Diatonic | Chromatic | Enharnmonic Dorian | Frygian | Lydian | Mixolydian | Hypolydian | Hypodorian |
These tables are taken from Barker, A. (Ed.). Greek Musianal Writings, Vol. 2: Harmonian and Acoustian Theory. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1990. |
Hold your mouse above the scales title to hear the scales
(ascending like they were played in the ancient Greece)
String Name Note Name |
Archytas |
Erstothenes |
Didymus |
Ptolemaios
Soft Diatonic |
Ptolemaios
Tonic Diatonic |
Ptolemaios
DiTonic Diatonic |
Ptolemaios
Jævn Diatonic |
Aristoxenius Soft Diatonic | Aristoxenius Tense Diatonic | |
Nete dizeugmenôn | ||||||||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
10/9
|
7/6
|
17/15
|
|
Paranete dizeugmenôn | ||||||||||
8/7
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
10/9
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
11/10
|
38/35
|
19/17
|
|
Trité dizeugmenôn | ||||||||||
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
21/20
|
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
12/11
|
20/19
|
20/19
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | ||||||||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn | ||||||||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
10/9
|
7/6
|
17/15
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | ||||||||||
8/7
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
10/9
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
11/10
|
38/35
|
19/17
|
|
Parahypate mesôn | ||||||||||
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
21/20
|
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
12/11
|
20/19
|
20/19
|
|
Hypate mesôn |
String Name Note Name |
Archytas |
Erstothenes |
Didymus |
Ptolemaios
Soft Chromatic |
Ptolemaios Tense Chromatic |
Aristoxenius Chromatic |
Nete dizeugmenôn | ||||||
32/27
|
6/5
|
6/5
|
6/5
|
7/6
|
22/30
|
|
Paranete dizeugmenôn | ||||||
243/224
|
25/24
|
25/24
|
15/14
|
12/11
|
4/30
|
|
Trité dizeugmenôn | ||||||
28/27
|
16/15
|
16/15
|
28/27
|
22/21
|
4/30
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | ||||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn | ||||||
32/27
|
6/5
|
6/5
|
6/5
|
7/6
|
22/30
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | ||||||
243/224
|
25/24
|
25/24
|
15/14
|
12/11
|
4/30
|
|
Parahypate mesôn | ||||||
28/27
|
16/15
|
16/15
|
28/27
|
22/21
|
4/30
|
|
Hypate mesôn |
String Name Note Name |
Archytas |
Erstothenes |
Didymus |
Ptolemaios
Enharnmonic |
Aristoxenius Enharnmonic |
Nete dizeugmenôn | |||||
5/4
|
19/15
|
5/4
|
5/4
|
24/30
|
|
Paranete dizeugmenôn | |||||
36/35
|
39/38
|
31/30
|
24/23
|
3/30
|
|
Trité dizeugmenôn | |||||
28/27
|
40/39
|
32/31
|
46/45
|
3/30
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn | |||||
5/4
|
19/15
|
5/4
|
5/4
|
24/30
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | |||||
36/35
|
39/38
|
31/30
|
24/23
|
3/30
|
|
Parahypate mesôn | |||||
28/27
|
40/39
|
32/31
|
46/45
|
3/30
|
|
Hypate mesôn |
String Name Note Name |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
DiTonic Diatonic |
Tense Diatonic |
Nete dizeugmenôn |
Tonic Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
DiTonic Diatonic
|
Tense Diatonic
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
10/9
|
|
Paranete dizeugmenôn | |||||
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Trité dizeugmenôn | |||||
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
16/15
|
16/15
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn |
Tense Chromatic
|
Soft Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | |||||
10/9
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
|
Parahypate mesôn | |||||
21/20
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
|
Hypate mesôn |
String Name Note Name |
Tense Chromatic |
Soft Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Trite Hyperbolaion | |||||
22/21
|
21/20
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
|
Nete dizeugmenôn |
Tense Chromatic
|
Soft Chromatic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
|
Paranete dizeugmenôn | |||||
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
|
Trité dizeugmenôn | |||||
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn |
Tonic Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
Tonic Diatonic
|
DiTonic Diatonic
|
Tense Diatonic
|
7/6
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | |||||
12/11
|
10/9
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
|
Parahypate mesôn |
The antique Lydian corresponds to our major scale
String Name Note Name |
Tense Chromatic |
Soft Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Trité dizeugmenôn | |||||
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn | |||||
7/6
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | |||||
12/11
|
10/9
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
|
Parahypate mesôn | |||||
22/21
|
21/20
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
|
Hypate mesôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
|
Lianhanos hypaton | |||||
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Parahypate hypaton |
String Name Note Name |
Tense Chromatic |
Soft Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Paramese dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn | |||||
7/6
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | |||||
12/11
|
10/9
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
|
Parahypate mesôn | |||||
22/21
|
21/20
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
|
Hypate mesôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
|
Lianhanos hypaton | |||||
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Parahypate hypaton | |||||
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
|
Hypate hypaton |
String Name Note Name |
Tense Chromatic |
Soft Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Trite Hyperbolaion | |||||
22/21
|
21/20
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
|
Nete dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
|
Paranete dizeugmenôn | |||||
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Trité dizeugmenôn | |||||
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn | |||||
7/6
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | |||||
12/11
|
10/9
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
|
Parahypate mesôn |
String Name Note Name |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
Tonic Diatonic |
DiTonic Diatonic |
Tense Diatonic |
7/6
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Nete Hyperbolaion | |||||
12/11
|
10/9
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
|
Trite Hyperbolaion | |||||
22/21
|
22/21
|
20/21
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
|
Nete dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
|
Paranete dizeugmenôn | |||||
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Trité dizeugmenôn | |||||
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
253/243
|
16/15
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn |
String Name Note Name |
Tense
Chromatic |
Soft
Diatonic |
Tonic
Diatonic |
Tonic
Diatonic |
Tonic
Diatonic |
Nete Hyperbolaion | |||||
12/11
|
10/9
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
|
Trite Hyperbolaion | |||||
22/21
|
21/20
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
|
Nete dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
10/9
|
|
Paranete dizeugmenôn | |||||
8/7
|
8/7
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Trité dizeugmenôn | |||||
8/7
|
28/27
|
28/27
|
256/243
|
16/15
|
|
Paramese dizeugmenôn | |||||
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Mese mesôn | |||||
7/6
|
8/7
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
9/8
|
|
Lianhanos mesôn | |||||
Translation of the ancient modes and the modes used today
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