In an effort to explore sounds beyond the standard 7-note major scale, I used a combinations calculator and found that there are 792 unique 7-note combinations within the 12-tone chromatic system. Since each scale can be rotated into 7 modes, that adds up to 5,544 modal possibilities.
But in music theory, we often treat modes and transpositions as equivalent. Once we account for that, the number of truly unique heptatonic scale systems drops to 66. That’s a much more manageable set for study and comparison.
In this post, I’m taking a look at one of those 66 systems. It doesn’t have a widely recognized name, and I chose it at random to start this blog series. My goal with each of these posts is to highlight the functional harmony that can be found in each scale — that is, chords and harmonic patterns that relate to the major or minor systems most musicians already know. That’s the framework I personally find most useful for applying obscure scales in real musical contexts.
Here’s the scale we’re analyzing:
E, F, G, A, B♭, B (or C♭), D♭
Formula: 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, 5, 6
At a glance, this scale has similarities to the Phrygian mode and the blues scale. In fact, if you remove D♭ and ignore enharmonics, you get a very close match to the 6-note minor blues scale.
Inside this scale you’ll find a few chords that provide structure:
- E minor
- A major / A7
- Fmaj7(no5)
- G7(no5)
- B♭ minor
- F augmented
- E suspended
The E minor and A7 chords help establish E as the tonal center. The other chords, especially the 7th-no-5 voicings, offer ways to create turnarounds or introduce modal color.
Here’s a rough draft audio clip using this scale in the key of E. It’s not a polished composition, just a way to hear how some of the notes and chords from this scale can sound together. The goal is to give you a sense of the tonality and how certain elements like E minor and A7 can function within this system.
For now, I’m labeling this scale by its formula: 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, 5, 6. If anyone knows a conventional name for it, feel free to share it in the comments.
By Henry Bahrou – Guitarist, Music Theorist, Music Academy Director