Musical Tone Inventories

An easier way to remember key signatures [opens i Live Guitar Blog Post].

When learning modes & chords, and what tones create them, it is vital to know the musical tone inventories for all 12 (15 tones). The 15 Roots we have chosen for these inventories are based on the key centers (circle of 5ths).

These inventories are given academically, meaning that the strict name is given for the flat or sharp non-diatonic tone member. Below each set is an acceptable mental simplification (based on our preferences). Over time, each player must determine the shorthand or most effective and useful ways to use the system.

For every tone, every other tone has a melodic and harmonic space to occupy. Every tone means something to every other tone.

As you apply the inventories, your ear will be able to place tones in given situations. As you develop your melodic and harmonic sensibilites, you will search out tones to create the type of sound you are looking for. Memorizing the musical tone inventories is a great start towards this end.

The Major scale components are listed along the top (diatonic tone members), and the 5 non-diatonic tones are beneath. We are pairing 'opposites'. Opposites are keys which are the inverse of each other for the diatonic scale (what is natural in one, is sharped or flatted in the other). All of the pairs (C has 3 - C, C#, C-flat), are a half step away from one another.

[Diatonic means 'within the key'. Diatonic tones are the tones which are a part of the Major scale for the given tone.] [The 2, 4, and 6 are also the 9, 11, and 13].

Note: It is important to be aware of the fact that the non-diatonic tones from any musical tone inventory create a Major/minor pentatonic set of tones. The tritone (3 whole steps - 6 half steps) is the flat-5 from any tone. From that tone (the flat-5), the non-diatonic tones create a Major pentatonic tone set. From the flat-3, a minor pentatonic tone set is created.[The same set for a given key].

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C

 

 

C Major is the simplest inventory. Since all the tones are naturals, the sharp and flat non-diatonic tones are the sharp and flat versions of the scale members.

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create F#/Gb Major pentatonic (D# minor/Eb minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of Eb minor/Gb Major pentatonic: Eb Gb Ab Bb Db for the non-diatonic tones.

C#

You will rarely see music written in C# Major. Its enharmonic (same note, different name) key is D-flat Major. If C Major has no sharps, C# has 7 sharps (everything is sharped).

The small x is a double sharp. It is acceptable to name the...

• Sharp 2, E, rather than D double sharp
• Sharp 4, G, rather than F double sharp
• Sharp 5, A, rather than G double sharp

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create G Major pentatonic (E minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of E minor/G Major pentatonic: E G A B D for the non-diatonic tones. This set of tones is the same for Db Major.

Cb

You will also rarely see music written in C-flat Major. Its enharmonic (same note, different name) key is B Major. If C Major has no flats, C-flat has 7 flats (everything is flatted).

The two small flats together is called a double flat. It is acceptable to name the...

• Flat 2, C, rather than D double flat
• Flat 3, D, rather than E double flat
• Flat 5, F, rather than G double flat
• Flat 6, G, rather than A double flat
• Flat 7, A, rather than B double flat

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create F Major pentatonic (D minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of D minor/F Major pentatonic: D F G A C for the non-diatonic tones. This set of tones is the same for B Major.

C# and C flat are diatonically opposite of C Major. What are naturals in C (everything) are sharped and flatted in C# and C flat, respectively.

G

G is another inventory where most of the non-diatonic tones are the sharp and flat versions of the diatonic members. F is the exception, where flatting a sharp creates a natural.

It is acceptable to call (name) the...

• Sharp 2, B flat, rather than A sharp
• Flat 5, C#, rather than D flat

Again, over time, you know the sharp 2 is the same tone as the flat 3, and you can determine which name (if you decide to choose only one mentally), will serve your purposes the best. When you see a B flat while playing a G something, you know that it can also be the sharp 2 (#9) - A#. It is sometimes written in music notation acting as one, while being written as another.

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create Db Major pentatonic (Bb minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of Bb minor/Db Major pentatonic: Bb Db Eb F Ab for the non-diatonic tones.

G Flat

The inventory of G-flat is enharmonic with F#. G-flat is similar to C-flat, in that the non-diatonic members can have natural names...

It is acceptable to name the...

