mˈoːɹ ɹˈiːsənt θˈiəɹi ˈɛmfɐsˌaɪzᵻz ðˌɐɾɪt ɪz mˈoːɹ jˈuːsfəl ɪn ɪntˈɜːpɹɪɾɪŋ dʒˌæpənˈiːz mˈɛlədi tə vjˈuː skˈeɪlz ɔnðə bˈeɪsɪs ʌv "nˈuːklɪɹ tˈoʊnz" loʊkˈeɪɾᵻd ɐ fˈoːɹθ ɐpˈɑːɹt ænd kəntˈeɪnɪŋ nˈoʊts bᵻtwˈiːn ðˌɛm, æz ɪnðə mˈɪnjoʊ skˈeɪl jˈuːzd ɪn fˈoʊk mjˈuːzɪk, ænd hˌuːz pˈɪtʃᵻz ɑːɹ ɪkwˈɪvələnt tə ðə sˈɛkənd mˈoʊd ʌvðə jˈoʊ skˈeɪl:
More recent theory emphasizes that it is more useful in interpreting Japanese melody to view scales on the basis of "nuclear tones" located a fourth apart and containing notes between them, as in the min'yō scale used in folk music, and whose pitches are equivalent to the second mode of the yo scale: