============================================================================= = Scales and Modes in Scottish Traditional Music = = Jack Campin = ============================================================================= Pentatonic Modes ================ 1. The Pentatonic Pitch Set == ======================== The PENTATONIC pitch set omits pitches 5 and 12 from the diatonic pitch set to leave five notes, 1 3 6 8 12 (or C D F G A in white notes, or only the black notes). Its intervals are three whole tones and two minor thirds, no semitones. There are three ways of getting transpositions of it from the white notes of a piano: -mi -ti: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 C D F G A do re fa so la T m T T m -fa -ti: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 C D E G A do re mi so la T T m T m -do -fa: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 D E G A B re mi so la ti T m T T m It has different modes like the seven-note and six-note pitch sets. There are three pentatonic modes used in Scottish music, and a fourth which has a sort of theoretical existence. There are countless other ways of selecting five notes; none of them seem to have much place in Scottish tradition. In particular, the pentatonic pitch sets of African music typically don't fit any Scottish tunes. On the pipes, with their two-sharp scale, there are also three alternate ways to get this pitch set. One is the CF-gap set, GAB-de-ga. Another is the GC-gap set, AB-def-a. The third possibility is the DG-gap pitch set, ABc-ef-a. Each of these can be used with a variety of tonal centres to get different modes: and because of the limited range and non-uniform tuning of the pipe chanter, each has a different effect. 2. The Mixolydian/Dorian/Minor Pentatonic Mode == =========================================== The MIXOLYDIAN/DORIAN/MINOR PENTATONIC mode has pitch 8 (G in this white- note scale) as its home note. That is, it's what you get from the black-note scale by taking G sharp/A flat as the home note, or from the white-note minor, dorian or mixolydian scales by leaving out the third and sixth. Its interval sequence is TmT mT. In Bronson's scheme it's pi-3. In A, it's ABdega. This is a very common scale in Highland pipe music. There are three ways of looking at it in sol-fa. X:0 T:The Mixolydian/Dorian/Minor (so/re/la. pi-3) Pentatonic Scale L:1/4 M:8/4 K:GMix P:so -ti -mi "_so"G2 "_la"A "_do"c "_re"d "_fa"f "_so"g2 |\ "_so"g2 "_fa"f "_re"d "_do"c "_la"A "_so"G2|| M:8/4 P:re -fa -ti K:DDor "_re"D2 "_mi"E "_so"G "_la"A "_do"c "_re"d2 |\ "_re"d2 "_do"c "_la"A "_so"G "_mi"E "_re"D2|| M:8/4 P:la -do -fa K:AMin "_la"A2 "_ti"B "_re"d "_mi"e "_so"g "_la"a2 |\ "_la"a2 "_so"g "_mi"e "_re"d "_ti"B "_la"A2|] Hungarian musicologists simplify the naming of pentatonic modes by only considering the pitch set do, re, mi, so, la. (But "sol" rather