In which I discuss one of the most simply formed (yet surprisingly versatile) scales: The Chromatic! I told you all that I would be doing more music lessons and…here it is.
A chromatic scale is a music scale comprised entirely of semi-tones. To put it simply, you play every single note between the tonic and the octave, as shown below:
From C to C, there are twelve different tones. This same formula of repeated semi-tone ascensions and descents, is the formula of this particular scale.
WHAT’S IN A NAME? The word “chromatic” comes from the Greek “chroma”, or color. The intervals between the notes in this scale are seen as “shades” of diatonic notes, similar to how colors can blend into each other according to color theory.
Fun fact: The Indian concept of swara is nigh-identical to the Western chromatic scale, in a remarkable display of convergent evolution. While it may not seem like it, many great songs have been written using this somewhat particular scale, such as the opening of “La Habanera” from Carmen, and “All Through the Night” by the famous American composer Cole Porter
While the chromatic scale is the simplest scale to formulate, it is not the most commonly used scale. That will be the next scale learned.
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