Is this man confusing DIATONIC with MAJOR, in terms of scales?
Miriam Webster Dictionary: Diatonic: a musical scale (as a major or minor scale) comprising intervals of five whole steps and two half steps. The cited Wikipedia article actually says ‘both’. The use of the term and its definition has dual applications dependent upon contexts. One application holds it is only “the” major scale, others hold it applies to other scales comprised of whole and half steps. Never learned this tiny, relatively unimportant distinction in four years of college theory and composition…. have not been limited by not knowing it either. The argument did not seem to stop any of the early 20th century composers from inventing pandiatonicism and sailing forward. Perhaps in the context of this authors lessons sequence, his use has a purpose and a sense. I call issues over things like this ‘petty academic.’ Other than concretely understanding the fundamental principle, the only other reason to know the distinction, it seems, is because people have not agreed on one appl