than "so", as in most European languages other than English). So they call this scale "re-pentatonic". X:0 T:Glen Lyon T:Haughs of Cromdale S:Kerr's Merry Melodies M:4/4 L:1/8 Q:1/2=100 K:AMin % A mixolydian/dorian/minor pentatonic g|eA A/A/A edBd|BG G/G/G BABd|eA A/A/A edBd|edgB A3:| g|edeg abag|dgBg dgBg|edeg abag|edgB A3:| Since both the C and F are missing, you might equally well find that tune written with one or two sharps; they make no difference. You could look at this a different way by saying the tune could equally well be minor, dorian or mixolydian; a pentatonic mode is ambiguous three ways if you see it as a reduced form of a seven-note mode. A bothy ballad from the north-east of Scotland: X:0 T:Lamachree and Megrum S:Rymour Club Miscellanea v1 via McColl, Folk Songs and Ballads of Scotland M:4/4 L:1/4 R:bothy ballad Q:1/4=96 K:EMin % E mixolydian/dorian/minor pentatonic E|B,E E>F |E>F B2 ||\ A>B E(E/F/)|EB, DE |DE F2 ||\ A2 D2 |(FBG A3 |e>dg e>dB|A>BA G2B |d2e e>dB | A>BG A3 |e>dg e>dB|G>Bg e>dB|A3 A2 :| g |a2e e2g |a>ee e>dB|A>BA G2B |d2e e>dB | [1 a2e e2g |a>ee e>dB|G>Bg e>dB|A3 A2 :| [2 A>BG A3 |e>dg e>dB|G>Bg e>dB|A3 A2 || e |A>ee d>ee|A>ee e>dB|A>BA G>GG|BdB | A>ee d>ee|A>ee e>dB|G>Bg e>dB|A3 A2 :| e |A2a a>ga|g>ee e>dB|A>BA G2B |d2e e>dB | [1 A2a a>ga|g>ee e>dB|G>Bg e>dB|A3 A2 :| [2 A>BG A3 |e>dg e>dB|G>Bg e>dB|A3 A2 |] An example from Cambodia: X:0 T:Prom Kut G:song B:Charles Haywood, Folk Songs of the World M:C L:1/8 Q:1/4=108 K:GMix (D>F)|G2 G2 A>G (F>G)|A2 A2 D2 G2 | F2 F2 (D2 A2)|G2 G>G G>F D2 | F2 F2 F>G F2 |D2 D2 D2 (F>G)|(F>G) A2 d2 c2 |A2 G2 G>G G2|] from Transylvania around 1910: X:0 T:no title (number 96) G:dance song S:Bartok & Kodaly, Transylvanian Hungarian Folksongs N:used by Dohnanyi in his suite "Ruralia Hungarica" M:4/4 L:1/4 Q:1/2=120 K:GDor % dorian/minor/phrygian pentatonic g>gfg|fdcd|g>fdc|cdBB | g>fdc|dcBd|d>dcd|GGGG|] from 20th century America (well known in the British folk revival after it was adopted for the ballad "Matty Groves"): X:0 T:Shady Grove S:Singing Family of the Cumberlands, 1955 L:1/8 M:2/4 K:EMin EE EE/E/|FE D2|EE/E/ FA|B3B|d>d BB|A(F/E/) D2|EF/F/ AF|E4|| EE E2 |FE/E/ D2|E>E FA|B4 |d>d B2|AF/E/ D2|EF/F/ AF|E4|] and in another familiar American song (but the chorus changes mode): X:0 T:900 Miles G:song B:Reprints from "Sing Out" v4 (1962) N:a bit different from the version I know orally, but in the same mode M:C L:1/8 Q:1/4=80 K:GDor % dorian/minor/phrygian pentatonic DF|AA GF A2 DF|A2 (3AGF D4 |d>d dc AG Ac |d6 Ac| d2 dc A2 GF|A2 (3AGF D2 DF|A2 GF G2 (3AGF|D6 || |:DD|E>E E^C A,A, =B,C|D6:| The transpositions of the mixolydian/dorian/minor pentatonic mode are: X:0 T:Mixolydian/Dorian/Minor (3,6-gap, so/re/la, pi-3) Pentatonic Scales L:1/4 M:8/4 K:EbMix "^E flat" E2 FA Bd e2|e2 dB AF E2|| M:8/4 K:BbMix "^B flat" B2 ce fa b2|b2 af ec B2|| M:8/4 K:FMix "^F" F2 