About - 'A theory of harmony' chapter 2 by Erns Levy

Ernst Levy suggest, on chapter 2 of his book that it is possible to change a, for example, major scale to the same scale in an opposite pole. So, for example C Major scale C; D; E; F; G; A; B; (C) (Image 1) It is possible to have it in an opposite way.

Image 1


How? Well, it is possible taking part of the tons and semitons each scale have. C - D = 1 tone; D - E = 1 tone; E - F = 1 semitone; F - G = 1 tone; G - A = 1 tone; A - B = 1 tone; B - C = 1 semitone (image 2).


Image 2



To transpose the C Major scale to its opposite pole it is necessarily to start on the 5th of the original scale.  Why? In a way, on the original scale, the Gerador (G), which is the note will generate the scale and the Tonic (T), which is the fundamental are together (image 3).


Image 3


In the opposite pole, the Gerador and the Tonic are separated. On one hand, the Gerador must be the 5th of my original scale (in this case, G) and the Tonic should be the 5th of the new opposite scale. On the other hand, as the scale should be a mirror of the original, it is necessary to start up to down - opposite way of my original. So my new opposite scale will be G; F; Eb; D; C; C; Bb; Ab; (G) (image 4).


Image 4


Could be confusing when thinking about the opposite scale: why it does not start on the same note? Well, Ernst Levy suggest in his book that it is necessary to think on a conversion of C Major to C minor. For example, if the opposite scale starts on the same note, the final result will be F minor instead of C minor (image 5). In a way, the opposite scale is a minor scale in a Mixolydian mode. Also, in an opposite scale the Gerador and the Tonic must be separate and on the scale of image 5 they are together.



Image 5



Constructing chords it is also possible when thinking about the opposite side. In C Major scale the chords are CM; Dm; Em; FM; GM; Am; Bdim; (CM) (image 6).

Image 6

On the opposite scale the chords are made up to down and every chord that is major on the original scale is minor now. Minor chords become major and diminutive chords stay diminutive (image 7)

Image 7