In music, the double harmonic major scale^[1] is a scale whose gaps may evoke "exotic" music to Western listeners. This is also known as the Arabic and ^[1][2] the Byzantine scale. It is also likened to the gypsy scale because of the augmented 2 between the 2nd and 3rd degrees. Arabic scale may also refer to any Arabic mode, the simplest of which, however, to Westerners, resembles the double harmonic major scale.^[3].

The sequence of steps comprising the double harmonic scale is:

• half – augmented second – half – whole – half – augmented second – half.

Or, in relation to the tonic note:

• flat 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th and 5th, minor 6th, 7th.

However, this scale is commonly represented with the first and last half step each being represented as a quarter tone. The non-quarter tone form is identical to the North Indian Thaat named Bhairav and the South Indian (Carnatic) Melakarta named Mayamalavagowla.

The double harmonic scale is arrived at by either:

• raising the seventh of the Phrygian dominant scale
• raising the seventh and third of the Phrygian mode
• lowering the sixth and second of a major scale
• combining the lower half of phrygian dominant with the upper half of harmonic minor^[1]

It is referred to as the "double harmonic" scale because it contains two augmented seconds, while the harmonic scale contains only that between the sixth and seventh degrees:

The double harmonic scale is uncommonly used in Western music, as it does not closely follow any of the basic musical modes, nor is it easily derived from them. It also does not easily fit into common Western chord progressions such as the authentic cadence. The Arabic scale (in the key of E) was used in Nikolas Roubanis's "Misirlou", and Claude Debussy used the scale in "Soirée dans Grenade", "La Puerta del Vino", and "Sérénade interrompue" to evoke Spanish flamenco music or Moorish heritage^[4]. A commonly known usage in western music is The Cure's 'Killing An Arab' The scale is also popular in India^[2].

The double harmonic scale is radially symmetrical (around the center point).

[edit] Modes

Like most heptatonic (seven pitches in the octave) scales, the double harmonic scale has a mode for each of its individual scale degrees. The most commonly known of these modes is the 4th mode, the Hungarian gypsy scale, most similar to the harmonic minor scale with a raised 4th degree.

The second mode is somewhat of a hybrid between the blues scale (contains a #4) and bebop scale (both #6 and 7).

[edit] Relationship to Phrygian major (Jewish scale)

The nearest other existing scale to the double harmonic scale is the Phrygian dominant scale. The double harmonic scale may be made from a Phrygian dominant scale by sharpening its 7th degree.

[edit] Sources

[edit] See also

• Gypsy scale
• Arabic scale
• Arabic music
• Byzantine music
• Musical mode
• Tritone substitution