GB ce f2|f2 ec BG F2|| M:8/4 K:CMix "^C" C2 DF GB c2|c2 BG FD C2|| M:8/4 K:GMix "^G" G2 Ac df g2|g2 fd cA G2|| M:8/4 K:DDor "^D" D2 EG Ac d2|d2 cA GE D2|| M:8/4 K:AMin "^A" A2 Bd eg a2|a2 ge dB A2|| M:8/4 K:EMin "^E" E2 FA Bd e2|e2 dB AF E2|| M:8/4 K:BMin "^B" B2 ce fa b2|b2 af ec B2|| M:8/4 K:F#Min "^F sharp" F2 GB ce f2|f2 ec BG F2|| M:8/4 K:C#Min "^C sharp" C2 DF GB c2|c2 BG FD C2|] One oddity of the piano keyboard layout may explain why the piano accordion works so well for Highland pipe tunes. The mixolydian/dorian/minor pentatonic scale fits on the white notes no matter whether you use G, D or A as the home note; this is one of the commonest scales in Highland music and these are by far the commonest home notes any Scottish music uses. Watch an accordionist's fingers: when playing Highland music like pipe marches, the black notes are rarely touched, despite frequent key changes. In principle, there are three ways to get this mode on the pipes: by far the commonest uses the A-mode with the CF-gap pitch set, but in principle it can be fitted to the E-mode on the GC-gap set or the B-mode on the DG-gap set. Tunes in this mode could often have the gap filled or created. It is not clear which of these (the same tune in two different rhythms) came first: X:0 T:Tha Mi Sgith T:Cutting Bracken G:strathspey M:4/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=120 K:AMin % A mixolydian/dorian/minor pentatonic A2 a2 gdB>A G>ABdBdB>A G>ABdBdBABdBge deg|edB A2:| B|c2c cec|d2d ded|c2c edc|Bdg dBG| c2c edc|deg a2g|ege deg|edB A2:| 3. The Dorian/Minor/Phrygian Pentatonic Mode == ========================================= The DORIAN/MINOR/PHRYGIAN PENTATONIC mode is what you get by playing on the black notes of a piano taking E flat/D sharp as the home note. Tunes in this mode could be seen as being dorian, minor or phrygian; the second and sixth are omitted. Its interval sequence is mTTmT. In A, it's Acdega. It is sometimes called "pentatonic minor". On the pipes it can be played as the E-mode in the CF-gap pitch set or as the B-mode in the GC-gap pitch set. In sol-fa it can start on re, la or mi. In Bronson's scheme it's pi-4. In the Hungarian system it's la-pentatonic. X:0 T:The Dorian/Minor/Phrygian Pentatonic (re/la/mi, pi-4) Scale L:1/4 M:8/4 K:DDor P:re -mi -ti "_re"D2 "_fa"F "_so"G "_la"A "_do"c "_re"d2 |\ "_re"d2 "_do"c "_la"A "_so"G "_fa"F "_re"D2|| M:8/4 P:la -ti -fa K:AMin "_la"A2 "_do"c "_re"d "_mi"e "_so"g "_la"a2 |\ "_la"a2 "_so"g "_mi"e "_re"d "_do"c "_la"A2|| M:8/4 P:mi -fa -do K:EPhr "_mi"E2 "_so"G "_la"A "_ti"B "_re"d "_mi"e2 |\ "_mi"e2 "_re"d "_ti"B "_la"A "_so"G "_mi"E2|] The second of these examples fits the chanter, though I haven't seen a pipe setting of it. X:0 T:My Tocher's The Jewel T:The Highway to Edinburgh T:Thro' the Lang Muir T:Here Awa There Awa Willie T:The Collier's Rant T:Lord Elcho G:jig M:6/8 L:1/8 Q:3/8=108 K:F#Min % dorian/minor/phrygian pentatonic F/E/|CFF F2E|FAB cfe|cfe ecA|Bce f2f|e>cB AcB |AEE E2E| FAE FAE|FAB cfe|cA f2 f>e f>a|f>d (3fed d2 ef|FA B2 B>A Bd|e>d f>e dB Bd:| B>A AA f2 ef |a>f (3fed d2 FA|B>B BB A2 Bd|e>d f>d B2 B2:| X:0 T:Lamentation for McDonald of Keppoch S:Logan's Inverness Collection M:9/8 L:1/8 Q:3/8=60 K:AMin % dorian/minor/phrygian pentatonic A3 A>GA c2c | c2A A>GA G3|e3 e>de a2g| e2d c>AG A3 | g3 age g>ed|{cd}e2d c>AG G3|A3 A>GA c2d|{cd}e2d c>AG {G}A3|] X:0 T:Saw you my Love Migey Linken over the Lee S:James Thomson's MS for the treble recorder, 1702 B:David Johnson, 21 Scots Tunes for the Treble Recorder N:extensive ornamentation omitted, see Johnson's edition M:3/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=72 K:AMin % dorian/minor/phrygian pentatonic a>c'ag ed/c/|g>age dc |a>c'ag ed/c/ |d/c/d/e/ g/e/d/c/ A2|| Ac cc/d/ ed/c/|Ad de/g/ a/g/a/c'/|Ac cc'/a/ g/e/d/c/|d/c/d/e/ g/e/d/c/ A2|] X:0 T:Dorian/Minor/Phrygian (2,7-gap, re/la/mi, pi-4) Pentatonic Scales L:1/4 M:8/4 K:BbDor "^B flat" B2 de fa b2|b2 af ed B2|| M:8/4 K:FDor "^F" F2 AB ce f2|f2 ec BA F2|| M:8/4 K:CDor "^C" C2 EF GB c2|c2 BG FE C2|| M:8/4 K:GDor "^G" G2 Bc df g2|g2 fd cB G2|| M:8/4 K:DDor "^D" D2 FG Ac d2|d2 cA GF D2|| M:8/4 K:AMin "^A" A2 cd eg a2|a2 ge dc A2|| M:8/4 K:EPhr "^E" E2 GA Bd e2|e2 dB AG E2|| M:8/4 K:BPhr "^B" B2 de fa b2|b2 af ed B2|| M:8/4 K:F#Phr "^F sharp" F2 AB ce f2|f2 ec BA F2|| M:8/4 K:C#Phr "^C sharp" C2 EF GB c2|c2 BG FE C2|| M:8/4 K:G#Phr "^G sharp" G2 Bc df g2|g2 fd cB G2|] 4. The Lydian/Major/Mixolydian Pentatonic Mode == =========================================== The LYDIAN/MAJOR/MIXOLYDIAN pentatonic scale (with gaps at the 4th and 7th) occurs frequently in pipe music. Its interval sequence is TTmTm; in A it's AB^ce^fa. That's its usual form on the pipe chanter: A-mode in the DG-gap pitch set. It can also be D-mode in the GC-gap set. In sol-fa it can begin on so, do or la. In Bronson's scheme it's pi-1. In the Hungarian system it's do-pentatonic. X:0 T:The Lydian/Major/Mixolydian (fa/do/so, pi-1) Pentatonic Scale L:1/4 M:8/4 K:FLyd P:fa -ti -mi "_fa"F2 "_so"G "_la"A "_do"c "_re"d "_fa"f2 |\ "_fa"f2 "_re"d "_do"c "_la"A "_so"G "_fa"F2|| M:8/4 K:C P:do -fa -ti "_do"C2 "_re"D "_mi"E "_so"G "_la"A "_do"c2 |\ "_do"c2 "_la"A "_so"G "_mi"E "_re"D "_do"C2|| M:8/4 K:GMix P:so -do -fa "_so"G2 "_la"A "_ti"B "_re"d "_mi"e "_so"g2 |\ "_so"g2 "_mi"e "_re"d "_ti"B "_la"A "_so"G2|] This is the classic example: X:0 T:Auld Lang Syne M:2/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=72 K:F C|F>F FA|G>F GA|F>F Ac|d3 f|c>A AF|G>F GA|F>D DC|F3|| d|c>A AF|G>F GA|c>A Ac|d3 f|c>A AF|G>F GA|F>D DC|F3|] And this is another of the best-known Scottish tunes in this mode, though it may originally be English ("Lost is my quiet for ever"): X:0 T:Ye Banks and Braes of Bonnie Doon G:song S:G.F. Graham, Popular