Psychology of the Major Scale
Hello,
I thought it might be a nice idea to do a series on the psychology involved in different musical scales.
Background:
The major scale in C goes C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C.
Major is the most common scale for music from the 1700's till now. Before the Baroque period, modes were common, and the major and minor scales did not have the dominance they've acquired since then. Many cultures have discovered the major scale, Chinese (the Zhengsheng 正聲) and Indian (Bilawal) music have it as well as European.
I'm not sure whether or not studies have been conducted on the emotional effects of the major scale on people who have never heard music in it, but it's almost universally described as a typically happy, content scale. My defense for this is the ratios involved in the notes made from it. As written in Rameau's Treatise on Harmony, the major scale is made of mostly simple, small-numbered ratios, meaning the sound is more comprehensible and pleasant to the ear. Playing the root note, (taken as C), and the intervals above it at the same time, the only really unpleasant one will be C and D, with C and high B being somewhat tense as well. Since most songs in a major key avoid those intervals anyways, it gives the key a stable feeling.
Additionally, the major mode coincides with the most important part of the harmonic series, as they both contain octaves, fifths, and thirds. The closer a scale aligns with the harmonic series, the more "natural" it will sound, as a natural horn will only play the harmonic series.
Fans of other scales may tire of the earthy character of this scale. They might like the more exotic touch that the Phrygian mode has, or the tenseness and excitement of harmonic minor.
I've gone back and forth. At times, it feels too stale, but other times, I find myself drawn to the ephemeral natural beauty of the major scale when a piece is composed sublimely enough in it, as is a lot of Handel's Messiah for example.
Even though major can be trite, old, or underwhelming at its worst, it can be beautiful, timeless, and breathtaking at its best.
What characteristics do you find in the major scale?
Which work is your favorite?
Thank you!
Until next time,
Azure
I thought it might be a nice idea to do a series on the psychology involved in different musical scales.
Background:
The major scale in C goes C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C.
Major is the most common scale for music from the 1700's till now. Before the Baroque period, modes were common, and the major and minor scales did not have the dominance they've acquired since then. Many cultures have discovered the major scale, Chinese (the Zhengsheng 正聲) and Indian (Bilawal) music have it as well as European.
I'm not sure whether or not studies have been conducted on the emotional effects of the major scale on people who have never heard music in it, but it's almost universally described as a typically happy, content scale. My defense for this is the ratios involved in the notes made from it. As written in Rameau's Treatise on Harmony, the major scale is made of mostly simple, small-numbered ratios, meaning the sound is more comprehensible and pleasant to the ear. Playing the root note, (taken as C), and the intervals above it at the same time, the only really unpleasant one will be C and D, with C and high B being somewhat tense as well. Since most songs in a major key avoid those intervals anyways, it gives the key a stable feeling.
Additionally, the major mode coincides with the most important part of the harmonic series, as they both contain octaves, fifths, and thirds. The closer a scale aligns with the harmonic series, the more "natural" it will sound, as a natural horn will only play the harmonic series.
Fans of other scales may tire of the earthy character of this scale. They might like the more exotic touch that the Phrygian mode has, or the tenseness and excitement of harmonic minor.
I've gone back and forth. At times, it feels too stale, but other times, I find myself drawn to the ephemeral natural beauty of the major scale when a piece is composed sublimely enough in it, as is a lot of Handel's Messiah for example.
Even though major can be trite, old, or underwhelming at its worst, it can be beautiful, timeless, and breathtaking at its best.
What characteristics do you find in the major scale?
Which work is your favorite?
Thank you!
Until next time,
Azure
Comments
Post a Comment