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A '''heptatonic scale''', occasionally called a '''septatonic scale''' is a [[scale]] with 7 tones per [[equave]].
A '''heptatonic scale''', occasionally called a '''septatonic scale''' is a [[scale]] with 7 tones per [[period]].


Heptatonic [[MOS scale]]s may be found at: [[Heptatonic MOS]].
Heptatonic [[MOS scale]]s may be found at: [[Heptatonic MOS]].
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Other heptatonic scales may be found at: [[:Category:7-tone scales]].
Other heptatonic scales may be found at: [[:Category:7-tone scales]].


“Equiheptatonic” scales are scales with 7 roughly equally spaced tones per [[octave]]. They are usually not exactly equally spaced, but deviate from equal by small amounts, often to improve the tuning of [[3/1]] and [[5/1]].
[[Equiheptatonic]] scales are scales with 7 ''roughly equally'' spaced tones per [[octave]], common in some musical traditions. The exactly equal form of the equiheptatonic scale is [[7edo]].


Musical traditions that make use of equiheptatonic scales include:
7 equal frequency divisions instead of pitch gives the heptatonic [[overtone scale]], the first mode of [[7afdo]].
* Eastern [[Angolan]] music
* [[Cambodian]] classical music
* [[Ancient Greek]] auloi music
* [[Laotian]] classical music
* [[Thai]] classical music
* [[Vietnamese]] classical music
* Lower [[Zambezi]] music
** [[Nyungwe]] music
Note that just because a tradition has an equiheptatonic scale doesn’t mean it uses it exclusively. They often have other tunings too. Also, the term “scale” here is used loosely, because many, perhaps the majority, of musical traditions don’t use scales, but use something else like tetrachords, raag, etc. that scales can only loosely model.
 
An exactly equal equiheptatonic scale is [[7edo]], which is popular with modern Western xenharmonic composers.


== See also ==
== See also ==

Latest revision as of 20:16, 12 April 2025

A heptatonic scale, occasionally called a septatonic scale is a scale with 7 tones per period.

Heptatonic MOS scales may be found at: Heptatonic MOS.

Other heptatonic scales may be found at: Category:7-tone scales.

Equiheptatonic scales are scales with 7 roughly equally spaced tones per octave, common in some musical traditions. The exactly equal form of the equiheptatonic scale is 7edo.

7 equal frequency divisions instead of pitch gives the heptatonic overtone scale, the first mode of 7afdo.

See also

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