The whole-tone scale divides the octave into six equal whole tones. It has no semitones, no perfect fifths, and no leading tones — and therefore none of the usual pulls toward a tonic. Because of this, music on this scale sounds unsteady and weightless, as if suspended in the air.
The scale's symmetry means that any of its notes can be the “centre” — there is no tonic to serve as an anchor. The whole-tone sound was revealed most vividly by Claude Debussy (Voiles, The Sunken Cathedral), who made it the sonic symbol of Impressionism — haze, mist, dream. Since there are only two distinct whole-tone scales, 20th-century composers prized them for their coloristic, almost “magical” tint that instantly lifts the listener beyond everyday tonality.