Songs and Melodies of Scotland N:this book also gives the story of how Burns got it M:6/8 L:1/8 Q:1/8=100 K:G % lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic D |G2G A>GA|BdB AGA |B>AG GGA|BdB AGA |B>AG GdB A2 B/A/|G2G A>GA|BdB A>GA|B>AG GD F2 F2|GA d2 c2|FG A2 cA|GF {F}D2 F2 | FC D2 F2|GA c2 cc|df d2 Ac|A>G F2 F2|] This is a pipe march very popular on the Scottish session scene: X:0 T:Corriechoille's Farewell G:march M:2/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=96 K:D % lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic, D-mode GC-gap e|A>B Ad|e>d BA|d>e fa|fe ef|A>B Ad|e>d BA|d>e fa|fd d:| f|a>f df|e>d BA|d>e fa|fe ef|A>B Ad|e>d BA|d>e fa|fd d:| X:0 T:Kenny Gillies of Portnalong, Skye G:jig S:Rory Campbell M:6/8 L:1/8 Q:3/8=120 K:Amix % lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic, A-mode DG-gap e||AAA e2c|efa f2e|faa AAA|fec cBB | AAA e2c|efa f2e|eff fec|BAA A3 :| a3 AAA|cea fee|faa AAA|fec cBB | [1 a3 AAA|cea fee|eff fec|BAA A2e:| [2 AAA e2c|efa f2e|eff fec|BAA A3 || AAA cBc|AeA fee|faa AAA|fec cBB | AAA cBc|AeA fee|eff fec|BAA A2e:| c2e afa|Ace fee|faa AAA|fec cBB | [1 c2e afa|Ace fee|eff fec|BAA A3 :| [2 AAA cBc|AeA fee|eff fec|BAA A3 |] The first three parts of this tune use the same mode: X:0 T:Father John MacMillan of Barra G:march M:2/4 L:1/16 Q:1/4=80 K:AMix % lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic, A-final DG-gap A>B|c2Be |c2BB | c2BB |A4 A2 :| ce |c2BB |A4 A2 :| [2 A>B|c2BB |A4 A2 || A>B|cc |f2efee |c2BB | cc |f2eB |A4 A2 :| % major/mixolydian hexatonic, A-final G-gap cf a>fec e3f|f2e>f a>fef a>feB |A4 A2cf a>fec e3f|f2e>f e>fa>e|c>de>c B2A>B | c2BB |A4 A2 |] Other A-final tunes have the D and G in such inconspicuous places that nobody but a piping contest judge would notice if you left them out and covered their absence by holding the previous note, putting them entirely into the same pentatonic mode. In this tune they only occur as the second note of a two-note upbeat: X:0 T:Old Toasty G:hornpipe S:Gordon Highlanders book 1 C:Angus Lawrie, Strathclyde Police M:2/4 L:1/16 Q:1/4=92 K:AMix a2 |A2A2 c>BA>c|e2cf|a2a2 f2e>f|a>fe>c B2 a2 |A2A2 c>BA>c|e2cf|a2a2 f2e>c|B2A2 A2:| f>g|a2a2 f2e>c |e>fa>e f2e>f|a2a2 f2e>f|a>fe>c B2 [1 f>g|a2a2 f2e>c |e>fa>e f2e>f|a2a2 f2e>c|B2A2 A2:| [2 f>g|A2A2 c>BA>c|e2cf|a2a2 f2e>c|B2A2 A2|| a2 |c>cc>B A>AA>c|e2cf|a2a2 f2e>f|a>fe>c B2 a2 |c>cc>B A>AA>c|e2cf|a2a2 f2e>c|B2A2 A2:| c>d|e>fe>c a2e2 |f>ga>f e2f>g|a2a2 f2e>f|a>fe>c B2 [1 c>d|e>fe>c a2e2 |f>ga>f e2f>g|a2a2 f2e>c|B2A2 A2:| [2 c>d|A2A2 c>BA>c|e2cf|a2a2 f2e>c|B2A2 A2|] Some people call this "pentatonic major". It is a strong enough feature of Scottish music that tunes originally in seven-note modes have been adapted to it in folk transmission. "Miss Cruickshank's Reel", by William Marshall (first published as "Miss Hopkins Reel" in 1781), was in the major mode (originally in B flat - I've transposed it for easier comparison) the way he wrote it: X:0 T:Miss Cruickshank's Reel T:Miss Hopkins Reel (1781) G:reel S:William Marshall, 1822 M:C| L:1/8 Q:1/2=108 K:A EFAc d2df|ecBA BAFA|EFAc d2df|ecBc A/A/A A2:| fgag fedc|BABc AFFe|fgag fedc|BABc A/A/A A2 | fgag fedc|BABc AFFA|EFAB cdef|ecBc A/A/A A2|] But as collected in Cape Breton in the twentieth century, it was changed into the lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic mode and transposed to A: X:0 T:Put Me in the Big Chest T:Cuir a Chiste Mhoir Mi G:reel S:Dunlay & Reich, Traditional Celtic Fiddle Music of Cape Breton M:C| L:1/8 Q:1/2=108 K:AMix % A lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic, DG-gap F|EFAB c2cf|ecBA F/F/F AF|EFAB c/c/c cf|ecBc A/A/A AF| EFAB c2cf|ecBA F/F/F AF|EFAB cB cf|ecBc A/A/A A|| c|efec eAAc|efec BABc |efec efaf |ecBc A/A/A A:| Here is the same mode in early 20th century America: X:0 T:Sourwood Mountain G:dance song B:Richard Chase: American Folk Tales and Songs M:C L:1/4 Q:1/2=120 K:Eb % lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic GB Bc/c/|G/G/ F/F/ E2 | GG G E|F E/E/ CB,|E>E Ec/c/|B/B/ G/F/ E2|] and in Aboriginal Australia: X:0 T:Honey-Ant Song of Ljaba O:Central Australia G:song B:Charles Haywood, Folk Songs of the World M:6/8 L:1/8 Q:3/8=108 K:C % lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic e|(2(ed) (dc)c|c2c c3| c2 c c2:| e|(2(ed) (dc)c|c2c c3| c2 c c2c| (2(AG) (GE)E|E2E E3|(ED)D C2E| E3 E2 E|E2E E3|(ED)C C2C| C3 C2 C|C2C C3| C2 C C2E| E3 E2 E|E2E E3|(ED)C C2C| C3 C2 C|C2C C3| C2 C C3|] Here's a bagpipe tune intended to sound Chinese. It works since the pentatonic scale used is one also found in Chinese music. X:0 T:The Chow Man S:Scots Guards Standard Settings of Pipe Tunes book 2 C:Pipe Sergeant E. MacDonald H:Composed at Lo Wu Camp, South China during the tour H:of duty of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards 1927-29 M:2/4 L:1/16 Q:1/4=88 K:D % lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic e2|A2Bf a3f |e2`d2 e2f2| A2Bd B2A>B|d4 d2 :| e2|f2a2 f2edBd B2A>B|d4 d2 :| [2 A2f2|\ A2Bd B2A>B|d4 d2 |] X:0 T:Lydian/Major/Mixolydian (4,7-gap, fa/do/so, pi-1) Pentatonic Scales L:1/4 M:8/4 K:DbLyd "^D flat" D2 EF AB d2|d2 BA FE D2|| M:8/4 K:AbLyd "^A flat" A2 Bc ef a2|a2 fe cB A2|| M:8/4 K:EbLyd "^E flat" E2 FG Bc e2|e2 cB GF E2|| M:8/4 K:BbLyd "^B flat" B2 cd fg b2|b2 gf dc B2|| M:8/4 K:FLyd "^F" F2 GA cd f2|f2 dc AG F2|| M:8/4 K:C "^C" C2 DE GA c2|c2 AG ED C2|| M:8/4 K:GMix "^G" G2 AB de g2|g2 ed BA G2|| M:8/4 K:DMix "^D" D2 EF AB d2|d2 BA FE D2|| M:8/4 K:AMix "^A" A2 Bc ef a2|a2 fe cB A2|| M:8/4 K:EMix "^E" E2 FG Bc e2|e2 cB GF E2|| M:8/4 K:BMix "^B" B2 cd fg b2|b2 gf dc B2|] 5. The Major/Mixolydian/Dorian Pentatonic Mode == =========================================== The MAJOR/MIXOLYDIAN/DORIAN PENTATONIC mode is what you get