Section: Symmetric Scales

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The scales discussed in this section are called symmetric scales. The defining characteristic of a symmetric scale is that pattern of half and whole steps repeats within the scale. This means that if you construct a scale of the same type at any of the repeat points, you end up with exactly the same notes as the original scale. Another way of looking at this is observe that if you take the modes of a symmetric scale starting at any of the repeat points, you form the same type of scale as the original.

The chromatic scale is the ultimate example of a symmetric scale. Since the interval between any two consecutive notes is the same - a half step - every note of the chromatic scale is a repeat point. Any two chromatic scales contain exactly the same notes. For example, here are the C and F chromatic scales:

[EXAMPLE]

Since all chromatic scales share the same notes, there is really only one chromatic scale. Any other chromatic scale can be seen as a mode of whichever chromatic scale you decide is the real one. In general, if there are N repeat points in a symmetric scale, there will be only 12/N distinct scales of that type, and the others can be seen as modes of these. This should become more clear as we look at some of the other symmetric scales.

The nature of a symmetric scale seems to lend itself to the use of patterns that repeat themselves at each of the repeat points. This is an interesting effect, but take care when using symmetric scales that you are not allowing the scale to force you into these patterns.

Copyright 2000 Outside Shore Music
Authored by Marc Sabatella

Section: Symmetric Scales