Double Harmonic Major | The Darkest Scale In Music

[@NahreSol]

Thank you Rick!! This was SUCH a cool project !! Hope to make music with you again someday 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@rickbeato2]

I can’t believe we made that video in one day! Looking forward to the next!

[@davedavem]

Very cool collab, I'll check out your channel! :D

[@theamazighvoice5628]

@@rickbeato2 What Makes This Song Great - Michael Jackson Thriller I would love to see this video on halloween 2021

[@gngrblls2thwall]

I want to be Nahre Sol when I grow up

[@AmandaKaymusic]

I loved the flavours you found and the emotional topography you created Nahre Sol. A magical musical morning listen.

[@regularly_priced]

Double Harmonic Major - 1:58 Lydian ♯2 ♯6 - 2:43 Ultraphrygian - 3:18 Hungarian Minor - 3:52 Oriental - 4:06 Ionian Augmented ♯2 - 4:39 Locrian 𝄫3 𝄫7 - 5:04

[@davedavem]

Beautiful composition. It's dark without being sad, which seems to make it more disturbing. The visuals going alongside it are stunnding and, and really fitting too.

[@AtomicHarmonix]

This is one of the most harmonically informative pieces I've heard from you. The notes, the atmosphere the modes create.. insanely touching. Love these!

[@TraneFrancks]

So beautiful. It's remarkable how even in the darkness, the tension always manages to resolve. I'm not far enough into my Beato Book to really grok this yet, but it's only a matter of time. Absolutely beautiful, and it was lovely to hear Nahre's playing again. She's brilliant.

[@brunobailly7013]

Nahre Sol and Rick Beato composed together ! A dream come true... :)

[@Androtechdhruv]

Hey rick, in indian classical music double harmonic major is called raag bhairav, you should check out raag bhairav’s compositions. One of them named “jaago mohan pyaare”

[@soundscapejourneys-wileymonroe]

Dark ambient is one of my favorite genres. Very intriguing composition demonstrating those scales and how they work. Great musicianship Enjoyed!

[@kyriakoscharilaou1684]

I would seriously buy an album with your musical compositions. You should really share more of your own work. Truly inspiring.

[@RCAvhstape]

So much this!

[@lisamariesmith3717]

I would too!

[@hazardeur]

i still don't get why rick doesn't put up an album along this stuff. it would sell like hotcakes amogst his subscribers so the sales are almost 100% certain

[@kyriakoscharilaou1684]

Yeah it's almost like these compositions go to waste. I mean, I appreciate the work he puts in these kind of videos (showcasing what he is trying to explain through his compositions) but I think he should consider compiling some of them in an album.

[@fede22081]

Omg YES. I'm in no way shape or form a classical music listnener, and even so, I would've listened to this for hours. I can't overstate how surprised I am at how much I enjoyed this. I feel like I've just found out something about myself I didn't even know was there

[@roddegeorge]

Very Cool! Great compositions and great playing by Nahre!! Thanks for sharing!!

[@kaicanyonellis]

Can't get enough of your original music, man. Wouldn't mind a video about your writing process and how you came to certain decisions along the way.

[@petrut.1224]

Now, everyone should post recommendations since these modes are not often used in many pieces or songs. It's golden stuff for those of us who hunted these gems.

[@slatemill01]

The first time I listened to this it took my breath away. What a great lesson for anyone who wants to make their music sound "different." Growing up we've all heard major and minor scales and a few modes here and there quite extensively, but most of these were new to my ears. Beautiful work, and thank you Rick and Nahre.

[@gdavew63]

Wow, I had a flashback to my music theory classes during junior college in 1983-85. This has rekindled an interest in immersing myself into relearning these scales & modes and applying it to the guitar. Thanks Rick! I gotta say I like your KZbin channels. BTW we’re a year apart in age, and we like a lot of the same music. God bless!

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

Very expositive, thanks. This really brings home why understanding the structure of the scales and chords is important in order to say what one wants to say.

[@TheRealPrimeOne]

Such Debussy vibes with Nahre’s piano playing. You and Nahre knocked it out the park with your collaboration,Rick. Great stuff!

