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Lesson 4

Musical

Example

Lesson 4

Secret

Score

Lesson 4

Score/

Music

Using the Whole Tone Scale

While it is easy to create melodies from most scales, the whole tone scale provides more of a challenge. This next example illustrates the sometimes awkward quality of this scale:

Even with harmony added to the left hand, you would not want to listen to this kind of sound for too long.

One approach that works well with the whole tone scale is to use it in a cycle of sound, or circular motion. You will recognize this common usage of the scale:

Here, we simply run up and down the C whole tone scale. This effect is often used to create a magical setting.