So, which should you buy? If you’re just starting out, a diatonic harmonica is a good choice. Chromatic harmonicas are tuned to multiple keys and are often used for jazz and classical music. They’re great for playing blues, folk, and country music. Diatonic harmonicas are tuned to one key and are the most popular type of harmonica. Here’s a quick rundown of the differences to help you decide which is right for you. They all have different sounds depending on the distances between the notes.If you’re just starting out with the harmonica, you might be wondering whether to buy a diatonic or chromatic harmonica. Other scales that have the seventh note further away, that is, a larger interval distance, sound airy and indefinite.īelow are examples of a few of the many scales from around the world. The quality gives the scale a grounded quality to its sound. This distance creates a tension that is quickly dissipated when the root note follows the seventh note in a melodic run. The second characteristic of the Major scale that sets it apart is that the seventh note of the scale is a half step away from the octave. Scales with a minor 3rd interval between the root and third note are called Minor. Scales with a major 3rd interval between the root and third note are called Major scales. Scales can be grouped into two groups depending on the third note of the scale. Scales with the third note only a step and a half apart, that is, a minor 3rd interval tend to sound soft and moody. Scales with this interval tend to sound bright and strong. The third note is two full steps away from the root. The two most important characteristics that gives this scale its unique sound are the third and seventh note. The different spacing between the notes of the chromatic scale is what makes Mid-Eastern, Indian, and Chinese music sound different from most of our pop music.Īs mentioned above the diatonic scale (also known as the Major scale) has a particular sound that distinguishes it from other scales. Other cultures around the world have developed other scales that sound good to them by altering the intervals between the notes. Though there may be some scientific reason why this one is so popular, it is probably because we are used to hearing it. It is popular because the intervals between the notes is pleasant to our ears North American ears. The diatonic scales is just one of many scales used in music today. Below is a chromatic scale beginning and ending on C. There are, of course, six whole steps in an octave. The distance between each tone of a chromatic scale is called a half step. This series of twelve tones is called a chromatic scale. In our western music culture there are twelve tones between each octave. An octave is the tonal distance between two notes with the frequency of the higher note being twice that of the lower. When we repeat the beginning note of the scale we have played an octave. When we start playing a diatonic scale pattern beginning with C, the result is C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C. The key of C major is an example of one such key. The note that begins a key becomes the name of that key. Each of these keys begins on a different note. In modern western music the diatonic scale pattern is the basis for fifteen major keys. This scale is derived from the diatonic major scale and shares the same notes and chords. The second most important scale is the natural minor scale. This section describes the diatonic scale and other musical concepts associated with it, including modes, chords, and intervals. The most important scale used in pop, jazz, country, rock, and classical music today is a 7-note scale called the diatonic major scale.
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