Exploring Scales

In an earlier section you learned pentatonic scales. This time I’m gonna introduce some more scale variations.

1. Omit-4 Scales

The pentatonic scales rule out delicate expressions by removing tendency tones, resulting in dry, cheerful and muscular taste. But with tones limited, the possible patterns of phrases are also limited; It can easily fall into cookie-cutter melodies.

Considering that, a customized version of a pentatonic scale is ocassionally chosen—Ti comes back as a member.

Either do or la can act as the center. The scale is not so famous as pentatonic scales and does not have any proper name given, but you may call it an Omit-4 Scale. By the return of ti, the range of musical expression gets much wider.

Case Example

“Paradise” by Coldplay is an excellent case of how to make use of an omit-4 scale. Melodies are mainly on a pentatonic scale, but ti is inserted at the end of most phrases, producing a melancholic mood.

It is notable that in the pre-chorus part (1:36-) ti is placed at the top of the melody line.

By placing a tendency tone at the peak, its fluctuation effect is very much highlighted.

BTW the line la–ti–la–so–mi is so attractive that Coldplay uses this entire line in other songs too—in Violet Hill, Life In Technicolor ii and Midnight.

2. Celtic Minor

Viewing from cultural perspective, omit-4 scales are common in Celtic, British or Nordic folk songs (hence in American country music as well).

Because of this ethnicity, the minor type of omit-4 (la–ti–do–re–mi–so–la) is sometimes called Celtic Minor Scale in the field of Handpan.

Case Example 1

“The Nights” by Avicii is a great example that mixes country music essence to EDM. Fa is used only at “my father told me” (just before the build-up part) and all the rest is omit-4. Aside from instruments like acoustic guitars or fiddles, the melody lines generated from the omit-4 scale are clearly inspired by country music or music of his country, Sweden.

Melodic Licks

It’s interesting that here again the line la–ti–la–so–mi is used as a hook (at “leave this world behind”) just like Coldplay songs. You can further find this phrase in songs by other artists who prefer Omit-4.

In the field of instrumental solos, such short fixture phrases commonly used and shared among artists are called Licks. It’s worth collecting these nice licks and reuse or arrange them on your own😇

Case Example 2

“7 Years” by Lukas Graham is another song that has the scent of Irish/Nordic music; in fact the vocalist is born in Denmark and also spent half of his childhood in Ireland. The melodies are basically on a pure pentatonic until ti is inserted at 2:05. And after 3:10 ti is used many times to create the mood of climax. Fa is never used throughout the song.

By virtue of the restraint of tendency tones, the first ti at 2:05 sounds so much dramatic. It is fantastic that ti, a just another constituent of a major scale, can convey such a strong emotion. This is a great strategy of subtraction to construct musical dynamics.

Extra Examples

Omit-4 scales, still having a non-classical mood due to the lack of fa, can ocasionally be found in hit songs.

Check how ti is incorporated into the melody lines, while fa is totally avoided! Also, while all of these use the same “omit-4” when viewed solely in terms of the notes being used, I feel there are subtle differences in the taste of the melody.
There may be differences in how the note ti is used, depending on whether it’s devised as like a “hybrid of pentatonic and major/minor scale” or if the artists are drawing inspiration purely from ethnic scales of their own roots. In melody theory, simply gathering the notes used is not sufficient. It’s important to observe the tendencies of the melodic lines as well.

OK there’s too much to talk about omit-4 scales so let’s skip to other scales!🐧