Persian scale
The Persian scale is a heptatonic musical scale commonly referenced in Western music theory, particularly in jazz and guitar contexts, characterized by the note degrees 1, ♭2, 3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, 7 relative to the tonic, producing intervals of a half step, augmented second, half step, half step, whole step, augmented second, and half step.[1] This structure creates a tense, exotic timbre often associated with Middle Eastern influences, though it is a simplified approximation rather than a direct representation of traditional Persian musical modes.[1] In contrast, authentic Persian art music employs the dastgah system—a complex modal framework without a single fixed "Persian scale"—built on microtonal intervals derived from historical theories, such as 24-quarter-tone equal temperament or 22-shruti divisions, emphasizing melodic improvisation over harmonic progression.[2] The Western Persian scale, related to the double harmonic scale by flattening the fifth, appears in compositions seeking an "Oriental" flavor, as seen in modern works blending global influences.Definition and Characteristics
Interval Structure
The Persian scale is defined by a specific sequence of intervals that spans one octave with seven notes, consisting of four half steps (H, each 1 semitone), two augmented seconds (+, each 3 semitones), and one whole step (W, 2 semitones).[3][4] The core interval pattern is H - + - H - H - W - + - H, which creates a symmetrical structure with augmented seconds flanking the central whole step, emphasizing tension through its dense clustering of half steps and wider leaps.[3][4] Augmented seconds in the Persian scale measure approximately 1.5 whole steps (3 semitones), larger than a minor third but smaller than a major third, which introduces an exotic and tense quality by evoking ambiguity between consonant and dissonant intervals.[4][5] This interval size contributes to the scale's characteristic "Eastern" flavor, often used to build suspense in melodic lines.[4] In semitones, the numerical formula for the Persian scale is 1 - 3 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 1, summing to 12 semitones per octave.[3] Expressed in whole tone units (where a half step is ½ and a whole step is 1), it becomes ½ - 1½ - ½ - ½ - 1 - 1½ - ½.[4] On a piano keyboard, the Persian scale starting on C (C D♭ E F G♭ A♭ B) appears as a pattern of alternating white and black keys with notable skips: the first note on a white key (C), followed by a black (D♭), then skipping to a white (E, jumping over D), white (F), black (G♭), black (A♭, skipping G), and white (B, jumping over A and B♭). This layout highlights the augmented seconds as visual gaps of two white keys between notes. For guitar fretboard visualization, the scale forms a repeating pattern across strings, such as on the low E string starting at the 8th fret (for A Persian: A B♭ C♯ D D♯ F G♯), with fingerings that cluster around frets for the half steps and stretch for the augmented seconds, often diagrammed in one- or two-octave shapes spanning four to six strings.[4][3]| Interval Position | Type | Semitones | Whole Tone Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | H | 1 | ½ |
| 2-3 | + | 3 | 1½ |
| 3-4 | H | 1 | ½ |
| 4-5 | H | 1 | ½ |
| 5-6 | W | 2 | 1 |
| 6-7 | + | 3 | 1½ |
| 7-1 (octave) | H | 1 | ½ |
Notation and Examples
The Persian scale in the key of C consists of the notes C, D♭, E, F, G♭, A♭, and B, corresponding to the degrees 1, ♭2, 3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, 7 relative to the tonic, forming an ascending and descending pattern that emphasizes its characteristic augmented seconds and half-step clusters.[3][6] This structure creates tension through consecutive half steps, particularly between D♭ and E, F and G♭, and G♭ and A♭, followed by the leading tone B resolving to C.[7] Transposing the scale to other keys maintains its interval pattern: half step, augmented second, half step, half step, whole step, augmented second, half step. For example, the A Persian scale uses the notes A, B♭, C♯, D, E♭, F, and G♯.[8] Similarly, the E Persian scale comprises E, F, G♯, A, B♭, C, and D♯, a common transposition for guitar applications due to the open E string.[9][10] The following table lists the notes for the E and A Persian scales, which are frequently used in guitar contexts for their accessibility across the fretboard: For guitar, a basic ascending fingering pattern for the E Persian scale in the open position starts on the sixth string: open E (index on F at fret 1, ring on G♯ at fret 4), then fifth string A (open), B♭ (index at fret 1), and proceeds similarly across strings, using a one-finger-per-fret approach for the initial four frets before shifting.[10] Descending reverses this pattern, maintaining economy of motion. On keyboard, for the C Persian scale with the right hand, use thumb (1) on C, index (2) on D♭, middle (3) on E, thumb (1) on F, index (2) on G♭, middle (3) on A♭, and ring (4) on B, ascending one octave; the left hand mirrors this in reverse numbering for descending play.[6]Historical and Cultural Context
