Diatonic Heptatonalities

Regular diatonic heptatonalities

Here you find the Tonalibus view of the seven regular diatonic heptatonalities. They are harmonically anchored scales that include five whole steps and two half steps (or semitones) in their octave. Alternating two or three whole steps separate the two half steps from each other. One may derive the seven pitches of a diatonic scale by compressing the chain of six successive quints, commonly called perfect fifths. Below are a few graphs juxtaposing the pitch patterns of the seven regular diatonic heptatonalities. One steps through them continually in half tone steps. Others show them in the order of minimal or single pitch modulation changes from one tonality to the next.

Fully anchored

Partially anchored

Overview visuals

Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities – 2021-08 – 52y
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities – 2021-08 – 50y
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities – 2021-08 – 51y
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities – 2023-12 – 49x
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Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities - 2021-08 - 52y
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities - 2021-08 - 50y
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities - 2021-08 - 51y
Tonalibus 1e-3 tonalities - 2023-12 - 49x
previous arrow
next arrow

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 diatonic heptatonalities

Diatonic tonality matrix: The octave includes five whole steps and two half steps (or semitones). Either two or three consecutive whole steps, a pair and a trio, alternate in separating the two individual half steps from each other.