escalas exotics

Basic and Exotic ScalesClint Goss

[[email protected]]for Native American Style Flutes

This document explores a progression of scales that can be played on many current Native AmericanStyle flutes. It begins with the basic pentatonic (5-note) scales and progresses to more exotic hexatonic(6-note) and heptatonic (7-note) scales. Each scale has a different feel, and evokes a different culture andstyle of song.

These scales work on many (but not all)

-- Clint Goss - September 30, 2009

Native American and Native American style flutes made sinceabout 1980. Depending on the tuning of the flute, you may have to use the alternate fingerings suggestedto get a pleasing scale progression. I have chosen not to use any half-holed notes - they’re just too unreliable(for me) in performance.

Notes in yellow shading are the “tonal center” of this scale ... melodies often work best when they beginand/or end on this tonal center note. Notes in orange shading are in the upper register and may bedifficult to play cleanly or may be shrill.

The first page has a summary of the scales covered. Later pages are “detail pages” that explore each scalein-depth. The detail pages provide the scale, with possible alternate fingerings, for both 6-hole and 5-holeflutes. The scale is also shown in Nakai Tablature (used with permission from R. Carlos Nakai), togetherwith the concert pitch notes for each key of Native Flute.

A “Scale Ladder Exercise” is provided with each scale. This exercise helps build finger proficiency withthe scale. You might try the Scale Ladder Exercise with four different articulations:

• Legato - long notes with no breath-separation between the notes

• Single-tonguing - a short break between notes, using an attach such as “Ta” or “Ka” to begin each note.

• Stacatto - Very short notes with a sharp attack and a silence between each note.

• Double-tonguing - Two rapid attacks on each note, using an attack such as “TaKa” or “DiKa”.

For more Native Flute resources, see:

• - Flute Key web site with related Native Flute resources.

• - Backing tracks and Flute-related educational products.

• - My performance and music facilitation web site with upcoming workshops.

• - Upcoming Native Flute Schools.

If you have any questions, issues, thoughts, or suggestions, feel free to contact me at .

www.FluteKey.com

www.NAFTracks.com

www.ClintGoss.com

www.NativeFluteSchool.com

[email protected]

Hirajoshi - Extended

1 3 5 6 ¾ } 0Hindu Scale - Extended

1 3 4 5 ´ 7 8 *

Byzantine - Extended

1 # 4 5 6 Ë ¾ *Spanish Gypsy - Extended

1 # 4 5 6 ¼ ¾ *

Blues - Seven Note

1 3 4 $ 5 7 � 8Blues - Six Note

1 3 4 $ 5 7 8

Major

1 3 4 5 6 ¼ ¾Hexatonic Minor

1 3 4 5 6 ¼ ¾

Mode 4 Pentatonic Minor

1 3 4 6 ¼ ¾1 3 4 5 7 8Pentatonic Minor

This page summarizes the scales, showing the notes for a six-hole Native Flute.

Scale Summary

Pentatonic Minor ScaleClint Goss


This is the “basic” scale for Native American and Native American style flutes made since about 1980.This scale is sometimes referred to a “Mode 1” since it begins on the bottom note of the flute.

1 3 4 5 7 8Six-Hole Flutes Five-Hole Flutes

1 3 4 5 7 8¼ &� &

Nakai Tablature with Notesfor All Flute Keys

& # # # # w w w w w wABbBCC#DEbEFF#G

Ab

BCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

EFF#G

AbABbBCC#DEb

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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1 3 4 3 4 5 4 5 7 5 7 8 7 5 7 5 4 5 4 3 4 3 1Scale Ladder Exercise

Third holefrom topalways closed

3 2 2 3 2

Green numbersshow the numberof half-stepsbetween notes

PossibleAlternateFingerings

F#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute

Mode 4 Pentatonic Minor ScaleClint Goss


This is a second Pentatonic (5-note) scale available on most Native American style flutes. The tonal centerfor this scale is in a different place than the Mode 1 Pentatonic Minor scale.

1 3 4 6 ¼ ¾Six-Hole Flutes Five-Hole Flutes

1 3 4 6 7 87 �8 %


Ab

BCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

DEbEFF#G

AbABbBCC#

EFF#G

AbABbBCC#DEb

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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4 6 ¼ 6 ¼ ¾ ¼ 6 ¼ 6 4 6 4 3 4 3 1 3 4Scale Ladder Exercise

Fourth holefrom topalways closed

n


Tonal Center of this scale

One note different from theMode 1 Pentatonic Minor scale

3 2 3 2 2


F#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute

Hexatonic Minor ScaleClint Goss


This Hexatonic (6-note) scale combines the Mode 1 and Mode 4 Pentatonic scales. It adds one additionalnote to the Pentatonic Minor scales to create more complex melodies.

Six-Hole Flutes Five-Hole Flutes



Ab

BCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

EFF#G

AbABbBCC#DEb

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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Scale Ladder Exercise

1 3 4 5 6 ¼ ¾ 1 3 4 5 6 7 87 �8 %

wDEbEFF#G

AbABbBCC#

n

1 3 4 3 4 5 4 5 6 5 6 ¼ 6 ¼ ¾ ¼ 6 5 6 5 4 5 4 3 4 3 1¼ 6

3 2 2 221


F#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute

Major ScaleClint Goss


To play in a major key, we can use the same notes as the 6-note minor scale, but move the tonal centerof our melodies up one note.




