Flamenco Scale
DescriptionBebop Major mode III is the most common Flamenco scale. There are other scales that are called "Flamenco scales" and they are used for different styles of Flamenco music such as rumbas, cantinas, guajiras, granainas, malaguenas, sevillanas, cantes, and tangos. Scale Trainer provides all of the various Flamenco scales though they are not specifically titled as Flamenco since they have classical names, they are:
Andalucia (a dry, mountainous southern region of Spain) was ruled by the Moors for eight hundred years from the 15th century through the 19th century. The Moors were a tolerant group of Arabic people who arrived in Spain from the Middle East by passing through Africa. During their rule the Moors were tolerant of local ethnic groups including Gypsies, Jews and Castilians. The Moors lost their control over the region in 1492 when the Spanish monarchy drove out the remaining Moorish rulers from Spain in Granada. In their drive to gain supreme control over the area, the Spanish monarchy attempted to remove the Moors, Jews, and Gypsies from the area by means of persecution. The Spanish monarchy was unsuccessful since the three groups went into hiding among the lower classes of Spanish society where they blended in. Since Gypsies (also called Gitanos) were seen as a more favorable group of people among the Spanish ruling class, many Jews and Moors adopted the customs and culture of the Gypsies to receive favorable treatment. A capelle cante was the first form of Flamenco music. It was the result of the Spanish lower class, Gypsies, Moors, and Jews blending in cultures and traditions in relative isolation from other musical influences. Each of the groups contributed its traditional style to create Flamenco music. The Spanish had local song formations that laid the ground as a base for Flamenco music. The Jews brought melodies inspired by the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah, Mishna, and the Torah that is ingrained in their very being. The Moors brought an Arabic intensity to the music that was common in their culture. The Gypsies brought forms of celebration to the style that is apparent in the hand clapping and audience interaction that is common in Flamenco performances. King Charles III issued an edict in 1783 that called for greater rights for Gitanos. This led to an intermingling among the Moors, Gypsies, and Jews and the general Spanish population. The Flamenco style of music that was incubated for almost two hundred years was brought into coffeehouses (café cantantes), bordellos, juergas, and private parties. From there, the popularity of Flamenco music spread to the rest of Spain and then to the rest of the world.
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