Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!munnari.oz.au!uhccux!wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu!newsham
From: newsham@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu (Timothy Newsham)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: theory behind the scales
Message-ID: <8547@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
Date: 9 Jul 90 22:37:18 GMT
Sender: news@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu
Reply-To: newsham@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu (Timothy Newsham)
Organization: University of Hawaii, College of Engineering
Lines: 14

i am interested in finding out how our present (western) keyboards
evolved and the theory behind them.  i know that the keyboard started
out with the white keys and then keys where added (like Bb to avoid
using tritones) but how did we originally arive at the 7 note scale
that the modes are based on?  i am interested at the foundations in
the overtone series in particular.  i have also read about a theory
that the minor triad is generated by undertones but i fail to find
out how when i look through the undertone series. anyone have any 
information on this or any good references for me to check out?
oh, and i am also interested in the scales that evolved seperately
(ie. indian classical) and how those came about.
                                thanks in advanced...
                                    -Tim Newsham
                                  newsham@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu