Category: Tonality of the month

The tonality of the month of September 2024 is PentaProLa / PentaIon.

The tonality of this month is PentaProLa / PentaIon (pentatonic major), a Pro tonality and regular basic pentatonality. It is the common root of Lydian, Ionian, and Mixolydian — the so-called major tonalities. The pitch and interval selection in its octave corresponds to that of the raaga Bhoopali. This is one of the three most basic ones of Hindustani classical music. Besides the fundamental, it contains the major second, major third, quint, and major sixth (Sa, Re, Ga, Pa, Dha, Sa’). On the piano keyboard PentaProLa / PentaIon corresponds to the black keys with F# as fundamental.

You may enjoy a sound sample or tonality loop as sound mantra for contemplation or meditation. This can help with upliftment, purification, and focusing. Or it could simply be used as soothing background sound for relaxation and regeneration. If you care to hum, chant, or sing along, you could use a spiritually charged syllable like Ōṃ / Aum ॐ, or HU, or another mantra syllable that suits you.

The tonality of the month of August 2024 is LoReachUp.

The tonality of this month is LoReachUp — a partially anchored Reach heptatonality and prime Na tonality. Its pitch or interval distribution within the octave matches that of the Hindustani raaga Todi. And it is also a close extension of the raaga Multani. The name LoReachUp indicates the presence of a Reach step or augmented second in the lower tetrachord shifted up a half step from its regular position and that the initial step below it is low, with the minor second. This is exceptional in that therefore a whole step borders that Reach step on its underside. The absence of further name specification indicates that also the upper tetrachord features a Reach step, a regular one. Sometimes this tonality also carries the name harmonic minor over Phrygian Lydian.

You may enjoy a sound sample or tonality loop as sound mantra for contemplation or meditation. This can help with upliftment, purification, and focusing. Or it could simply be used as soothing background sound for relaxation and regeneration. If you care to hum, chant, or sing along, you could use a spiritually charged syllable like Ōṃ / Aum ॐ, or HU, or another mantra syllable that suits you.

The tonality of the month is MajReach or harmonic major.

MajReach or harmonic major, the tonality of this month of of July 2024, distinguishes itself from Ionian or diatonic major in only one pitch. It contains the minor instead of the major sixth. Thus it juxtaposes a MixolydIonian or major lower with a Reach or harmonic upper tetrachord. This adds much contrast and character to this tonality. Harmonic major appears occasionally in Western music, especially in Jazz and in compositions from the common practice era. That is the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic period, from the 17th through 19th centuries, when music was based on the tonal system. In Hindustani (northern Indian) classical music, MajReach or harmonic major matches and corresponds to the morning raga Nat Bhairav नट भैरव, and in Carnatic (southern Indian) music to the raga Sarasangi सरस – అంగి.

You may enjoy a sound sample or tonality loop as sound mantra for contemplation or meditation. This can help with upliftment, purification, and focusing. Or it could simply be used as soothing background sound for relaxation and regeneration. If you care to hum, chant, or sing along, you could use a spiritually charged syllable like Ōṃ / Aum ॐ, or HU, or another mantra syllable that suits you.

The tonality of the month is PentaMinMix / PentaEolDor — an extended pentatonality derivative.

PentaMinMix / PentaEolDor, an extended pentatonality derivative, is the tonality of this month of June 2024. We can see this derivative as a reduction of Aeolian or Dorian without quart and no sixth. This makes it a pentatonality that includes the major second, minor third, quint, and minor seventh. Its pattern is thus 1-3-4-8-11-1 or Sa Re ga Pa ni Sa. There is a doubly augmented second or double whole step from the minor third to the quint. And further, an augmented second from the quint to the minor seventh. A more extensive sound sample of PentaMinMix / PentaEolDor is the piece “իմաստուն Imastun survivors” — calling for silence below (and also in May 2024 sounds).

PentaLoPhryg / Bairagi — another extended pentatonality derivative

PentaMinMix / PentaEolDor was inspired by the recognition of Bairagi, a Hindustani classical raga a.k.a. Bairagi Bhairav. Its feel is close to and its pitches identical to ReachMin / Phrygian dominant without third and no sixth, which is also the case for ReachMix or Phrygian. Therefore, its pattern is 1-2-6-8-11-1 or Sa re ma Pa ni Sa. Thus, a doubly augmented second or double whole step leads from the minor second to the quart. Tonalibus, according to its own nomenclature, named this extended pentatonality derivative PentaLoPhryg. An extensive sound sample of this tonality derivative is the piece “Bairagi Bhairav raag” — a first raga interpretation below (and also in February 2024 sounds).

Tonality derivatives show up in tonalities overview tables. But there are no further details on them in the Tonalibus catalogue.

The tonality of the month is Lydian — a regular diatonic heptatonality.

Lydian, a partially anchored regular diatonic heptatonality and Pro(gressive) tonality, is the tonality of this month of May 2024. It differs by only one pitch from the well known major scale by including the triton instead of the quart. This gives it a very distinct and somewhat lofty feel. On piano keyboards, it corresponds to the white keys with F as fundamental. This tonality is one of Gregorian or church modes. However, it appears in many different musical styles, not just in Gregorian chant, ancient Greek and medieval, but also in romantic and modern music, including jazz and popular tunes. Because of its wide spread use in Polish folk music, some refer to it as Polish mode.

You may enjoy a sound sample or tonality loop as sound mantra for contemplation or meditation. This can help with upliftment, purification, and focusing. Or it could simply be used as soothing background sound for relaxation and regeneration. If you care to hum, chant, or sing along, you could use a spiritually charged syllable like Ōṃ / Aum ॐ, or HU, or another mantra syllable that suits you.