Origins and Inspirations
The Persian scale emerged as a construct within 20th-century Western music theory, particularly through adaptations of Middle Eastern musical traditions for use in equal-tempered instruments like the guitar. It gained traction in the late 20th century amid rising interest in world music fusion, where Western musicians sought to incorporate non-Western sonorities into rock, jazz, and metal genres. This period saw increased exploration of "exotic" scales in instructional materials, reflecting broader cultural exchanges facilitated by global travel, recordings, and academic interest in ethnomusicology.[13] Early mentions of similar scale structures appear in ethnomusicological texts that analyzed and approximated Middle Eastern intervals within the 12-tone equal temperament system, aiming to make traditional sounds accessible to Western performers. For instance, 19th-century studies by scholars like Alexander J. Ellis documented Persian and Arabic tonal systems, noting their use of intervals smaller than semitones, which later influenced modern adaptations by simplifying microtonal nuances into diatonic frameworks. These efforts laid groundwork for the Persian scale's formalization, though it was not named or standardized until later instructional contexts.[14] The scale's primary inspirations stem from Persian and Arabic maqams, which feature characteristic neutral seconds (approximately three-quarters of a semitone) and augmented seconds to create evocative, modal melodies. In Western adaptations, these are rendered as minor seconds and major seconds, respectively, to approximate the haunting, ornamental quality of maqams like Hijaz or Bayati while fitting equal temperament. This results in a hexatonic or heptatonic structure that captures the essence of traditional sounds without requiring microtonal tuning. The Persian scale is loosely connected to the dastgah system of classical Persian music, which employs variable intonations for expressive depth.[15] A key milestone in its popularization occurred in guitar pedagogy, exemplified by Troy Stetina's The Ultimate Scale Book (1999), which included the Persian scale among ethnic and exotic modes, providing fretboard diagrams and exercises for rock and fusion players. This publication, along with similar works from the 1990s, helped disseminate the scale to a wide audience of self-taught and professional musicians seeking Middle Eastern flavors in contemporary compositions.[16]Relation to Indian Raga Lalit
The Persian scale in Western music theory corresponds closely to the note structure of the Hindustani raga Lalit, sharing the same set of seven pitches while omitting the perfect fifth (Pa in Indian notation). In Western notation starting on C, these notes are C, D♭, E, F, G♭, A♭, and B, which align with Sa, komal re, shuddha Ga, shuddha ma, teevra ma (or komal Pa equivalent), komal dha, and shuddha ni in Indian swara notation.[4][17] This equivalence highlights a melodic framework characterized by augmented seconds and half steps, creating a tense, exotic flavor common to both traditions. Raga Lalit is a morning raga, typically performed between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., evoking emotions of pathos, devotion (bhakti), and compassion (karuna), often conveying a serene yet yearning mood.[18] It belongs to the Poorvi thaat and is classified as shadav-shadav (six-note) jati, being vakra (non-linear) in structure, with Pancham (Pa) strictly varjiya (omitted) to maintain its distinctive contour.[17] Key emphases fall on the komal re (flat second degree, providing a poignant pull) and shuddha Ga (natural third, anchoring the raga's devotional core), alongside the prominent use of both shuddha Ma (natural fourth) and teevra ma (sharp fourth), which are often approached consecutively for melodic intensity.[18] The vadi (king note) is shuddha Ma, with samvadi (queen note) as Sa, reinforcing the raga's meditative essence.[17] Historical cross-influences between Persian and Indian musical traditions, facilitated by Indo-Persian exchanges during the Mughal era (16th–19th centuries), likely contributed to shared melodic elements, as Persian musicians and theorists interacted with Indian performers at imperial courts.[19] However, the designation "Persian scale" is a modern Western construct, coined in 19th- and 20th-century ethnomusicology to categorize exotic modes, rather than a direct term from Persian classical music's dastgah system.