[@markrohrbaugh1825]

I've been studying n breaking down all the modes to this. I learned it from this video video Rick!!! I would have never known any of this if it weren't for you!!! Thank you!!!.. this video I saw years ago still breaking it down and how it layers over traditional western modes..such a great composition and explanation.. changed my life!! Can't thank you enough!!

[@markrohrbaugh1825]

Same study here!! I find it so awesome..I really like Combo chords with both systems since it's actually 9 notes being used.. sounds so awesome.. plus leave alot of room for alot of ways to progress from one to the other.. same w harmonic minor (and relative modes)

[@florisbackx1744]

I love it when you share your own work. I wish you'd do more creation style content and bring us along for the ride instead of only dissecting other peoples work in the 'What makes this song great'. I also love the video's where you get other musicians in and record stuff, would love to a combination of those two style videos : ). You could call it 'Let's make this sound great' : )

[@micheleparker8123]

O ho, NO...WMTSG is an integral part of Rick's programming. I love it because it gives me a new, different take on the music I've loved for years and lets me know exactly why I love it, and brings out pieces that my ear hadn't heard... I delight in WMTSG - and all for FREE!!! Mr. Beat9, PLEASE don't stop WMTSG; that series is what brings new people to your channel.

[@micheleparker8123]

Sorry for the typo - it should say "Beato".

[@micheleparker8123]

WOW. That IS dark. But it's also incredibly beautiful. I feel like I've heard it a lot, for some reason. Thank you, Rick, for increasing my knowledge base once again.💜🌟

[@theamazighvoice5628]

This scale is very common in middle eastern music

[@draago4740]

This guy! I mean, come on! Where were you 40 years ago when I started my dive into playing music? I may have kept playing the piano more instead of ditching it for the drums if I would have had a teacher like Rick. You are a National Treasure!

[@raymitchell9736]

This was so incredible, Thank you for the composition and letting us know about Nahre! I followed the link to Nahre Sol and was blown away by her talent, I am now a subscriber on her channel!

[@timbaxter9932]

What a beautiful piece of music! The emotion of the double harmonic major is unbelievable. Glad you shared this.

[@CMM5300]

Lydian #6 #2 is great! It has alot of hidden chords so it can be played over almost any chord. Maj7, dom7, min7, min/maj7, min7b5, min/maj7b5, dom7b5, Maj7b5.

[@chameleon-dream-band-official]

Discovering (thanks to Rick) the other parent scales (and their modes) was, for me, one of the best things I did in terms of opening up a whole new world of creativity and ideas.

[@Phil_Hayes]

Simply outstanding! Great video on Double harmonic Major. This will add a wonderful twist to your arrangements!

[@treborkciddur]

absolutely awesome Rick and Nahre!

[@mjt11860]

Modern classical music at its finest. Love the visuals too. Thanks Rick for sharing.

[@BlackinMind]

Berklee metal professor Joe Stump uses this scale a lot, although he usually teaches it from Hungarian Minor and considers Double Harmonic Major a mode of that.

[@t3hgir]

interesting! Love Joe Stump!

[@SubJStan]

Thank you for saying that because I was wondering why Rick started with an awkward sounding mode like E double harmonic major when Hungarian Minor seems more straightforward (kinda).

[@ThePmfan]

I agree, the Hungarian minor is a common scale the fifth mode of which is the gypsy scale that the song "Dark Eyes" is from and is also good for playing over the A section of Caravan.

[@SelfPropelledDestiny]

@@ThePmfan Technically they both could be called “gypsy”. Just one is called Gypsy Minor, Hungarian Minor, Hungarian Romani Minor, or Double Harmonic Minor. Then the fifth mode to which you refer can be called Gypsy Major, Hungarian Major, Hungarian Romani Major, or Double Harmonic Major. Only two scales but way too many names!

[@insidelight1]

@@SelfPropelledDestiny thanks! Where i can find the chords?

[@fathermother8231]

This is an absolute beauty! It’s so somber and hopeful and terrifying and just amazing…. Please do more pieces

[@johnrao1368]

Shred is going to LOVE this video! Nice job Rick and Nahre, beautiful piece of music.

[@bootlebeats6331]

Nice how changing a few notes of a scale opens a new sonic language that maintains its harmonic integrity like a Bach could. A tip for me is I think of altered scales as a major scale in disguise. Helps the logic part until my ear begins to hear the new sounds until they become familiar. Great writing of your pieces. Enjoyable. Thanks for posting.

