The Whistle And Its Modal Scales - Part 3
The raised 4th note
We can get another set of Diatonic scales by half-covering the third hole to produce a raised 4th (which is a G# on a D whistle). Here we do not play the three-finger note (G on a D whistle). The raised 4th gets mostly used to produce a major scale starting from 5, instead of the Mixolydian modal scale, or as a modal shift from one to the other.
| Diatonic modes | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | For D whistle | ||
| Lydian | 1 | 2 | 3 | #4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | D Lydian | ||
| Mixolydian | 2 | 3 | #4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | E Mixolydian | ||
| Aeolian / Minor | 3 | #4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | F# Minor | ||
| Locrian | #4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | #4 | G# Locrian | ||
| Ionian, Major | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | #4 | 5 | A Major | ||
| Dorian | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | #4 | 5 | 6 | B Dorian | ||
| Phrygian | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | #4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | C# Phrygian |
The raised 1st or flattened 2nd note
Depending on the whistle (the lowest finger hole needs to be large enough for this!), we can produce a sharpened end note (#1) by half covering the lowest finger hole, and using that instead of the end note of the whistle. Or we can use the same as a flattened 2nd.
More Harmonic Minor scales
With #1 and a flattened 7th, we can get another set of Harmonic Minor modal scales, where the augmented whole tone step falls from b7 to #1. The Harmonic Minor scale starts from 2:
| Harmonic Minor modal scales | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | ||
| Ultralocrian | #1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | ||
| Harmonic Minor, Spanish Gypsy, Minor #7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | ||
| Locrian #6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Ionian #5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Romanian, Nakriz, Misheberekh, Dorian #4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Spanish Gypsy (Flamenco), Hijaz, Ahava Rabah | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
| Lydian #2 | b7 | #1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 |
With a flattened 2nd and flattened 6th and 7th we can create yet another variation of Harmonic Minor modes, with Harmonic Minor starting on 4. Now the augmented tone step falls from b2 to 3. The Spanish Gypsy (Flamenco), Hijaz, Ahava Rabah scale starts from 1.
| Harmonic Minor modal scales | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | ||
| Spanish Gypsy (Flamenco), Hijaz, Ahava Rabah | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 | 1 | ||
| Lydian #2 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 | 1 | b2 | ||
| Ultralocrian | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | ||
| Harmonic Minor, Spanish Gypsy, Minor #7 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Locrian #6 | 5 | b6 | b7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Ionian #5 | b6 | b7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | ||
| Romanian, Nakriz, Misheberekh, Dorian #4 | b7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 |
Double Harmonic scales
We can modify the above by using a normal (sharp) 7, instead of flat 7, keeping the flattened 2nd and 6th . This gives us two augmented tone intervals (b2 to 3 and b6 to 7), which results in a Double Harmonic Major scale from 1, and Double Harmonic Minor from 4:
| Double Harmonic modal scales | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | ||
| Double Harmonic Major, Gypsy Major, Hijaz Kar | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Lydian #2 #6 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | b2 | ||
| Ultra Phrygian | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | ||
| Double Harmonic Minor, Hungarian Minor | 4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Oriental, Mixolydian b2 b5 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Ionian Augmented #2 | b6 | 7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | ||
| Locrian bb3 bb7 | 7 | 1 | b2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | 7 |
Starting with the Harmonic Minor modes using b3 and b6, we can raise the 4th a semitone for a second augmented tone interval (from b3 to #4, the other is from b6 to 7). This gives us a Double Harmonic Minor scale from 1, and Double Harmonic Major from 5. But the #4 - 5 - b6 sequence is tricky on the whistle.
| Double Harmonic modal scales | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | ||
| Double Harmonic Minor, Hungarian Minor | 1 | 2 | b3 | #4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Oriental, Mixolydian b2 b5 | 2 | b3 | #4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | b2 | ||
| Ionian Augmented #2 | b3 | #4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | ||
| Locrian bb3 bb7 | #4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | #4 | ||
| Double Harmonic Major, Gypsy Major, Hijaz Kar | 5 | b6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | #4 | 5 | ||
| Lydian #2 #6 | b6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | #4 | 5 | b6 | ||
| Ultra Phrygian | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | #4 | 5 | b6 | 7 |
Hungarian scales
From the Melodic Minor scales, using a flattened 3rd and raising the 5th (in the same manner as flattening the 6th) , we get Hungarian scales:
| Hungarian modal scales | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | ||
| Melodic Minor #5, Jazz Minor #5 | 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | #5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Dorian b9 #11 | 2 | b3 | 4 | #5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Lydian Augmented #3, Lydian #3 #5 | b3 | 4 | #5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | ||
| Hungarian Major, Lydian #2 b7, Mixolydian #2 #4 | 4 | #5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | ||
| Superlocrian bb6 bb7 | #5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | #5 | ||
| Harmonic Minor b5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | #5 | 6 | ||
| Superlocrian #6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | #5 | 6 | 7 |
Neapolitan scales
If we play a Melodic Minor or Harmonic Minor scale, but diminish the second note a semi tone (so the first 4 notes are Phrygian) we get the Neopolitan Major and Neapolitan Minor scales.
By starting on 2, flattening 3 and raising octave 1 we get Neapolitan Major:
| Neapolitan Major modal scales | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | ||
| Super Locrian bb3 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | #1 | ||
| Neapolitan Major, Phrygian Major | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | #1 | 2 | ||
| Leading Whole Tone, Lydian Augmented #6 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | ||
| Lydian Augmented Dominant | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | ||
| Lydian Minor, Lydian Dominant b6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Major Locrian | 6 | 7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
| Semi Locrian b4 | 7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
By starting on 2, flattening both 3 and 7, and raising octave 1 we get Neapolitan Minor. Romani Minor starts on 5:
| Neapolitan Minor modal scales | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | ||
| Ultralocrian/Altered Diminished bb3 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | ||
| Neapolitan Minor, Phrygian Harmonic Minor | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | ||
| Lydian ♯6 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | ||
| Mixolydian Augmented | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | ||
| Romani Minor, Aeolian #4 | 5 | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Locrian Dominant | 6 | b7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
| Ionian/Major ♯2 | b7 | #1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 |
In conclusion
We have explored a number of possible, and sometimes tricky, ways to expand the whistle's tone set to play in many different scales and modes not inherent to its basic character as a simple diatonic instrument. There are many others not covered here. By learning to play fluently using half-holing techniques we can now even explore more chromatic possibilities with this humble six-hole instrument. Happy playing!