Middle Eastern Scale (bandcoach?)

Ddream

Ddream

New member
Hey there, guys!

I have this idea of using some middle-eastern music on my next song, but I'm afraid I'm not familiar with it at all.

What scale are used in those kind of music? Is there a way to change that scale to a minor scale as the song progresses?

Thank you very much!
 
Harmonic minor has a little bit of middle-eastern feel to it.And it's easy to transition to a natural minor as the song progresses.
In case you don't know the harmonic minor scale,it's the same as the natural minor except the 7th note is raised by a half step.That really gives it a middle-eastern feel.
 
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By experimentation, I recently found out a good-sounding eastern-ish scale, it is basically just a harmonic minor, just the 2nd note is lowered by half and the 3rd is raised (for example, C - C# - E - F - G - G# - B - C)
It's somehow tricky to make a chord progression in this, because it is neither major nor minor and my usual chord construction methods don't work here. I don't know that much theory, this scale has probably a name, but I'm too much used to western melodies and scales.
 
DMTian said:
By experimentation, I recently found out a good-sounding eastern-ish scale, it is basically just a harmonic minor, just the 2nd note is lowered by half and the 3rd is raised (for example, C - C# - E - F - G - G# - B - C)
It's somehow tricky to make a chord progression in this, because it is neither major nor minor and my usual chord construction methods don't work here. I don't know that much theory, this scale has probably a name, but I'm too much used to western melodies and scales.
Click to expand...

that is the double harmonic major and is spelt C-Db-E-F-G-Ab-B-C (see below)


so, here is a list of Middle Eastern scales, modes and Maqams/makams and their interval structure (there are many more, this is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak)

Audio examples are of the unique scales on each line, played in 8ths and then 16ths at 72bpm

Persian0 1 4 5 6 8 11 121 b2 3 4 b5 b6 7 8S T1/2 S S T T1/2 S
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-01.mp3[/mp3]C D[sup]b[/sup] E F G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B C C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G A B[sup]#[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]bb[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-02.mp3[/mp3]D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] E F G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] C D[sup]#[/sup] E
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-03.mp3[/mp3]F G[sup]b[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E F F[sup]#[/sup] G A[sup]#[/sup] B C D E[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]bb[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]bb[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-04.mp3[/mp3]G A[sup]b[/sup] B C D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]#[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D E F[sup]##[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G A[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-05.mp3[/mp3]A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] F G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] B C D[sup]#[/sup] E F G A[sup]#[/sup] B
Israeli, Spanish, mode 5 of the Harmonic minor0 1 4 5 7 8 10 121 b2 3 4 5 b6 b7 8S T1/2 S T S T T
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-06.mp3[/mp3]C D[sup]b[/sup] E F G A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A B C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-07.mp3[/mp3]D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G A B[sup]b[/sup] C D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] E F G[sup]#[/sup] A B C D E
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-08.mp3[/mp3]F G[sup]b[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] F F[sup]#[/sup] G A[sup]#[/sup] B C[sup]#[/sup] D E F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]bb[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-09.mp3[/mp3]G A[sup]b[/sup] B C D E[sup]b[/sup] F G G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]#[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]#[/sup] E F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-10.mp3[/mp3]A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D E F G A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] B C D[sup]#[/sup] E F[sup]#[/sup] G A B
Arabic, Double harmonic major, Byzantine, Gypsy0 1 4 5 7 8 11 121 b2 3 4 5 b6 7 8S T1/2 S T S T1/2 S
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-11.mp3[/mp3]C D[sup]b[/sup] E F G A[sup]b[/sup] B C C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]#[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-12.mp3[/mp3]D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] E F G[sup]#[/sup] A B C D[sup]#[/sup] E
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-13.mp3[/mp3]F G[sup]b[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup] E F F[sup]#[/sup] G A[sup]#[/sup] B C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]bb[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-14.mp3[/mp3]G A[sup]b[/sup] B C D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]#[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]#[/sup] E F[sup]##[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G A[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-15.mp3[/mp3]A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D E F G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] B C D[sup]#[/sup] E F[sup]#[/sup] G A[sup]#[/sup] B
Arabian, Locrian major, Adonai Malakh, Melodic minor fifth mode0 2 4 5 6 8 10 121 2 3 4 b5 b6 7 8T T S S T T T
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-16.mp3[/mp3]C D E F G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B C C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]#[/sup] E[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G A B[sup]#[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]bb[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-17.mp3[/mp3]D E F[sup]#[/sup] G A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] F G A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]bb[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] E F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] C D[sup]#[/sup] E
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-18.mp3[/mp3]F G A B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E F F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A[sup]#[/sup] B C D E[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]bb[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F G[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-19.mp3[/mp3]G A B C D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G G[sup]#[/sup] A[sup]#[/sup] B[sup]#[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D E F[sup]##[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] C D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]bb[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G A[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-20.mp3[/mp3]A B C[sup]#[/sup] D E[sup]b[/sup] F G[sup]#[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] C D E[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A B[sup]b[/sup] B C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]#[/sup] E F G A[sup]#[/sup] B
Egyptian, Suspended Pentatonic0 2 5 7 10 121 2 4 5 [sup]b[/sup] 7 8T T1/2 T T1/2 T
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-21.mp3[/mp3]C D F G B[sup]b[/sup] C C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] B C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-22.mp3[/mp3]D E G A C D E[sup]b[/sup] F A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] E F[sup]#[/sup] A B D E
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-23.mp3[/mp3]F G B[sup]b[/sup] C E[sup]b[/sup] F F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] B C[sup]#[/sup] E F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] C[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] F[sup]b[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-24.mp3[/mp3]G A C D F G G[sup]#[/sup] A[sup]#[/sup] C[sup]#[/sup] D[sup]#[/sup] F[sup]#[/sup] G[sup]#[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] D[sup]b[/sup] E[sup]b[/sup] G[sup]b[/sup] A[sup]b[/sup]
[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/middleEasternScales-25.mp3[/mp3]A B D E G A B[sup]b[/sup] C E[sup]b[/sup] F A[sup]b[/sup] B[sup]b[/sup] B C[sup]#[/sup] E F[sup]#[/sup] A B
Note equivalencies
C=B[sup]#[/sup]=D[sup]bb[/sup]
C[sup]#[/sup]=D[sup]b[/sup]
D=E[sup]bb[/sup]
D[sup]#[/sup]=E[sup]b[/sup]
E=F[sup]b[/sup]
F=E[sup]#[/sup]
F[sup]#[/sup]=G[sup]b[/sup]
G=A[sup]bb[/sup]=F[sup]##[/sup]
G[sup]#[/sup]=A[sup]b[/sup]
A=B[sup]bb[/sup]
A[sup]#[/sup]=B[sup]b[/sup]
B=C[sup]b[/sup]

for more maqams go here

Arabic Maqam World
 
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This is a little advanced, but you COULD go beyond the western chromatic system. Some eastern music uses microtones, or 1/4 steps. For example, the note between A and A#. You'll have to use pitchbend for it. Although, if it isn't applied well everything will just sound like a 7th grade orchestra. Which is, to say, gross and out of tune. Just some food for thought.
 
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