[@pattayaguideorg]

What a tremendous example of the power of music and how scales effect us - beautiful.

[@GIBKEL]

Kid A / Amnesia had a lot of this vibe your exploring. I find new melody’s and hear the songs in new light so often. I really liked it Rick. Evocative. Loved the video you pieced it together with.

[@spanqueluv9er]

^*you’re exploring, not your ^*melodies, not melody’s

[@GIBKEL]

@@spanqueluv9er really? Auto spell strikes again. I’m not 5….55’, can’t see what I’m typing. You’re bagging on me dude!

[@GizzyDillespee]

Double harmonic major is the scale that was intuitive when I was high school age. I didn't know what it was called. It evokes the mystery of the energy of that age, for me. The ultraphrygian section sounded better than I thought it would after hearing the scale. The slower part especially. A mode can kind of hide in a slurry of fast notes, but it was really good in that part too, even though I listened carefully - when you played the bare mode during the intro exposition, I just thought, "good luck" but you really made it work with the music. And the last "so many flats" mode was totally evoking Alice falling down the rabbit hole, and then you had the sped-up train tunnel video, which was just perfect. Wooo-ha

[@davidjohnston710]

OMG, Ric!! So beautiful! Who knew such things existed. Hints of the magnificent and mysterious in the cosmos!

[@penguincheese3188]

Hello Rick Beto, this scale is actually a fairly common one in Indian Carnatic music, in fact it is the first ever thing they teach for a newbie singer/player in India, because of the symmetry of the scale. There are not a lot of songs written on this scale, but it is great to learn first time. It was mildly surprising to see western musicians like you use this scale in your music. Anyone interested in googling it, it is called “Mayamalavagowla” in Indian classic music.

[@obrachet]

Thank you so much for explaining this. I am now discovering wanderful carnatic music thanks to your comment.

[@larisachan1787]

Thank you for mentioning it, I was looking exactly this kind of tone in music , it's my favourite...it's similar to " Hai Rama" by AR Rahman , Aapsara ali & Bai ga by Ajay Atul and aang laga de by Sanjay Leela Bhansali as well as ' Baithe hain " by Amit Trivedi

[@penguincheese3188]

@@obrachet lots of love 🤟

[@teelurizzo8542]

The Double Harmonic Minor scale also existis in the Arabic Maqam Modal music system, where it is called 'Shad Araban Maqam'. One other mode of the Double harmonic minor scale, the Hungarian minor, is known in the Arabic Maqam Modal system as 'Nawa Athar Maqam'.

[@teelurizzo8542]

Actually I do not know. but since they have an 'Eastern' sound, this likely originate somewhere between the Eastern Mediterranean and North India. BTW, Are you referring to the Double Harmonic or to the Hungarian Minor scale? Do they also exist in ancient Greek musical modes? @hiooxkrmagkis9323

[@JaneEllenMusic]

Awesome piece!! Love to see two of my favourite KZbinrs working together. Hope you will do more with Nahre in the future!

[@homeofcreation]

This is huge in many ways, the composition, the performance and the knowledge gained from this excellent breakdown. I have been subscribed to Nahre's channel and she does very cool things on the piano.

[@uzer_zero]

Some years back I bought a new acoustic 6-string guitar and was so inspired by its sound that a number of tunes just poured out with it during those first few months. One was something I've since named Volo Flamenco. I just played. Wasn't thinking modes or keys or anything really. Just letting the guitar sing. Some time later while doing an online Berklee orchestration course with Ben Newhouse I used this to try to create a fully orchestrated version. I immediately ran into a roadblock because I really had no clue what key/mode I was working with. I can 'hear' lines and harmonies in it that I've never been able to get "on paper" (as it were). That first segment in E Double Harmonic Major has the same harmonic feel. Clearly I need to learn more about this scale / mode, because it sounds like the key to bringing that composition to life. THANK YOU for posting this!

[@the_dank_shredder]

I think my brain just melted from seeing a major scale set be so dark and emotional. I never would have thought.

