5 Missing Notes™ · Origin Story

How the 5 Missing Notes™ System Was Discovered

The discovery story, in Christopher Dean's own words — from Dead Sea Scales: The 5 Missing Notes™

Two Students, One Insight

The original idea came from two specific students being taught simultaneously — one working on the blues/pentatonic scale, the other on the diatonic modes. Christopher noticed something: seven notes in the diatonic modes, seven different positions/shapes. Then he looked at the blues scale — six notes — and yet in every illustration, only five positions of the pentatonic modes were ever shown, with the blue note added in.

He drew out the elusive sixth position of the blues scale and noticed the similarities between the diatonic modes, the blues modes, and the pentatonic shapes. The question formed: "Could I add the blue note into any of the seven diatonic modes?"

Graph Paper and Highlighters

Christopher drew out the seven diatonic modes in three-note-per-string shapes — at the time, in all his studies, he had only seen traditional box positions where some strings have three notes and others have two, making it hard to keep constant rhythm with a metronome. The three-note-per-string approach solved that.

Then he drew in the location of the blue note in each of the seven diatonic modes. This was the first "Blues Missing Note" — sparking the bigger question: "What are the four other missing notes, and when can I play them?"

I used a ruler, graph paper, a pack of highlighters, and continued my work.

— Christopher Dean

Naming the Colors

The names came from the emotional character of each interval's function relative to the Ionian root:

• Melodic (♭2) — Named for the minor second feel — adding tension immediately out of the gate, like in Phrygian. "Romantic, elegant, proper tension — majestically noble."
• Blues (♭3) — The blue note. "Sad, small movements, more tension, bending like falling or crying."
• Quest (♯4/♭5) — Named for the raised 4th converting the relative major to Lydian feel — further travel from the root, as if traveling on a frontier. "Adventure, less tension, spreading your wings."
• Harmonic (♭6) — Named for the relationship to Harmonic Minor. "Scary, walls closing in, keeping notes close to the root — you feel it in your gut."
• Bebop (♭7) — Named for the minor 7th being added replacing the major 7th, converting the relative major to Mixolydian vibe — the m7 commonly used in Bebop music. "Dancing, less tension around the root, relaxed loose legs."

The Verification Process

The theory was then tested over time against backing tracks on YouTube — specifically tracks that altered keys and modes. The key test: when particular chords had a note conflicting with the "Missing Note," the principle of right place/right time was applied. Any note can work as long as it has a reason and a purpose.

I've always loved songs like "Moonlight Sonata" and "Hotel California" because of their descending chromatic vibe and yet they sound mesmerizing and, more importantly… good!

— Christopher Dean

The Result: 42 Total Modes

Seven diatonic modes × 5 missing note families = 35 extended scales. Plus the 7 originals = 42 total modes. Every exotic scale in any genre — flamenco, jazz, metal, world music, film scores — is mapped within this system. The Dead Sea Scales interactive tool lets you hear and play every one of them in every key, free.