Chapter 2
The most important patterns that give universal order and structure to music are called scales.
Music is built around structure, patterns and order.
The most important patterns that give universal order and structure to music are called scales.
A scale is a pattern of notes arranged in ascending and descending order.
In ascending order, each note has a higher frequency than its preceding note. In descending order, each note has a lower frequency than its preceding note.
The frequency of each ascending note has a constant ratio relationship with the frequency of its preceding note. It has a constant frequency ratio relationship with the first note of a scale (tonic position). This frequency ratio relationship is consistent for every note and every octave right across every musical instrument from the lowest to the highest note pitch.
The first note of a scale is called the tonic position or just the tonic.
Western music has adopted scale patterns based on where black positions separate adjacent white positions by starting each scale pattern from a different white position each time.
Key Takeaway