Overview | Next
Tetrachords
.The Greek scale is built of two tetrachord each having a span of a perfect
fourth. Between the two tetrachords there is a whole tone 9/8.
|
|
| String/Tone name |
distance |
Tetrachord |
|
|
| Nete |
Fixed tone |
Tetrachord dizeugmenôn
4/3 (fourth)
|
3/2
fifth |
|
| |
Variable tone |
| Paranete |
Variable tone |
| |
Variable distance |
| Trité |
Variable tone |
| |
Variable distance |
| Paramese |
Fixed tone |
| |
Fixed whole tone distance |
9/8
|
3/2
fifth |
| Mese |
Fixed tone |
Tetrachord mesôn
4/3 (fourth)
|
|
| |
Variable distance |
| Lichanos |
Variable tone |
| |
Variable distance |
| Parahypate |
Variable tone |
| |
Variable distance |
| Hypate |
Fast tone |
Start from above
The Greek scales are starting form above. The most popular scale was
the Doric. If you turn the diatonic Doric upside down it will become a
modern major scale!
|
|
| ancient tone name |
ancient Doric scale |
Diatonic according to Erastocenes |
| Nete |
|
|
| |
Whole tone |
9/8
|
| Paranete |
|
|
| |
Whole tone |
9/8
|
| Trité |
|
|
| |
Half tone |
256/243
|
| Paramese |
|
|
| |
Whole tone |
9/8
|
| Mese |
|
|
| |
Whole tone |
9/8
|
| Lichanos |
|
|
| |
Whole tone |
9/8
|
| Parahypate |
|
|
| |
Half tone |
256/243
|
| Hypate |
|
|
|
|
Major scale upside down
|
Modern Major scale
|
|
C
|
C
|
|
Whole tone
|
Half tone
|
|
D
|
H
|
|
Whole tone
|
Whole tone
|
|
E
|
A
|
|
Half tone
|
Whole tone
|
|
F
|
G
|
|
Whole tone
|
Whole tone
|
|
G
|
F
|
|
Whole tone
|
Half tone
|
|
A
|
E
|
|
Whole tone
|
Whole tone
|
|
H
|
D
|
|
Half tone
|
Whole tone
|
|
C
|
C
|
|
The greater perfect system
The antique scale system included a tetrachord above and one tetrachord
below the central octave. When these tetrachords were added there was
no whole tone added.
| Tone name |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Nete Hyperbolaion |
|
|
|
|
Hypo Doric |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Paranete hyperbolaion |
|
|
|
|
|
Hypo lydic |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Trité hyperbolaion |
|
Frygian |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Nete diezeugmenon |
Doric |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| Paranete diezeugmenon |
|
|
Hypo frygic |
| |
|
|
| Trité diezeugmenon |
Lydian |
|
| |
|
| Paramese diezeugmenon |
Mixo lydian |
| |
| Mese meson |
| |
|
| Lichanos meson |
|
| |
|
|
| Parahypate meson |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| Hypate meson |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Lichanos hypaton |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| Parahypate hypaton |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Hypate hypaton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Proslambanomenos |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
apart from modes the Greek where using genus
The three genus were Enharmonic, Chromatic (colored) and Diatonic
|
|
| |
|