A phrase is a component unit of a melody. According to this definition, a diatonic scale contains two tritones for each octave. So how about our friend the tritone? Adding or subtracting notes doesn't give a 'balanced' scale. But as juicy as this gossip about the tritone might be, there is no evidence that this ever happened. There are a variety of other scales and these scales are classified according to any of the following: However, were focusing on the classification of scales according to note aggregate in this lesson. Id like us to refresh our minds on the concept of scale before doing so. So, you have overall the frequency ratios 6:8:9:12, with the 8:9 whole step in the center. Indeed, in a diatonic scale, there is only one d5, and this interval does not meet the strict definition of tritone, as it is formed by one semitone, two whole tones, and another semitone: For instance, in the C major diatonic scale, the only d5 is from B to F. It is a fifth because the notes from B to F are five (B, C, D, E, F). A tritonic scale is made up of eight notes. Menu and widgets C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C: C-D-E-C: 10pm - 1am, Barcarolle Therefore, an octatonic scale pertains to eight notes per octave. Wikipedia lists: Chromatic, or dodecatonic (12 notes per octave), Octatonic (8 notes per octave): used in jazz and modern classical music, Heptatonic (7 notes per octave): the most common modern Western scale, Hexatonic (6 notes per octave): common in Western folk music, Pentatonic (5 notes per octave): the anhemitonic form (lacking semitones) is common in folk music, especially in Asian music; also known as the "black note" scale, Tetratonic (4 notes), tritonic (3 notes), and ditonic (2 notes): generally limited to prehistoric ("primitive") music, Monotonic (1 note): limited use in liturgy, and for effect in modern art music. A Lesson On The Classification Of Scales Roger Nichols (1972, p19) says that "the bare fourths, the wide spacing, the tremolos, all depict the words'the light thrilled towards her'with sudden, overwhelming power. An octave is the interval spanning eight notes of the scale. The major pentatonic scale is made up of five notes, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th degrees of the major scale.