• Flat 2, G, rather than A double flat
• Flat 3, A, rather than B double flat
• Flat 5, C, rather than D double flat
• Flat 6, D, rather than E double flat
• Flat 7, E, rather than F flat

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create C Major pentatonic (A minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of A minor/C Major pentatonic: A C D E G for the non-diatonic tones. These are the same set of tones as F# Major.

G and G-flat are opposites. What are naturals in G are flats in G-flat. What are flats in G-flat are naturals in G.

D

It is acceptable to call (name) the...

• Sharp 2, F, rather than E sharp
• Flat 5, G#, rather than A flat
• Sharp 5, B flat, rather than A sharp

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create Ab Major pentatonic (F minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of F minor/Ab Major pentatonic: F Ab Bb C Eb for the non-diatonic tones.

D Flat

The inventory of D flat is enharmonic with C#. D flat is similar to C-flat, in that the non-diatonic members can have natural names...

It is acceptable to name the...

• Flat 2, D, rather than E double flat
• Flat 3, E, rather than F flat
• Flat 5, G, rather than A double flat
• Flat 6, A, rather than B double flat
• Flat 7, B, rather than C flat

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create G Major pentatonic (E minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of E minor/G Major pentatonic: E G A B D for the non-diatonic tones. This set of tones is the same for C# Major.

D and D-flat are opposites. What are naturals in D are flats in D flat. What are flats in D-flat are naturals in D.

A

It is acceptable to call (name) the...

• Sharp 2, C, rather than B sharp
• Flat 5, D#, rather than E flat
• Sharp 5, F, rather than E sharp

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create Eb Major pentatonic (C minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of C minor/Eb Major pentatonic: C Eb F G Bb for the non-diatonic tones.

A Flat

It is acceptable to name the...

• Flat 2, A, rather than B double flat
• Flat 3, B, rather than C flat
• Flat 5, D, rather than E double flat
• Flat 6, E, rather than F flat

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create D Major pentatonic (B minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of B minor/D Major pentatonic: B D E F# A for the non-diatonic tones.

A and A-flat are opposites. What are naturals in A are flats in A-flat. What are flats in A-flat are naturals in A.

E

It is acceptable to call (name) the...

• Sharp 2, G, rather than F double sharp
• Sharp 4, B flat, rather than A Sharp
• Sharp 5, C, rather than B sharp

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create Bb Major pentatonic (G minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of G minor/Bb Major pentatonic: G Bb C D F for the non-diatonic tones.

E Flat

It is acceptable to name the...

• Flat 2, E, rather than F flat
• Flat 5, A, rather than B double flat
• Flat 6, B, rather than C flat

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create A Major pentatonic (F# minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of F# minor/A Major pentatonic: F# A B C# E for the non-diatonic tones.

E and E-flat are opposites. What are naturals in E are flats in E-flat. What are flats in E-flat are naturals in E.

B

It is acceptable to call (name) the...

• Sharp 2, D, rather than C double sharp
• Sharp 4, F, rather than E sharp
• Sharp 5, G, rather than F double sharp

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create F Major pentatonic (D minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of D minor/F Major pentatonic: D F G A C for the non-diatonic tones. This set of tones is the same for Cb Major.

B Flat

It is acceptable to name the...

• Flat 2, B, rather than C flat
• Flat 5, E, rather than F flat
• Sharp 5, G flat, rather than F sharp

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create E Major pentatonic (C# minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of C# minor/E Major pentatonic: C# E F# G# B for the non-diatonic tones.

B and B-flat are opposites. What are naturals in B are flats in B-flat. What are flats in B-flat are naturals in B.

F

It is acceptable to call (name) the...

• Sharp 2, A flat, rather than G sharp
• Flat 5, B, rather than C flat
• Flat 6, C sharp, rather than D flat

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create B Major pentatonic (G# minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of G# minor/B Major pentatonic: G# B C# D# F# for the non-diatonic tones.

F Sharp

It is acceptable to name the...

• Sharp 2, A, rather than G double sharp
• Sharp 4, C, rather than B sharp
• Sharp 5, D, rather than C double sharp

Note: Notice that the non-diatonic tones create C Major pentatonic (A minor pentatonic).We will favor the tonal spellings of A minor/C Major pentatonic: A C D E G for the non-diatonic tones. These are the same set of tones as Gb Major.

F and F-sharp are opposites. What are naturals in F are sharps in F-sharp. What are sharps in F-sharp are naturals in F.

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