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. 2015 Oct 16;6:1405. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01405

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Distribution of gravity in early pentatonic and hemitonic modes. Yellow color indicates unstable, while blue—stable degrees. The intervallic distances between the degrees are reflected by vertical increments between the rectangles representing the degrees (as in an uneven staircase where some steps are taller than others). Thick rectangle marks the gravitational center. The I degree is determined by the lowest position in a base of a stable tetrachord or pentachord. (A) Heptatonic mode. Sharps and flats show strong attraction of unstable degrees to stable degrees (except the neutral IV degree). Gravity here is hierarchical: the relation of 3rds (shown by smaller brackets) is integrated into a triadic relation (as shown by larger brackets). The stable triad opposes both unstable triads. Diverse gradations in gravity (from −4 to +3) between the degrees. C is strongly marked as “tonic.” Unstable degrees have finer gradations than stable degrees, and reach high values of tension. (B) Conjunct (older) pentatonic mode. Flatness of gravitational hierarchy between the unstable degrees. F and C alternate as centers of gravity, with F prevailing. Stable 4th-chord “triad” (C-F-Bb) entraps unstable 4th dyad (D-G). Unstable degrees have low tension and no gradations. (C) Disjunct (newer) pentatonic mode. C and G alternate as centers of gravity, with C prevailing. Stable 4th–chord “triad inversion” (C-F-G) is offset by unstable 5th dyad (D-A) that has a stronger pull than the dyad in (B) because of greater harmonicity of 5th as opposed to 4th.