# The C Major Scale Is Inherently Unstable



## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

I take a much simpler, elegant approach. If it's not analyzable harmonically, it's not subject to harmonic analysis. Harmonic analysis is based on chords built on scale steps, which is very diatonic.

The "diminished seventh" chord itself, supposedly built on the vii degree, is not really that at all: it's to be considered an incomplete G7 dominant (B-D-F), and should be resolved as that by assuming a G root, according to two respected sources: Walter Piston's Harmony and Schoenberg's Harmonielehre. 

The "diminished seventh" is not really a chord at all, with its unstable tritone; it just reveals a glitch in the harmonic system, and is really the result of contrapuntal voice-leading.

The diminished seventh, with its tritone B-F, reveals the inherent instability of the C major scale, which was designed for "travel" out of the key, not to ultimately reinforce the key suggested by the scale. The diatonic C major scale, the chosen scale for most of our music, is also inherently unstable as far as being "totally tonal." It's built for movement, for unrest.

The interval C-F is a fourth; if we hear this as "root on top," then F Major (complete with leading tone E-F) is established, subordinating C, supposedly the "home" key. All this is due to the fact of the tritone F-B in the C major scale. 
In this light, we can see the truth of George Russell's assertion that the Lydian scale is "more tonal" if one wants to establish the scale root as the key. 

The F lydian scale cycles through all 7 in perfect fifths before it circles back around to F, its key note: F-C-G-D-A-E-B (F). This is also why piano tuners start on F and tune by fifths. 

If we try to "stack fifths" starting on C, we get C-G-D-A-E-B-(F#?). It doesn't work for a C major scale, as it has an "F." 

When all the notes of a C major scale are sustained by ascending fifths, C-G-D-A-E-B, the consonance of perfect fifths falls apart when the clunker "F" is added on top.

The C major scale is structured so that there is a "leading tone" E-F (establishing F), as well as B-C (establishing C).

Significantly, the C lydian scale has a leading tone F#-G (establishing the more closely related V step of G) and B-C (establishing the scale key).

I'm not criticizing the C major scale; it's perfectly suited for what it is used for: to travel to other key areas due to its inherent instability, the tritone B-F, which ultimately manifests as the diminished chord.

In other words, the C major diatonic scale was designed to travel to other key areas, thus being inherently unstable, thus fulfilling its "harmonic destiny:" the diminished chord and the unravelling of the tonal fabric.

Schoenberg can't be blamed for the dissolution of tonality; it is inherent in the structure of the major scale.


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