Theory 101: Pt 5, More Scales

Other Scale types:

Pentatonic: Again, this name has latin origin meaning 5 of Tonic. We can derive a pentatonic scale from the major scale.
Cmaj
C D EF G A B

T2 3 4 5 6 7

C pentatonic
C D EG A
T2356
Since this scale outlines a C6 chord, it can be used against any C major harmony and is very common in rock and blues music.

Just like we derive different modes from the major and minor scale, we can do the same with the pentatonic scale.

Starting on A is called the minor pentatonic mode
AC DEG
T m3 4 5 b7
This scale is extremely common in rock and blues music. The m3 is often thought of as a #9, and would thus be renamed B#. It can be used against an Am7 harmony or A7.

We can repeat this process for the remaining 3 tones and derive other useful scales. We’ll come back to the Pentatonic scale in greater detail later, as it is widely used.

Hexatonic: This scale is widely used in country music and most notably by southern rocks “Allman Brothers Band”.
Latin meaning 6 of Tonic, this scale is essentially a major scale without a 7th. It can also be thought of as a pentatonic scale with a 4th added.

In C, it looks like this.
C D EF G A
T23456
This scale creates some very nice harmonies as building chords using it yields only 2 chords (Cmaj and Dm) with their respective inversions.

C-E-G (C) D-F-A (Dm) E-G-C (C/E) F-A-D (Dm/F) G-C-E (C/G) and A-D-F (Dm/A)

Diminished:
This scale has 8 tones and is also called the symmetrical scale. It has a constant pattern of notes in alternating whole and half steps. We tend to spell them in an unconventional manner, but this is to clarify their use/function.
In C:
Half-whole (use for 7th chords)
C Db D# E F# G A Bb
T b9 #9 M3 A4 P5 M6 m7
Or d7
Whole-half (use for dim7 chords)
C D Eb F Gb Ab Bbb B
T 9 m3 P4 d5 m6 d7 M7

Diminished scales can be a bit tricky to play and hear, but with some practice you’ll come to love them and the melodies they can create.

Whole Tone:
This scale has 6 tones, each a whole step apart. C D E F# G# Bb
T 2 3 #4 #5 b7

Remember those modes?

It has an Augmented chord sound.

C
T
D
T
E F G A B C D = Phrygian (Em7b9)

D E F G A B = Ionian/Major (Cmaj7) 234 5 6 7

E F G A B C = Dorian (Dm6) 2 b3 4 5 6 b7

T
F
T 2 3 #4 5 6 7

b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
G A B C D E = Lydian (Fmaj7#11)

A B C D E F = Mixolydian (G7) 2 3 4 5 6 b7

B C D E F G = Aeolian/Minor (Am7) 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7

G
T
A
T
B C D E F G A = Locrian (Bm7b5)

T

b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7

By adhering to the intervallic relationships to Tonic, you can construct any scale or mode on any pitch (tonic).