Sound Character: Also called the Arabic or Byzantine scale, it has a strongly ornamental and Middle Eastern sound. The contrast between the minor second and major third, together with the major seventh, creates a very dramatic and tense effect.
Typical Chord: Maj7♭9 or chords with mixed tensions
Modal Context: Used to evoke oriental, ritualistic, or ancient environments. Often on drones or static harmonic structures.
Harmonic Use: In ethnic melodic contexts, static progressions, or for dramatic chromatics in classical and world genres.
Musical Context
Musical Styles: World, Classical, Soundtracks, Neoclassical metal
Songs using the scale:
Scheherazade - Rimsky-Korsakov
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Desert Rain - Ravi Shankar
Kingdom of Heaven - Epica
Evoked Atmosphere: Majestic, ritualistic, solemn, and strongly evocative of oriental cultures.
