-a

"mode" is the chain of these interval types 2st-st-2st-2st-st-2st-2st

"tonality" - in the context of tonic-centered music - is "a"

I sometimes wonder if those who confuse these things do not know better, or 
if they consider confusion and endless abracadabra as a business concept.


Martin

 -------------------------------------------
Martin Braun
Neuroscience of Music
S-66492 Värmskog
Sweden
http://www.neuroscience-of-music.se/index.htm


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ninov, Dimitar N" <dn16 at txstate.edu>
To: <smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 28, 2013 10:16 PM
Subject: [Smt-talk] Harmonic and Melodic Scales