by playing on the black notes of the piano, taking C sharp as the home note. It could be taken as being major, mixolydian or dorian; the third and seventh are missing. Its interval sequence is TmTTm; in A it's ABde^fa. It could be done on the pipes as the A-mode with the GC-gap pitch set, or the D-mode with the CF-gap set. It's the rarest of all modes in Scottish music; some pipe tunes come close for long stretches, but where there are notes that bridge the gaps, they matter. In sol-fa, it can start on do, so or re. In Bronson's scheme it's pi-2. In the Hungarian system it's sol-pentatonic. X:0 T:The Major/Mixolydian/Dorian (do/so/re, pi-2) Pentatonic Scale L:1/4 M:8/4 K:C P:do -mi -ti "_do"C2 "_re"D "_fa"F "_so"G "_la"A "_do"c2 |\ "_do"c2 "_la"A "_so"G "_fa"F "_re"D "_do"C2|| M:8/4 K:GMix P:so -ti -fa "_so"G2 "_la"A "_do"c "_re"d "_mi"e "_so"g2 |\ "_so"g2 "_mi"e "_re"d "_do"c "_la"A "_so"G2|| M:8/4 K:DDor P:re -fa -do "_re"D2 "_mi"E "_so"G "_la"A "_ti"B "_re"d2 |\ "_re"d2 "_ti"B "_la"A "_so"G "_mi"E "_re"D2|] In the Carnatic music theory of south India this is the secondary raga "Arabhi" (associated with the morning and a mood of mystery). The only Scottish example I could find was this ballad tune from the North-East: X:0 T:The Baron o' Brackley S:Christie via "101 Scottish Songs" M:3/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=120 K:DMix D2 |G2 A2 B>A|G>A B2 B>A|G2 D2 G>D|E4 D>E|G2 A2 B>A|G>A B2 B>A|G2 E2 E>D|D4 BA B2 BG|BA3 B>d|e2 A2 BA |G>E G2 B>A|G2 E2 EB|AA G2 E2|D4 D2|E2 A3 B|A2 G2 AG |E2 D2 G2|D4|] though it could be argued that both are really in G lydian/major/ mixolydian pentatonic but end on the fifth. This might be a better example, in that the seventh is not essential to the tune, only occurring as a passing note on descending phrases: X:0 T:Milking Croon S:Kennedy-Fraser, Songs of the Hebrides G:milking song from South Uist M:7/4 L:1/8 Q:1/2=80 K:F Mixolydian DF|B2 cd F2 F2 F2 F2 de|f2 ed cB c2 dc B2 fe|d2 fB BF F2 F2 F2 DF|B2 cc (3dcB GF F2 F2|| DF|B2 cd F2 F2 F2 F2 de|f2 ed cB c2 dc B2 fe|d2 fF F2 F2 F2 F2 DF|B2 cc (3dcB GF F2 F2|| DF|B2 cd F2 F2 F2 F2 de|f2 ed cB c2 dc B2 fe|d2 fB BF F2 F2 F2 DF|B2 cc d/c/B GF F2 F2|] It slightly resembles this unmistakable example from the Chuvash, a Turkic people of the southern Volga: X:0 T:Chuvash song S:Lajos Vargjas, Folk Music of the Hungarians M:C| L:1/8 Q:1/4=120 K:F df f(f/d/) cc c2|Bd dd/B/ BB B2 | Bc cc/B/ GG G2|GB BB/G/ FF F2|] There may be some association between this mode and the "selchie" legends of the northern islands. This is the original tune for a famous ballad, now usually sung to a tune composed by James Waters in the US in the 1950s: X:0 T:The Grey Selchie of Sule Skerrie S:David Thomson, The People of the Sea N:sung in 1938 by John Sinclair of Flotta, Orkney, to Otto Andersson M:none L:1/8 Q:1/4=80 K:DMix A2 G>E D2>> B,2 B,>D E4 A2 G>E