Byzantine Scales

[Josiah14]

I'm learning byzantine chant, and I'm beginning, finally, to get a feel for where the tones are going. However, I'm having difficulty with the microtonality of the scales (as the notes are not all evenly spaced as in Western music).

I'd like to have a set of sound bites that I could use to train my ear and voice to hit the correct byzantine note (and not the western note). Does anybody know of any place that gives the true scales with a recording, and not just hte western approximation of the scales?

 

[choirfiend]

Nope, but I do know that traditionally the byzantine scale is in fact evenly spaced--it's just that there's 72 notes within an octave instead of 12. I honestly believe that ear training at this point cannot approximate the aural learning that happens in early childhood, and that such divisions are basically impossible to hear. Consider going to the Antiochian Village for their chant workshops?

 

[Josiah14]

Nope, but I do know that traditionally the byzantine scale is in fact evenly spaced--it's just that there's 72 notes within an octave instead of 12. I honestly believe that ear training at this point cannot approximate the aural learning that happens in early childhood, and that such divisions are basically impossible to hear. Consider going to the Antiochian Village for their chant workshops?

I may just do that.

Whether or not I can get it perfect, I can still try. I know a few who applied themselves really well to music in college and came close to gaining perfect pitch. I don't expect as much, but I can still strive for my best.

 

[choirfiend]

Oh, definitely! Especially since a close approximation of the semi-tones would more than suffice in average performance.

Relative pitch is what it's called when one can often be close to a pitch or identify them nearly. Having good relative pitch is essential for any musician.

Plus, I dont think the Greeks follow the ANCIENT Byzantine styles. It's become much more diatonic over the years, I'm sure, though it may not sound like that to us.

Just don't think that singing through your nose constitutes good Byzantine tone

You may want to contact Dr. Jessica Suchy-Pilalis. She's an expert in Byzantine Chant and she's a lovely person to take classes from.

 

[rainbowbright]

I love Byzantine chant, but I can't get my voice to sing 'in between the cracks' since I was trained in polyphonic music. I just kind of gave up and let the people who knew what they were doing sing it.

 

[Josiah14]

I love Byzantine chant, but I can't get my voice to sing 'in between the cracks' since I was trained in polyphonic music. I just kind of gave up and let the people who knew what they were doing sing it.

It takes a lot of practice and effort to 'break old habits'. However, its not a matter of polyphony or non-polyphony. Georgian chant and Corsican chant both do not utilize western scales.

Corsican example:
http://www.youtube.com/v/gQH62ld5HrA&hl=en_US&fs=1

Georgian example:
http://www.youtube.com/v/LK4v3mJ3GOU&hl=en_US&fs=1