& # # # # w w w w w wF#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

ABbBCC#DEbEFF#G

Ab

BCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

EFF#G

AbABbBCC#DEb

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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Key of flute


1 3 4 5 6 ¼ ¾ 1 3 4 5 6 7 87 �8 %

wDEbEFF#G

AbABbBCC#

n

3 4 5 6 ¼ ¾ ¼ 6 5 6 5 4 5 4 3 4 3 16 5 4 3 4 5 6 ¼ ¼ 6 3

Tonal Center of this scale

3 2 2 221

Blues Scale - Six NoteClint Goss


This Hexatonic (6-note) scale adds the “Blue Note” to the Mode 1 Pentatonic Minor scale. There are twopossible ways of fingering this new note ... use your ear to figure out which one you like best.





Ab

BCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

EFF#G

AbABbBCC#DEb

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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1 3 4 $ 5 7 8 1 3 4 $ 5 7 8� @

wDEbEFF#G

AbABbB

CC#

#

1 3 4 $ 4 3 4 $ 5 $ 5 7 8 7 5 7 5 $ 4 3 4 $ 4 3 1

3 2 1 231

@The Blue Note

The Blue Note

nF#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute

& # # # #

Blues Scale - Seven NoteClint Goss


This Septatonic (7-note) scale adds on additional “Blue Note” to the Blues scale. There are twopossible ways of fingering this new note ... use your ear to figure out which one you like best.




w w w w w wABbBCC#DEbEFF#G

Ab

BCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

EFF#G

AbABbBCC#DEb

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF


1 3 4 $ 5 7 � 8 1 3 4 $ 5 7 J 8@

wDEbEFF#G

AbABbB

CC#

#

1 3 4 $ 4 3 4 $ 5 $ 5 7 5 7 � 7 � 8 � 7 � 7 5 7 5 $ 4 3 4 $ 4 3 1

3 2 1 31

@The Blue Notes

The Blue Notes

nF#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute

& ~

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FF#G

AbABbBCC#DEbF

wn1 1

Two goodtonal centers

Spanish Gypsy Scale - ExtendedClint Goss


This scale invokes a Middle Eastern feel. It is an “extended” scale because it uses one note in the upperregister - a note which is reliable on many Native Flutes. You can use either of two notes in this scale as thetonal center. This scale is also known as the Phrygian dominant scale, the Neopolitan minor scale, theJewish (Freygish) scale, or the Ahaba Rabba scale, and is often used in Klezmer music.




& # # # # w w w w w wBbBCC#DEbEFF#G

AbA

BCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

EFF#G

AbABbBCC#DEb

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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1 # 4 5 6 ¼ ¾ * 1 # 4 5 6 7 8 *7 �8 %

wDEbEFF#G

AbABbBCC#

n

1 # 4 # 4 5 4 5 6 5 6 ¼ 6 ¼ ¾ ¼ 6 5 6 5 4 5 4 # 4 # 1¼ ¾ * ¾ ¼ ¾ ¼ 6

4 1 2 221


Upperregister

# wn1

GAbABbBCC#DEbEFF#

a

F#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute


Byzantine Scale - ExtendedClint Goss


This scale extends the Middle Eastern feel of the Spanish Gypsy scale by changing one note. You can useeither of two notes in this scale as the tonal center. This scale is also known as the Double Harmonic scale,the Arabic scale, and the Hungarian Gypsy Persian scale.




& # # # # w w w w w wBbBCC#DEbEFF#G

AbA

BCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

FF#G

AbABbBCC#DEbF

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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1 # 4 5 6 Ë ¾ * 1 # 4 5 6 & 8 *&� �8 %

wDEbEFF#G

AbABbBCC#

n

1 # 4 # 4 5 4 5 6 5 6 � 6 � ¾ � 6 5 6 5 4 5 4 # 4 # 1¾ * ¾ � ¾ � � 6

4 1 2 131


Upperregister

# wn1

GAbABbBCC#DEbEFF#

n #~ a

F#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute

Hindu Scale - ExtendedClint Goss


This scale offers a second way to play in the style of a Major key. Starting from the tonal center of this scale(shown with yellow shading below), the five note proceeding up the scale are the same as the Major scale.Other notes in this scale form the Hindu scale, with a particular exotic feel. This scale is also called theMela Charukesi scale.




& # # # # w w w wBCC#DEbEFF#G

AbABb

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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1 3 4 5 ´ 7 8 * 1 3 4 5 ^ 7 8 *� 6

wEbEFF#G

AbABbBCC#D

4 5 ´ 7 8 7 ´ 5 4 5 ´ 7 8 * 8 7 8 7 ´ 7 ´ 5 ´ 5 4 5 4 3 4 3 1 3 4

2 1

Upperregister

wn1

GAbABbBCC#DEbEFF#

#a^%

wABbBCC#DEbEFF#G

Ab

3 2 2

wEFF#G

AbABbBCC#DEb

2

Scale degreesfrom tonal center: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7from root of flute: 1, b2 (upper register),

b3, 4, 5, 6, b7

F#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute

Upperregister

Hirajoshi Scale - ExtendedClint Goss


Hirajoshi is a spacious Pentatonic (5-note) scale that evokes images of Japan. It is workable on someNative American Style flutes that are designed to play reliably and in-tune in the upper register. If yourflute is not designed for extended range, try this scale without the upper register notes.




& # # # # w w w wwABbBCC#DEbEFF#G

Ab

C#DEbEFF#G

AbABbBC

AbABbBCC#DEbEFF#G

F#G

AbABbBCC#DEbEF

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1 3 5 6 ¾ } 0 1 3 5 6 8 9 09 �À %

wDEbEFF#G

AbABbBCC#

n

1 3 5 3 5 6 5 6 ¾ 6 1¾ } ¾ } 0 } ¾ } ¾ 6 ¾ 6 5 6 5 3 5 3

3 4 1 124ABbBCC#DEbEFF#GG#

wsS dD8

F#G

AbABbBC

C#DEbEF

Key of flute

Documents

escalas exotics