Acoustic scale
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In music the acoustic scale is a seven note scale, containing the musical notes: C, D, E, F#, G, A and Bb, which is formed from a major triad (C E G) with an added minor seventh and raised fourth (Bb and F#, drawn from the overtone series) and major second and major sixth (D and A) (Wilson 1992, p.7). The scale was first formulated by Ernő Lendvai in his analysis of the music of Béla Bartók and the acoustic system, since it entails structural characteristics such as symmetrically balanced sections, especially periods, is contrasted with that of the golden section:
| Golden section | Acoustic |
|---|---|
| chromatic | diatonic |
| dynamic | static |
| close | open |
| circular | straight |
| tense | relaxed |
| odd (subdivision of the basic metric pulse) | even (subdivision of the basic metric pulse) |
| horizontal | vertical |
| dark | light |
- (ibid, p.7)
The acoustic scale is one species of the heptatonia seconda or ascending melodic minor scale (ibid, p.27).
[edit] Source
- Wilson, Paul (1992). The Music of Béla Bartók. ISBN 0-300-05111-5.
- Lendvai, Ernő (1971). Béla Bartók: An Analysis of His Music. London: Kahn and Averill. Cited in Wilson directly above.
