Persian scale

Music scale used in Middle Eastern compositions

The Persian scale is a musical scale occasionally found in guitar scale books, along with other scales inspired by Middle Eastern music. It is characterized by the liberal use of half steps (4), augmented seconds (2), and frequent use of chromaticism. Compare this to the one augmented second of the harmonic minor or the use of only two half-steps in all diatonic scales. This is also the Locrian mode with a major third and major seventh degree.

In Hindustani Classical Music, this corresponds to the raga Lalit.

The sequence of steps is as follows:^[1]

H, +, H, H, W, +, H
(W = Whole step - H = Half step - + = augmented second)

Beginning on C:

C, D♭, E, F, G♭, A♭, B, C

Modes

This rather unusual scale contains the following modes, with rather debatable names: ^[2]

Mode	Name of scale	Degrees
1	Persian Scale	1	♭2	3	4	♭5	♭6	7	8
2	Ionian ♯2 ♯6	1	♯2	3	4	5	♯6	7	8
3	Ultraphrygian 3	1	♭2	3	♭4	5	♭6	7	8
4	Todi Thaat	1	♭2	♭3	♯4	5	♭6	7	8
5	Lydian ♯3 ♯6	1	2	♯3	♯4	5	♯6	7	8
6	Mixolydian Augmented ♯2	1	♯2	3	4	♯5	6	♭7	8
7	Chromatic Hypophrygian Inverse	1	♭2	3	4	♭5	6	7	8

Sources

^ Sternal, Mark John (2005). Guitar Total Scales Techniques and Applications, p.156. ISBN 0-9762917-0-3.
^ "Synthetic Scales – Part XV". Archived from the original on 2019-02-26.
^ Stetina, Troy (1999). The Ultimate Scale Book, p.61. ISBN 0-7935-9788-9.