Pentatonalities and tetratonality
Here you find the Tonalibus view of the five regular and of several extra pentatonalities and one tetratonlity. Harmonically they are either fully or at least partially anchored. The pitch pattern of the regular pentatonalities includes two Reach steps or augmented seconds, separated by one whole step on one side and two whole steps on the other.
Regular pentatonalities
Fully anchored regular
Partially anchored regular
Extra pentatonalities
Fully anchored extra
Partially anchored extra
Partially anchored extra subgroup PentaNa
Teratonality
Overview visuals
Below are several graphs juxtaposing the pitch patterns of the pentatonalities in the Tonalibus catalogue. Two graphs show the five regular pentatonalities, one in the order of minimal or single pitch modulation changes from one to the next, the other by stepping up or down in half tone steps. These two views, as well as the secondary names given to the regular pentatonalities by Tonalibus, are analogous to the diatonic tonalities.
Further, there is a graph showing the pattern of clustered pentatonalities. It consists of two consecutive Reach steps or augmented seconds, separated by three consecutive whole steps. Only two of those qualified for the catalogue. Beyond that, there are also two half step pentatonalities with three Reach steps, a half step, and one whole step. Finally, Tonalibus includes three Na pentatonalities. They start with a double whole step followed by a Reach step.
On the page Tonalities, you find a list of all anchored tonalities included in the catalogue, along with a side-by-side juxtaposition of their scale patterns, as well as a general overview of fundamental pitch distribution patterns.
Common characteristics of pentatonalities
Pentatonality matrix: The octave of a regular pentatonality includes two Reach steps, three whole steps, and no half step (or semitone). One or two consecutive whole steps frame and separate the two Reach steps. An extra pentatonality can be with two consecutive Reach steps and three consecutive whole steps. Or it can be with three Reach steps, at least two of them consecutive, plus one whole and one half step. Or further, it can be with a double whole step, one or two Reach steps, one or two whole steps, plus one or no half step.
