Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!psivax!torkil
From: torkil@psivax.UUCP (Torkil Hammer)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: theory behind the scales
Message-ID: <3454@psivax.UUCP>
Date: 12 Jul 90 16:53:00 GMT
References: <8547@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu> <10737@chaph.usc.edu>
Organization: Pacesetter Systems Inc., Sylmar, CA
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# of context. Clearly there is no unified field theory of scales. Why the
# 7/12 system in the West? There's no one good answer that I'm aware of.

I don't think that there is an aggreed-upon theory among scholars, but
it seems to me that one reason is the absense of gongs and the presence
of sustained-tone music in the early Western music.

Early Western music was done with a capella singing, bowed and blown
instruments.  The instruments were tunable, but had no fingering, so
they could not retune during a performance.

Sustained-tone music sounds sweetest if it is harmonic.

As we have seen, the diatonic (7/12) scale supports harmonies nicely, and
the almost identical intervals of 2,2,1,2.. encourages modulation to
different keys while staying in tune with the instruments.

In contrast, gongs produce disharmonic overtones and discourage harmony music.
The same is true to a lesser degree for bells and drums, which are not
native to early Western music, either.

Torkil Hammer