D (E/F/) G> A B4 d2 dc B3 A G D E4 (EA) AA B3 A G E D4|] The third and seventh only occur as unimportant passing notes. Kennedy-Fraser recorded this tune in Uist, used for a story/song in which a seal-woman escapes back to sea after being trapped in marriage for years on land. It's in the dorian/minor/phrygian pentatonic mode, but you could see the middle phrase as going into the major/mixolydian/dorian: X:0 T:The Seal-Woman's Sea-Joy S:David Thomson, The People of the Sea N:from Marjorie Kennedy-Fraser; collected in Uist M:3/4 L:1/4 Q:3/4=70 K:DDor |: (A3 |D3)| (A3 |G3)|({d}A3 |D3)|C C2|D3:| % ({A}G F) G|A3 |({A}G F) G|A3 |({A}G F) G|A3 |C C2|C3|| % |: (A3 |D3) | (A3 |G3)|({d}A3 |D3)|C C2|D3:| Kennedy-Fraser claimed that she sang that to a seal once, and the seal sang back to her, a narrow-range melody in the sol-pentatonic mode: X:0 T:the seal's reply S:David Thomson, The People of the Sea N:from Marjorie Kennedy-Fraser; sung by a seal M:C| L:1/4 Q:1/2=50 K:CMix G3 A/G/|F2 d2|c4-|c4|] X:0 T:Major/Mixolydian/Dorian (3,7-gap, do/so/re, pi-2) Pentatonic Scales L:1/4 M:8/4 K:Ab "^A flat" A2 Bd ef a2|a2 fe dB A2|| M:8/4 K:Eb "^E flat" E2 FA Bc e2|e2 cB AF E2|| M:8/4 K:Bb "^B flat" B2 ce fg b2|b2 gf ec B2|| M:8/4 K:F "^F" F2 GB cd f2|f2 dc BG F2|| M:8/4 K:C "^C" C2 DF GA c2|c2 AG FD C2|| M:8/4 K:GMix "^G" G2 Ac de g2|g2 ed cA G2|| M:8/4 K:DDor "^D" D2 EG AB d2|d2 BA GE D2|| M:8/4 K:ADor "^A" A2 Bd ef a2|a2 fe dB A2|| M:8/4 K:EDor "^E" E2 FA Bc e2|e2 cB AF E2|| M:8/4 K:BDor "^B" B2 ce fg b2|b2 gf ec B2|| M:8/4 K:F#Dor "^F sharp" F2 GB cd f2|f2 dc BG F2|] 7. Summary of the Pentatonic Modes == =============================== X:0 T:The Pentatonic Modes based on A L:1/4 M:8/4 K:A "^Lydian/Major/Mixolydian Pentatonic" A2 Bc ef a2|a2 fe cB A2|| M:9/4 K:AMix "^Major/Mixolydian/Dorian Pentatonic" A2 Bd ef a2|a2 fe dB A2|| M:9/4 K:ADor "^Mixolydian/Dorian/Minor Pentatonic" A2 Bd eg a2|a2 ge dB A2|| M:9/4 K:AMin "^Dorian/Minor/Phrygian Pentatonic" A2 cd eg a2|a2 ge dc A2|] One trick that harpists can use for some pentatonic modes: for the lydian/major/mixolydian mode, the unused 4th and 7th strings can be retuned upwards by a tone, and for the dorian/minor/phrygian mode, the unused 2nd and 6th strings can be retuned downwards by a tone. This duplicates the tonal centre and the fifth, which can give added resonance to the sound in the most important places. This can't be done with sharpening levers, so you probably wouldn't want to do it in live performance, but it might be worth trying for a recording. ============================================================================= == (c) Jack Campin http://www.campin.me.uk/ November 2010 == == 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland == == == == these pages: http://tinyurl.com/scottishmodes == =============================================================================