CHAPTER II The Lydian Chromatic Scale Its Eleven Member Scales and Five Tonal Orders Introduction Ina conversation Thad with Miles Davis in 1945, Lasked, "Miles, whats your ‘musical aim?” His answer, “to learn all the changes (chords),” was some- ‘what puzzling to me since I fet~and I was hardly alone i the feling™that Miles played lke he already knew all the chords, After dwelling om his state ‘ment for some months, I became mindfal that Miles’s answer may have implied the need to relate to chords in a new way. This motivated my quest o expand the tonal environment ofthe chord beyond the immediate tones ofits basic structure, leading tothe irrevocable conclusion that every tradi- tionally definable chord of Western music theory has its origin ina panes ‘cate. In cis vertical sense, the cerm refers to that scale which is ordained — by che namue of tonal gravity-to bea chord's source of arising, and ultimate vertical completeness; the chord and its parent scale existing in a state of ‘complete and indestructible chord/scale unity—a cnonpwoot.! ‘The chief purpose ofthis chapter isto impress on the reader the strategic significance of the Seven Principal Seales of the Lydian Chromatic Seale as ‘the essential scales involved in “parenting” all the important chord colors of| equal cemperament, In revealing the basic tonal organization ofthe Lydian Chromatic Scale, ‘the fundamental scale on which the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization is based, Chapter II proves that Tonal Gravity isthe central author, authority, governing force, and foundation ofthat tonal organiza ‘The principle of Tonal Gravity produces its fandamental manifestation within a twelve-tone order thac spans all of equal temperament (i.e. the ighty-eight notes ofthe piano keyboard). This tonal order isreferred to asa 4 See GhapeerLydian Chromatic Seale, the lowermost tone and center of tonal gravity being its Lydian Tonic! The cornerstone interval on which a Lydian Chro- matic Sale rest is that ofa fifth, the basic unit of tonal gravity. ladder of | six consecutive incervals ofiths ascending from the Lydian Toni forms & Lydian Seale, the seminal seale ofthe Principle of Tonal Gravity and there- fire of the Lydian Chromatic ‘Augmented and diminished chord colors serve together with ascending intervals of iths to dictate the position ofthe remsining five tones of the Lydian Chromatic Scale. This will be discussed later in this chapter. Both Chart A and the chart in Example 1:3 show how the Seven Principal Seales of the Lydian Chromatic Scale are derived from a Lydian Chromatic Seale ina manner that is consistent with the laters close {ingoing) to dis- tant (outgoing) order of tones in relation to a Lydian Tonie. Whether viewed as an assemblage of the twelve individual steps of the Lydian Chromatic Scale or in relation to the Lydian Chromatic Seale’s Seven Principal Seales, the creative force of tonal gravity—an all-encompassing framework of mag- netcally tracted tonal elements connected to a central base cone (Lydian Tonic}~is clearly apparent asthe raison d'etre. Chapter If is aimed at familiarizing the musician with the most important chord prodacing seales of the Western harmonic spectrum. Chapter IIL showshow chords are created by aharmonic link of unity berween chord and seale—a phenomenon that Western musie theory has apparently neglected to include as an aspect of its harmonic theory, obviously overlooking or ‘ignoring thatthe essential nature of harmony is unity: as in the oneness between a chord and its parent seal. {See Buample ns,‘The F Lydian Chromatic Order of Tonal Gravity Bxampue nist - DvVi wm wow wv mw oy ‘The Eleven Member Scale: Alydian Chromati not arbitrarily selected because they “sound good’; their identity is deter mined by compliance to specific criteria, These criteria, which justify a scales classification as a member scale, are: ‘scale’ capacity to parent chords considered important in the development of Westers harmony >, ascale as being most representative ofa tonal level ofthe Lydian Chromatic Seale . the historical and/or sociological significance ofa scale. ‘The eleven member scales of « Lydian Chromatic Scale are divided into two _Eroups: Putas Scatss and HORIZONTAL SCALES. of the Lydian Chromatic Seale sale contains eleven srasen scatas. Member scales are ‘The Seven Principal Scales of the Lydian Chromatic Seale “There are seven vertical principal sales ofthe Lydian Chromatic Seale, sim- ply called “Principal Seales.” These scales are considered vertical in nature because: ‘4. they serve as the Principal Chond-parenting scales of the Lydian Chromatie Seale, As such, they exist asthe scales of| origin and unity, acting as primary parent scales for those