source file: mills2.txt
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1996 07:07:11 -0800

Subject: Re: Major Scales Bases

From: Gary Morrison <71670.2576@CompuServe.COM>

I'm glad to hear that Johnny R. entertained the heck out of you (PAULE), and
that you found Mayumi to be a fine microtonalist.  Neither fact surprises me in
the slightest.

> Gary: I believe you are right in pointing to the tetrachord as the basis of 
> the diatonic scale. 

   And of course, the similar upper and lower tetrachords are similar but not
identical in the traditional Ptolemaic JI, but are in Pythagorean.  

   That brings to mind a curious question:  How many underlying bases (as in
plural of basis), structurally speaking, are there for the major scale,
historical or not?  I can think of three right off the top of my head:  
1.  Identical upper and lower tetrachords
2.  Circle of fifths (one down and five up)
3.  Primary triads


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