[@anotherstart1]

Beats the heck out of major pentatonic scales 😂. Very interesting and smooth sounding to my rock ears. Almost classical but more melodic

[@NateHendrix]

This is a crazy scale, so cool!

[@Gibsonj62]

Love it! A wonderful composition. Your original compositions are the most interesting of all of your content...so keep them coming!

[@KoryYinger]

So cool Rick. I got my notebook out for this one. I will be lost in the rabbit hole of creativity for the rest of the day now. Thank you for that👍👍

[@Rockeman182]

This is amazing! Such beautiful dissonance like I've never heard. Thank you for sharing!

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

Haunting, daunting, and just in time for autumn... Kinda digging it, especially the Ultraphrygian 😉

[@AljosaPismonosa]

What a great video! In my past 20 years of playing I utilized licks composed of different exotic scales from Balkan ethnic music. I especially like Macedonian ethnic music (the odd time signatures and exotic scales) but probably mainly because of great guitarist Vlatko Stefanovski. Since my music theory is not that great I haven't realized since past few days I was actually playing double harmonic major scale a so-called byzantine scale. This video helped me a lot in understanding those scales and other variations! Thank you very much!

[@alandure]

Thank you so much. This (mode 1) is a scale (raaga: Mayamalavagowla) that is taught to beginners learning Carnatic music when learning scales and notations (South Indian); as it is traditionally deemed easy for vocal exercises (something to do with equal temperament, I suppose). Some modal derivatives (aka Grahabedam) are Rasikapriya and Simhendramdhyamam. Invokes a desert, arabic feel to it.

[@egyptianminor]

Very cool scale. 2 of those modes also present n Arabic music, in its system of melodic modes know as Maqam System. The Double Harmonic corresponds to the Shad 'Araban Maqam ,whereas the Hungarian minor is the same as the Nawa Athar Maqam. Thanks for sharing these great piano pieces, really intriguing flavour, really beautiful.

[@Unveil616]

The mysterious scale 🌫️ Dark, lovely, and intriguing.

[@kreegalobunsen602]

I LOVE these sounds. How can something so tense be so calming?

[@Nacattakk777]

Great composition! I'm glad to see another video on the double harmonic major scale again too.

[@queenhenryviii]

While I had this playing, I was cooking dinner as though I was solving a double murder mystery involving a mysterious shadowy cult… “And they added 2 tea spoons salt to the pan… but Why? Why would they then sauté until brown only to place the pan into the oven set to 450 degrees. Are they insane? Damnit Lindsey! Why?!“ To which my girlfriend responded “This is your last glass of wine”

[@rileyjackfansmithandjones8238]

I make EVERY dinner while listening to Rick,it's the music education I should have had😉. And my wife ...she has the wine!

[@micheleparker8123]

😂🤣

[@maryannehickey2741]

🤣

[@ue4058]

These last two videos you've done on exotic modes have been insane, Rick. These sounds are mind blowing.

[@simonpsychosis2812]

The two of you should be scoring films. Something I certainly aspire to, but wow- this is SOMETHING ELSE.

[@chrisandersen5635]

Seriously, how do you not have directors pounding yer door down to do their scores? I don't get it. One minute you sound like Holst, then John Adams, then Jaws, then Cabin in the Woods. Seriously, so good!

[@EduardoRohdeEras]

Beato + Nahre = instant awesomeness.

[@SHARt_murmur]

Been playing out of double harmonic major for years, so stoked to see something like this, thanks!

[@robinbaum-hn2pc]

My mom loved symphonic classical music and I went to Many classical performances. Your lovely composition would’ve well worth the time to go and hear and be fascinated with your ear candy! I can’t say that many of those so called modern compositions were actually painful to the ears and a waste of time uncomfortably spent. Thank you for your lovely educational videos and allowing me a 73 year old to better understand my life long hobby of listening and hearing something wonderful like your composition ❤❤❤❤

[@johnniebenningfield6333]

¡Me encanta esta música! No le hallo nada tenebroso, sino tonos que comunican emoción y sentido, pero nada de tenebrosidad… botón de muestra de que no todos interpretamos las mismas sensaciones con determinada música. Aunque algunas de las ilustraciones gráficas exhiben un fondo “oscuro”, se pudo haber puesto un nacimiento del sol e ilustraciones de un día “alegre” y la música tomaría su lugar. I love this music! I do not find anything dark, but rather tones that communicate emotion and meaning, but no darkness ... evidence that we do not all interpret the same sensations with certain music. Although some of the visual art exhibits a "dark" background, a sunrise and artwork of a "joyful" day could have been put on and the music would take its place.

