Chromatic scale: construction

The article is devoted to one of the musical-theoretical themes - the chromatic scale. From the material you will learn what is the chromatic scale, how to correctly build it in the modes of major and minor moods. As a visual sample for the construction, the following keys have been selected: C major, D major and A minor . Also you will learn the most interesting statements of well-known music theorists about the chromatic scale.

What is gamma chromatic?

This is a gamut that consists of solid halftones. It can be either ascending or descending. It is by no means a separate lad system, despite the fact that it was formed due to the filling of absolutely all plexuses from large seconds with chromatic halftones. That is, the basis was served by the seven-stage scales of both the minor and the major modes. In the ascending chromatic scale, the signs of alteration that increase the sound are used: sharp, double-sharp, békar (with flats in the key). In the descending chromatic scale, the sound-reducing signs of the alteration are applied: flat, flat-flat, békar (with sharps in the key). If you do not distinguish the ladotonal primary with certain harmonic chords or do not emphasize the steady steps of the fret with metrorhythmic means, then to determine by hearing the tonality and harmony of the performed chromatic scale is an utterly impossible task. It is more real to reveal her ladylike mood and tonality visually. Since strict rules are observed in its construction.

Spelling of the chromatic scale

When writing a chromatic scale, the following rules are taken into account:

• Notation is carried out by taking into account the reference steps of the diatonic minor or major. These steps never change. That is, to successfully and correctly construct a gamma, you need to write stable steps of the chosen key, without painting them. For clarity, all chromatic sounds should be shaded.
• When the chromatic scale is built up, the construction is carried out in the following way: all diatonic steps, which are separated from the subsequent ones by one (whole) tone, will be increased by a half-tone. The exception is the sixth step in the major harmony and the first in the minor. They do not rise. But how then to get a chromatic scale? For this it is necessary to lower the seventh step in a major step, and the second step in a minor.
• When the chromatic scale is being built down, you should know that all diatonic steps, which are one or two inches apart, will be lowered by a semitone. The exception is the fifth. As you guessed it, it does not go down. Instead of it, the fourth stage rises.

An interesting point is that the writing of a chromatic scale in a minor when moving downwards completely coincides with the notation of the same major (certainly, with all the necessary key signs of the alteration).

Building a chromatic scale

To build a chromatic scale up and down in the major and minor frets correctly, remember the following rules:

• When constructing a gamma in the upward movement of the major fretting, it is necessary to leave the third and sixth steps without chromatic changes.
• When building a downward movement of the major fretting, it is necessary to leave the first and fifth steps without chromatic changes.
• When constructing a scale in the ascending and descending movement of the minor mode, the inclination should be maintained without chromatic changes of the first and fifth steps.

Construction of chromatic scales in major

C major in ascending motion: before (c), before sharp (cis), re (d), remedes (dis), mi (e), fa (f), fazes, salt (g), salt Sharp (gis), la (a), B flat (b), Sycakar (h), up to (c).

In descending motion: up to (c), c (h), B flat (b), la (a), la flat (as), salt (g), faze (fis), fa (f), mi (e ), Flat (es), re (d), flat (des), to (c).
The tone with two signs is in D major . The chromatic scale in the upward movement in this key is: re (d), remedy (dis), mi (e), mi-sharp (eis), fades, salt (g), salt sharp (gis), la ( A), for sharp (ais), c (h), up to (c), to sharp (cis), re (d).

In descending motion: re (d) - before sharp (cis) - before beacon (c) - si (h) - B flat (b) - la (a) - sharp salt (gis) - salt (g) - fades (Fis) - fa bekar (f) - mi (e) - th flat (es) - re (d).

For this model, adhering to the basic rules, you can build any gamut of major mood.

Chromatic scale: minor. Building

In the ascending movement in the minor , a, b, h, c, cis, d, dis, e, f, fis, g, gis, a . In the descending movement: a, gis, g, fis, f, e, dis, d, cis, c, h, b, a .

If you adhere to the basic rules, then for this sample you can build absolutely all the scales of the minor inclination.

Statements by well-known theoreticians on the chromatic scale

Academician BM Teplov rightly noted in his studies that the chromatic scale is much more intricately intonated by voice than the diatonic one. And indeed it is. Each musician will confirm this fact. The difficulty of its performance is explained by the fact that singing is realized thanks to a subtle sense of a sense of harmony. When the chromatic scale is vocalized, it is difficult to rely on the harmony. Some believe that if you do not focus on the harmony, but on the interval flair, then to sing a gamut is purely no problem. But this opinion is erroneous, since the support still has to be exactly in harmony, and not at intervals.

Supports the opinion of B. Teplov about the sense of harmony as an important basis for singing the chromatic scale of Yu. Tyulin. He believes that when the chromatic scale intones, the singer does not focus on the absolute value of m.2 (small seconds) and b.2 (large seconds), but on consonant intervals diatonic. So, for example, if you want to sing a chromatic scale from the note to the top, then as the reference sounds will be mine and salt . If you combine these sounds: do-mi-salt - it creates a tonic triad of tonality in C major . The same sounds are stable in this key. Yu Tyulin at the utterance of such thoughts was based not on a dry theory, but on the experiments carried out. As a "research material", he selected four vocalists who confirmed the opinion.

Thus, the chromatic scale consists of twelve sounds (not counting the repetition of the main tone) and is not a separate fret system. It is built in all keys of the major and minor moods. In order to learn how to build it, you need to know certain rules. The examples in the article (key in C major, in D major, in A minor, in E minor ) will certainly help you in the self-construction of various chromatic scales.