Meta-MoS:an introduction

I have been exploring a method of scale generation i call Meta-MoS,and i am going to do a series of posts detailing it now starting with this one.Basic MoS knowledge assumed...

We are presumably familiar with the 5 and 7-note MoSes of 12-tet,which is what i am going to focus on for this chapter.This is because it's familiarity allows us to understand the concepts before using more unusual scales.

C D E F G A B c
C D E G A c

Consider the pentatonic scale as a subset of the 7-note diatonic scale rather than a subset of the full 12-note set.In this particular form,of course,it is still a normal MoS with only two actual step sizes.If we use F or G for a tonic,it is also still the same.But otherwise:

C D E F G A B c d e f g a b
---------------------------
D E F A B

E F G B c

A B c e f

B c d f g

The reader perhaps recognizes the first three as variants as traditional Japanese scales,having been used as the foundation for many kinds of music there and everywhere,and the fourth as being more typical of Indian drone string tunings.The sheer popularity and proven versatility of these scales speaks for itself-this system has strong musical value.

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MATS �LJARE
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/oljare

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--- In tuning@y..., "Mats Öljare" <oljare@h...> wrote:
>
> I have been exploring a method of scale generation i call Meta-MoS,

Kraig Grady has spoken of these quite a bit -- Erv Wilson calls the
concept "2nd-order-MOS". It's quite similar to the "2nd-order-
maximally-even" property described in the academic music-theory
literature.