[@mengerh]

I am always interested in harmonic scales, like harmonic minor... and few weeks ago was looking into the double harmonic in Dream Theater's tunes. And here this video shows up to my list. Thanks Rick!

[@vlyrch]

Literally earlier today I was looking for stuff about this scale and other similar ones to understand and learn to play them on guitar! Then Beato uploads a video about it with a beautiful composition, on a second channel I didn't even know exists and found by googling "double harmonic major scale" again! I already knew Hungarian minor (and maqam Hijaz) before, and honestly I still don't understand what modes even are so the actual relationship between this and Hungarian minor goes over my head, but... this definitely convinced me I need to learn to play this scale by muscle memory haha.

[@theSupertonesurf]

Love this, it's quite beautiful and I just learned something

[@adamfurnish8481]

That was amazing! I love Nahre. I’m really liking these old fashion Beato videos

[@fernandoduran1184]

Double Harmonic Major and it's modes used in a Strings/Piano context, composed and played by Rick Beato and Nahre Sol. 1) 2:00 E Double Harmonic Major 2) 2:43 Gb Lydian #2 #6 3) 3:20 G Ultraphrygian 4) 3:52 A Hungarian Minor 5) 4:06 Bb Asian (Oriental) 6) 4:38 C Ionian Augmented #2 7) 5:04 Db Locrian bb3 bb7

[@klaussturh3445]

in german school one is taught that 'Hungarian Minor' is the 1st mode (here we still called it 'Gypsy Minor') just basicly by taking the 'harmonic minor' scale with one extra leading-note to the fifth. Easy to memorize that!

[@lupcokotevski2907]

More mysterious than dark to my sensibility.

[@briane2520]

This is super cool. I love the sound of those scales. And great playing as always, Nahre.

[@julkitan3017]

Wow, that's a beautiful soundtrack... beautiful Double Harmonic Major modes !!

[@dck6546]

Double harmonic major is definitely an interesting scale. It's cool that the flat-2 maj7, dom7, -7, half diminished, and min(maj7) are all in the same key. Plus the V7 and its tritone sub are in the same mode.

[@danriley5848]

Beautiful job on this piece of music I love it and it really highlights the beauty of the scale.

[@jamezllwyd7561]

Wow! Sounds like what a deep psychedelic experience feels like. Love! much love!

[@BELightTT]

Truly beautiful and haunting sound. Thank you both so much for creating such a fun project.

[@newandreview]

What a beautiful sound you both made. Complex composition made pleasing and fitting to listen to. Reminded me a little in parts of the late great Keith Emerson, and in parts awesome background music for a suspense or horror film. Well done both of you.

[@nicofitz8130]

Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age uses the Hungarian Major in pretty much all his solos. He discovered it as a teenager by altering the blues scale. Lots of dark themes and weird harmony in their music. "Someone's In The Wolf" is probably a good example - whatever is going on there harmonically I don't know, but it sounds cool.

[@Tomus1775]

That was beautiful. I could listen to these pieces for hours.

[@odyssey21thcentury41]

Locrian, no matter the scale used, seems to always give the feeling that says 'you can't feel good'' or ''something is terribly wrong'', even just adapting simple rock'n'roll riff to a natural Locrian can teach how to write music to give creeps. Nice presentation, I wasn't aware about the Double Harmonic Major, I could reach it only on brief moments during some Harmonic-Melodic transitions.

[@jtcartermusic432]

What a coincidence!! I posted a guitar lesson on September 23 covering the Hungarian Minor Scale!! So kewl... what a small world!!!

[@johnnave3706]

Nice collaboration and creative composition. I've enjoyed both of your channels, and was nice to see/hear you together.

