Heptachord
Heptachord, from Greek heptachordos, from ancient greek ἑπτάχορδος (heptákhordos, "seven-stringed"), from ἑπτά (heptá, "seven") + χορδή (khordḗ, "chord"), is a 7-stringed lyre of ancient Greece, the interval of a seventh, or a (diatonic) scale of seven notes or tones.[1]
7-stringed lyre
Most of the ancient greek lyres had 7 strings.[2] Early lyres originate in ancient Mesopotamia.[3]
Interval of a seventh
Two intervals are possible:
- Minor seventh, 10 semitones
- Major seventh, 11 semitones
Scale of seven notes
A heptachord is based on two consecutive tetrachords.[4]
Basic tetrachords
1½1, ½11, 11½
and the tritone
111
7 modes
The 7 modal patterns for the Babylonian heptachords are:[5][6]
| Mode | Pattern | Center note | Semitones | Tritones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kitmum | 1½11½1 | D | 10 | 0 |
| pītum | ½11½11 | E | 10 | 0 |
| qablītum | 11½11½ | C | 10 | 0 |
| išartum | 1½111½ | G | 10 | 1 |
| embūbum | ½111½1 | A | 10 | 1 |
| nīd qablim | 111½11 | B | 11 | 2 |
| nīš tuḫrim | 11½111 | F | 11 | 2 |
2 consecutive heptachords
7 consecutive heptachords
6 cyclic consecutive heptachords
Tuning
A tuning procedure ‘loosening’ (TU.LU)[9] in Music of Mesopotamia for a 7-stringed instrument based on a transposition to D/D♭:[5]
‘tightening’ (GÍD.I)
Basic tetrachord with 4 semitones
½1½
Heptachords with 9 semitones
½1½1½1 and 1½1½1½
References
- ^ "Definition of HEPTACHORD". Merriam-Webster. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ Levy, Michael (15 October 2018). "How Did The Ancient Greeks Tune A 7-String Lyre?". Composer for Lyre. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "Museum of Ancient Inventions: Sumerian Bull Lyre, SciTech Institute". SciTech Institute. 24 October 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ "early ancient Greek musical scale with two conjunct tetrachords = heptachord". Encyclopedia of Microtonal Music Theory. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ a b Crickmore, Leon (2008). A New Light on the Babylonian Tonal System (PDF). Proceedings of the International Conference of Near Eastern Archaeomusicology (ICONEA 2008), The British Museum, London, December 4–6, 2008, editors: Richard Dumbrill and Irving Finkel. London: Iconea Publications. pp. 11–22.
- ^ Crickmore, Leon (2012). "A Musicological Interpretation of the Akkadan Term Siḫpu". Journal of Cuneiform Studies. 64 (1): 57–64. doi:10.5615/jcunestud.64.0057. ISSN 0022-0256. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
- ^ Lambert, Wilfred G. (2013). Babylonian creation myths. Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-57506-861-9. OCLC 861537250.
- ^ Stephens, Kathryn (2013), "An/Anu (god)", Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses, Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus, UK Higher Education Academy
- ^ Kilmer, Anne (2001). "Mesopotamia". Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.18485. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
Further reading
- "Babylonian Tonal System". Allan Pettersson Fanpage. Retrieved 19 January 2026.