A DIATONIC SCALE

(diatonic literally means "according to the tonic") consists of only seven notes between any note and its octave. Example: C D E F G A B C. Notice that each of these seven notes has a different letter name. No letter is repeated, or skipped. Each has its own particular position in relation to the first note, which is the TONIC, or key-note. These seven notes are spaced out in tones and semitones, and the order of arrangement of these tones and semitones can produce different kinds of diatonic scales:

  1. Major scale
  2. Minor scale

Barbara Wharram
Elementary Rudiments of Music

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