[@chrismoody1532]

There is a small mistake actually. Based on the intervals played and the modes spelled out, this is actually the scale named Hungarian Major/Byzantine/Gypsy Major/Arabic/Double Harmonic. It consists of Root, min2nd, Maj3rd, 4th, 5th, min6th, Maj7th. These intervals result in the modal progression Rick listed, but, if we're starting in E, it's actually F Lydian #2/#6 (due to the flat 2 off the root) and G# UltraPhrygian (due to the natural 3rd off the root)...instead of F# and G, like Rick mentioned in the intro. The 2nd mode, is Lydian #2/#6, but that's due to the 2nd mode starting at the 2nd note in the scale, and thus containing the 1.5 step spacing between the 2nd and 3rd notes of the root scale. E, F, G#...becomes F, G#, A in the 2nd position, thus requiring the "#2" notation...because in this second mode, it technically IS a #2 at this position, despite the scale itself containing a flat 2. The full scale goes: 1, m2, 3, 4, 5, m6, 7. This scale can also be though of as a Phrygian with a Major 3rd and a Major 7th, or Harmonic Major with a minor 2nd. (shout out to Keith Greenwood and his badass lessons and book (6 string logic) cluing me in to this)

[@alexandrepaquette870]

Ahh this again. Loved it once love it twice! Would really appreciate seeing Nahre play it though 👀

[@luisugalde6956]

I did not know there was a second channel until the other day. BTW, these modes sound more misterious than dark to me. Suspense all over (y).

[@stevenabi5095]

That was awesome bro. Gave me the feels. So dark!

[@B9Robot]

♪♫♪♥♪♫♪ The Professor to us all; GOD BLESS the TEACHER @Rick Beato 2 Music is the Minds Food; the Souls Joy and everything that makes the world go around. Peace and Love be with you all.

[@Gregor9043]

I love the stretching. Such beautiful sounds.

[@Swordshreader]

Nahre Sol plays this so flawlessly it almost sounds like MIDI. Great performance!

[@peterschaffter826]

Now that's an insult if I ever heard one! :)

[@Aaron628318]

Sounds much better than that!

[@Swordshreader]

@@peterschaffter826 I meant "almost sounds like MIDI" as in that her sense of time is very good. It doesn't sound like actual MIDI, it's a real piano in the video not the VST that we all are familiar with.

[@radu6772]

Tell a pianist they sound like midi and you'll get your ass beaten

[@Channel-km8gd]

Just in time for Halloween! Thanks Rick!

[@JanisKlinnert]

Holy shit!! Pardon my French but wow! There just so much emotional content in those harmonies!!! Awesome! The exact opposite of modern top 40 chart music haha. Great video!

[@robertmaccreight4910]

Thank you Rick for always giving us something new to chew on.

[@alanrt63]

Well done. Another video on how this was composed would be interesting.

[@sschmidtevalue]

Bravissimo to both of you! Very compelling!

[@silviomp]

Thanks so much for teaching and sharing!

[@ytrichardsenior]

More of this kind of crazy stuff Rick please :) I can see this getting used in a thousand wildlife documentaries.

[@williamjeffreys2980]

Thank you! You have helped me tremendously with my understanding of scales and modes. As with many things in life, if you live with it a while, it starts to make sense and understanding follows.

[@timparker4228]

The Halloween scales, perfect timing. Nice job guys.

[@stevenfry6520]

Such a great approach to hearing/understanding & feeling the nuances!!

[@rockingguitarlessons]

MAN MY HEAD JUST EXPLODED..THIS IS WILD

[@davidwright8086]

That was beautiful. You guys need to start doing soundtracks.... my ear couldn't discern a melody through all that, but your music fit perfectly with the videos you chose.

[@brianbergmusic5288]

It would seem that these pieces are designed to capture the harmonic richness of the scale and bombard your subconscious with the kaleidoscope of intervals. It's like an etude designed to benefit the ear. Many film score cues lack a strong melody these days (many scenes should NOT have a theme or leitmotif). Taking the time to flesh out a strong melody in an exotic mode and give it a logical development and context would require A LOT of time unless you are either lucky or gifted (or both). Since these etudes were created in a very short amount of time, the duo that worked on these is way more gifted than I.

[@Jon.......]

Now you got me thinking enchanted forests, castles, shadowy figures, mists about the landscape, roving eyes, disturbed soil, distant smoke, dreary weather, Mulder & Scully!

[@jprophet62]

Beautiful....opens some doors to explore.