Octatonic scale scale" . The twelve tones of the chromatic scale are covered by three disjoint diminished seventh chords. The notes from two such seventh-chords combination form an octatonic collection. Because there are three ways to select two from three, there are three octatonic scales in the twelve-tone system. Each octatonic scale has exactly two modes: the first begins its ascent with a whole step, while the second begins its ascent with a half step (semitone). These modes are sometimes referred to as the "whole step/half-step diminished scale" and the "half-step/whole step diminished scale", respectively. Each of the three distinct scales can
Blues scale G, B. The latter is the hexatonic scale (top). The heptatonic, or seven-note, conception of the blues scale is as a diatonic scale (a major scale) with lowered third, fifth, and seventh degrees Blues practice is derived from the "conjunction of 'African scales' and the diatonic western scales". \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { </score> Steven Smith argues that, "to assign blue notes to a 'blues scale' is a momentous mistake, then, after all, unless we alter the meaning of 'scale'". An essentially nine-note blues scale is defined by Benward and Saker as a chromatic variation of the