[4] In raga form, Lalit's arohana (ascending pattern) exemplifies its structure: shuddha Ni–komal re–shuddha Ga–teevra Ma–komal dha–shuddha Ni–Sa' (e.g., approximating B–D♭–E–F♯–A♭–B–C in Western terms from C, though the initial shuddha Ni is ornamental). The avarohana (descending pattern) is more intricate and vakra: Sa'–shuddha Ni–komal dha–teevra Ma–komal dha–teevra Ma–shuddha ma–shuddha Ga–teevra Ma–shuddha Ga–komal re–Sa, often featuring phrases like teevra Ma–shuddha Ga–teevra Ma–shuddha Ga–komal re–Sa for emphasis.[17] These patterns prioritize gliding transitions between the two Madhyams and the flat second/third for expressive pathos, distinguishing Lalit from linear scalar ascent in Western usage of the Persian scale.[18]Theoretical Framework
Scale Construction
The Persian scale can be constructed by beginning with the Locrian mode—a diatonic mode characterized by the pattern 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, ♭7—and raising the third and seventh degrees to their major equivalents, resulting in the structure 1, ♭2, 3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, 7.[20] This modification introduces a major third and major seventh into an otherwise diminished framework, creating a tense, exotic sound profile suitable for evoking Middle Eastern influences in Western music.[21] Alternatively, the Persian scale can be derived from the double harmonic scale (also known as the Byzantine scale) by flattening its perfect fifth to a diminished fifth.[21] This relationship highlights its connection to other non-diatonic scales with prominent augmented seconds, though the Persian variant incorporates a flattened fifth relative to the standard double harmonic major. The resulting semitone pattern—1, 3, 1, 1, 2, 3, 1—features four half steps, two augmented seconds, and one whole step, underscoring the scale's inherent asymmetry and avoidance of even distribution across the octave. In terms of placement within the circle of fifths, the Persian scale's ♭5 disrupts traditional fifth-based progressions, positioning it as a non-diatonic entity that requires mixed accidentals in notation rather than a single key signature. Common transpositions, particularly in guitar literature, favor roots like E and A to align with open string positions and standard tuning. For the E transposition (E, F, G♯, A, B♭, C, D♯), the base key signature draws from E major (four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯) but incorporates flats for B♭ (♭5) and C (♭6), resulting in a hybrid signature of three sharps and two flats. Similarly, the A transposition (A, B♭, C♯, D, E♭, F, G♯) uses A major's three sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯) with added flats for E♭ (♭5) and F (♭6). These transpositions emphasize practical playability while maintaining the scale's theoretical integrity.[4]Comparisons to Other Scales
The Persian scale can be compared to the Hungarian minor scale (1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7), which also features an augmented second but with a natural second degree and raised fourth, creating a different gypsy-inflected exoticism; the Persian's flattened second and fifth introduce heightened chromatic tension and a more ambiguous tonal center.[22] In contrast to the Phrygian dominant scale, the Persian scale maintains a major third while incorporating a diminished fifth, avoiding the natural fifth and minor seventh that define the Phrygian dominant's dominant function and flamenco associations; the absence of these elements in the Persian scale emphasizes its static, modal ambiguity over harmonic resolution.[4] The Persian scale relates to Arabic maqams such as Hijaz (specifically Hijaz Kar) through a shared augmented second interval, which evokes an oriental flavor, but it features additional chromatic half steps—particularly the two consecutive semitones from the major third to the diminished fifth—lending it a denser, more clustered sonority absent in the Hijaz's sparser progression.[22]| Scale | Interval Formula (semitones) | Notes (from C) |
|---|---|---|
| Persian | 1, 3, 1, 1, 2, 3, 1 | C, D♭, E, F, G♭, A♭, B |
| Double Harmonic | 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1 | C, D♭, E, F, G, A♭, B |
Modes of the Persian Scale
Mode Overview
The Persian scale yields seven distinct rotational modes, each derived by beginning the scale on successive degrees of the parent scale's interval structure (1-3-1-1-2-3-1 in semitones). These modes are enumerated below with their starting degrees relative to the parent scale:- Persian, starting on degree 1.
- Ionian #2 #6, starting on degree 2.
- Ultraphrygian ♭3, starting on degree 3.
- Todi ♯4, starting on degree 4.
- Phrygian ♮3 ♮6 ♭7, starting on degree 5.
- Oriental, starting on degree 6.
- Aeolian ♭2, starting on degree 7.[24][25]