Lecture, LSO St Luke's, Thursday, 22 Feb 2024 - 18:00

The Colour Spectrum of Scales and Modes

piano keys painted in the colours of the rainbow

A musical scale – a hierarchical collection of pitches spread over multiple octaves – is a fundamental building block in the creation of melodies and harmonies in a wide range of musical practices. But where do these scales come from? Are they invented or discovered?

This lecture looks at the history, theory and artistry of scale construction in a wide range of styles, and how each scale can, through ‘rotation’, form a colourfully expressive palette of modal colours.

Milton Mermikides

Professor Milton Mermikides

Gresham Professor of Music

Milton Mermikides is a composer, guitarist, technologist, academic and educator in a wide range of musical styles and has collaborated with artists and scientists as...

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