Heptachord

Heptachord based on D, modal pattern: 1½11½1, 2 consecutive tetrachords
Heptachord lyre

A heptachord, from Greek heptachordos, from ancient Greek ἑπτάχορδος (heptákhordos, "seven-stringed"), from ἑπτά (heptá, "seven") + χορδή (khordḗ, "chord"), is a seven-stringed lyre of ancient Greece, the interval of a seventh, or a (diatonic) scale of seven notes or tones.

7-stringed lyre

Most of the ancient greek lyres had 7 strings. Early lyres originate in ancient Mesopotamia.

Interval of a seventh

Two intervals are possible:

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Scale of seven notes

A heptachord is based on two consecutive tetrachords.

Basic tetrachords

1½1, ½11, 11½

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and the tritone
111

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Heptachord linear

1½11½1

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Heptachord circle

Heptachordal circle

7 modes

The 7 modal patterns for the Babylonian heptachords are:

Babylonian tonal system
ModePatternCenter noteSemitonesTritones
kitmum1½11½1D100
pītum½11½11E100
qablītum11½11½C100
išartum1½111½G101
embūbum½111½1A101
nīd qablim111½11B112
nīš tuḫrim11½111F112
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2 consecutive heptachords

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7 consecutive heptachords

6 cyclic consecutive heptachords

Circle of fourths, kitmum, 36 notes, 60 semitones = Anu 𒀭

Tuning

A tuning procedure ‘loosening’ (TU.LU) in Music of Mesopotamia for a 7-stringed instrument based on a transposition to D/D♭:

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‘tightening’ (GÍD.I)

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Basic tetrachord with 4 semitones

½1½

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Heptachords with 9 semitones

½1½1½1 and 1½1½1½

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References

  1. ↑ "Definition of HEPTACHORD". Merriam-Webster. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  2. ↑ Levy, Michael (15 October 2018). "How Did The Ancient Greeks Tune A 7-String Lyre?". Composer for Lyre. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  3. ↑ "Museum of Ancient Inventions: Sumerian Bull Lyre, SciTech Institute". SciTech Institute. 24 October 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  4. ↑ "early ancient Greek musical scale with two conjunct tetrachords = heptachord". Encyclopedia of Microtonal Music Theory. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  5. 1 2 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.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ Lambert, Wilfred G. (2013). Babylonian creation myths. Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-57506-861-9. OCLC 861537250.
  8. ↑ Stephens, Kathryn (2013), "An/Anu (god)", Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses, Open Richly Annotated Cuneiform Corpus, UK Higher Education Academy
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ Crickmore, Leon (2008). "A Musical and Mathematical Context for CBS 1766". Music Theory Spectrum. 30 (2): 327–359. doi:10.1525/mts.2008.30.2.327. ISSN 0195-6167. Retrieved 25 February 2026.

Further reading