A modern scale has 12 semitones - or on a piano 7 white keys and 5 black keys.
so the actual “physical musical” distance between an octave is 12/2 = 6 tones
so why did no-one in musical history split the octave up into 6 notes, each with 2 semi tones between them.
that would be C D E F# G# A# C
that would “seem” to be a “logical” approach
but instead our standard scale is major with 7 notes at the following interval steps :(TTstTTTst)
and if you play this on a piano starting from C , you only play the white notes.
which seems to be rather “convenient” and helpful.
So, which came first - the decision that scales would have 7 notes (rather than say 6), that the major sounding scale had those tone interval steps, or the invention of black and white keys on a piano ?
I find the invention of the piano keyboard to be an amazing piece of deduction but have no knowledge of who came up with the idea?
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Ebay mark7777_1
The other amazing model of our scale system is of course the circle of fifths. That and the piano model the same thing in slightly different ways.
it is very connected to pythagorean maths, but is all about fundamental and harmonic frequencies, rather than religious or paegan stuff. And actually the whole development and system is even more aligned to F lydan and G mixolydian than C major, which is why lydian and mixolydian are amongst the original greek modes but ionian isn’t, but that requires even more explanation.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Anyway, from that acoustic scale, you can start to build the modes.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
And the correct answer to the OP's question is...
"To get to the other side...."
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
Are the black and white keys actually in "perfect harmony"?
if you have one or two obvious web links I could start exploring from that would be really helpful
... Yep. That looks like the stuff I remember. Poke around and you'll find answers to most of those questions. Redit can be a bit of a flea pit, but the music theory section can be very good.
Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.