science

Neapolitan scale

Neapolitan scale is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Neapolitan scale rather than just read about it. In short: In music, the major Neapolitan scale and the minor Neapolitan scale are two musical scales. Both scales are minor, in that they both contain a minor third above the root.

Key takeaways

Neapolitan scale belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Neapolitan scale to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Neapolitan scale from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In music, the major Neapolitan scale and the minor Neapolitan scale are two musical scales. Both scales are minor, in that they both contain a minor third above the root. The major and minor Neapolitan scales are instead differentiated by the quality of their sixth. The sequence of scale steps for the Neapolitan minor is as follows:

And for the Neapolitan major:

The scales are distinguished from the harmonic and ascending melodic minor scales by the lowered supertonic or second scale degree. This could also be known as the "Phrygian harmonic minor" or "Phrygian melodic minor." The scale therefore shares with the Phrygian mode the property of having a minor second above the tonic. Both are accompanied well by power or minor chords. The 4th mode of the Neapolitan major, also known as the Lydian Dominant ♭6 scale, is an excellent choice for the 9 ♯11 ♭13 chord. Said mode contains all the alterations plus the ♮5. A whole tone scale is often used but that mode lacks the ♮5 that the Lydian Dominant b6 contains. The 5th mode of the Neapolitan major is also known as the major Locrian scale.

Modes The scale contains the following modes:

Notes : * While this triad consisted of 1, ♭4 (~3), and ♭5 notes, this is not really a normal triad since no use of 3rd-grade notes (in B : D or D♯/E♭). Instead, this triad more likely shaped as sus♭4 triad (although ♭4 is enharmonic to 3). ** 7 enharmonic to 6, so the 6th chords is available instead of 7th (thus being used here). *** These chords can actually be respelled as 7alt (the 7♭5 is one of the altered dominant chords).

See also Neapolitan chord Neapolitan school

Sources

Further reading Hewitt, Michael. Musical Scales of the World, . The Note Tree. 2013. ISBN 978-0957547001.

External links

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Neapolitan scale

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Neapolitan scale claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Neapolitan scale before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Neapolitan scale ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Neapolitan scale

In research: Neapolitan scale appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Neapolitan scale in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Neapolitan scale is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Hemitonic scales, Heptatonic scales, Musical scales, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Neapolitan scale outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Neapolitan scale in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Neapolitan scale means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Neapolitan scale out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Neapolitan scale in simple terms?

In music, the major Neapolitan scale and the minor Neapolitan scale are two musical scales. Both scales are minor, in that they both contain a minor third above the root.

Why does Neapolitan scale matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Neapolitan scale?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Neapolitan scale.