ABSTRACT

This chapter describes a study of pentatonic, hexatonic, and octatonic scales. These collections are classified according to their possible chord–scale relationships and explored from different vertical and horizontal perspectives. The removal of two notes from seven-note modes produces even more intervallically diverse five-note pentatonic scales. Pentatonics and hexatonics are placed in functional categories and analyzed for their melodic and harmonic potential. The intervallic content of suspended pentatonic prioritizes major 2nds and minor 3rds and the inclusion of 4 enables a chord–scale relationship with corresponding suspended formations. For the derivation of diatonic pentatonics, Dorian pentatonic is employed as the parent scale. Unlike other pentatonics discussed thus far, the Dorian pentatonic has a much more diverse intervallic content and includes four distinct intervals: two major 2nds, a minor 2nd, a major 3rd, and a minor 3rd. The pentatonic system attempts to illustrate the tonal potential of different pentatonic collections. Pentatonic collections are very useful for the generation of quartal voicings.