What is the classical or common scale used in Thailand music?
It is not possible to write the Thai scale with western musical notation because of the equidistant interval between pitches. “Thai classical music scale comprises of a set of seven equidistant pitches. Compared to the Western standard, this Thai scale is slightly ‘out of tune’, with tones appearing ‘in the gaps’ between Western semitones. The music appears to be pentatonic by avoiding the 4th pitch and only occasionally using the 7th pitch. There is no vertical harmony as in Western classical music but only horizontal harmony found in Thai music. This kind of harmony allows free creativity and improvisation by the performer.” Thai classical music is traditionally passed on from teacher to pupil by rote or memory, and not in written form.
