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Comments on "Properly" naming rotations of unusual scales?

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"Properly" naming rotations of unusual scales?

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Consider the following musical scale, with a root of A:

A — B — C — D — E — F — G# — A

This is, quite clearly, A Harmonic Minor.

Let me rewrite the above scale in terms of tone (step) differences:

W — H — W — W — H — A — H

where A refers to an augmented second, or three half-tones.

Consider the following rotation by a fourth:

W — H — A — H — W — H — W

and correspondingly the original scale beginning on D:

D — E — F — G# — A — B — C — D

What would this scale be called?


Consider the regular seven church modes — Aeolian, Locrian, Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Myxolydian — where A minor would properly be called A Aeolian and is a rotation of C major — rather, C Ionian — and, relevant to the above example, D Dorian.

Just like adding a sharp seventh converts an Aeolian scale to a Harmonic Minor, is there musical nomenclature that a sharp fourth converts a Dorian scale to a Harmonic Dorian, and likewise for the other five rotations?

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A while ago I came across this amazing video, which answers your question thoroughly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq2xt2D3e3E

According to that video the specific scale pattern you gave is called Dorian #4 (the # here denotes a sharp sign, not a number sign). This basically means that it is like Dorian, but the with the fourth tone raised by a halftone.

The specific scale starting at D therefore is D Dorian #4.

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General comments (2 comments)
General comments
DonielF‭ wrote about 3 years ago

Where in the 21:35-long video is this specific scale addressed, for viewers who don't have that much time to spare?

celtschk‭ wrote about 3 years ago · edited about 3 years ago

@DonielF As I read the question, it was about the rotated “unusual” scales in general, with the given one only as example. If you are actually only interested in the one scale, just read what I've written as text. But in that case, your question is formulated in a horribly misleading way.