Transcript File
AP Music
Theory
Elements of Music: Pitch
Keyboard and Octave
Registers
Pitch refers to highness or lowness of a sound
Names for the first 7 letters of the alphabet
(ABCDEFG)
C- is the note that we will relate to the
keyboard
7 ¼ octaves on a standard keyboard from A-0
to C-8
From any C up to the next C is called an
octave
All the notes from one C to another are part
of the same octave register
Keyboard
Notation on a Staff
A staff is used to indicate the precise pitch
desired
Contains 5 lines and 4 spaces
Can be indefinitely extended with ledger lines
A clef associates certain pitches with the lines
and spaces:
G-Clef – Treble
F Clef – Bass Clef
C-Clef – Alto or Tenor clef (it is movable)
A Grand staff is a combination of the Treble and
bass clef
Clef Signs
The Major Scale
Scales
form the basis of tonal music
The major scale is a pattern of half and
whole steps encompassing an octave
Half step is the distance from one key to
the next key either black or white
Natural half step is between B and C and
E and F
Whole steps skip the next key to the next
key white or black
Tetrachords and Accidentals
Tetrachords
– four note pattern of WWH
A Major scale is made up of two
tetrachords with a whole step in the
middle (WWH W WWH)
Accidentals – symbols that raises or lowers
a note
Accidentals are written to the left of the
note and are vocalized after the note
Accidentals
Major Key Signatures
Key
– the term that is used to identify the
first degree of a scale
Key Signature – is a pattern of sharps or
flats that appear at the beginning of a
staff and indicates that certain notes are
to be raised or lowered consistently
Sharps – G, D, A, E B F# C#
Flats – F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb
Key Signatures
Other Key Signature Info
Order
of sharps – FCGDAEB
Order of Flats – BEADGCF
Enharmonic – Notes that are spelled
differently but sound the same
Transposition – to write or play music in
some key other than the original
Circle of Fifths – follows the order of sharps
in a clockwise motion around a circle
Circle of Fifths
Minor Scales
Natural
minor scales – like a major scale
with a lowered, 3rd, 6th, and 7th degree
Harmonic Minor scale – thought of as a
major scale with a lowered 3rd and 6th
degree
Melodic minor scale – ascending form is
like a major scale with a lowered 3rd
degree, the descending form is the same
as the natural minor scale
Natural Minor Scales
Minor Key Signatures
Relative
– share the same key signature
Parallel – share the same letter name only
We
base the minor key signature on the
major key signature but take the name of the
6th scale degree
Relatively speaking – C major and A minor
share the same key signature
To create harmonic or melodic you must use
accidentals
Scale Degree Names
All
scales have scale degree names
1st – Tonic
2nd – Supertonic
3rd – Mediant
4th – Subdominant
5th – Dominant
6th – Submediant
7th – Subtonic or leading tone – depends
on whether it is raised
Intervals
Interval
– a measurement of the distance
in pitch between two notes
Harmonic Interval – performing the two
notes at the same time
Melodic Interval – performing the two
notes successively
Intervals 2
Two parts of an interval name
Numerical name – how far apart they are
Unison instead of 1
Octave instead of 8
2nd instead of two
3rd instead of three
Interval smaller than an octave are called
simple intervals
Intervals larger than an octave are called
compound intervals
Modifier – Perfect, Major, Minor, augmented
and mininished
Intervals Modifiers
Perfect
refers only to the Unison (P1),
Octave (P8), the 4th (P4), and the 5th (P5)
Major or Minor refers to the 2nd (M2,m2),
3rd (M3, m3), 6th (M6,m6), and 7th (M7,
m7)
Augmented – a major or perfect interval
that is expanded by ½ step
Diminished – a minor or perfect interval
that is contracted by ½ step
Natural Interval Chart
Natural Interval Quality Chart
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
C-D
Maj
C-E
Maj
C-F
P
C-G
P
C-A
Maj
C-B
Maj
D-E
Maj
D-F
min
D-G
P
D-A
P
D-B
Maj
D-C
min
E-F
min
E-G
min
E-A
P
E-B
P
E-C
min
E-D
min
F-G
Maj
F-A
Maj
F-B
AUG
F-C
P
F-D
Maj
F-E
Maj
G-A
Maj
G-B
Maj
G-C
P
G-D
P
G-E
Maj
G-F
min
A-B
Maj
A-C
min
A-D
P
A-E
P
A-F
min
A-G
min
B-C
min
B-D
min
B-E
P
B-F
DIM
B-G
min
B-A
min
2nds on E and B are Minor
3rds on C,F,G are Major
4th on F are Augmented
5ths on B are diminished
6ths on E,A,B are minor
7ths on C, F are Major
Inversions of Intervals
Inversion
– putting the top note below the lower
note of an interval
2nd becomes a 7th and the reverse
3rd becomes a 6th and the reverse
4th becomes a 5th and the reverse
The Modifier changes as well when inverted
Minor becomes Major and vise-versa
Augmented becomes diminished and vice-versa
Perfect is always perfect
Consonant and Dissonant
Consonant
– pleasing to the ear – 3rd, 6th,
perfect 5th and octave
Dissonant
– not pleasing to the ear
Ear Training/ Sight Singing
Go
to:
www.musictheory.com/exercises
Begin
practicing on Note Identification in all clefs
Key signature Identification Major and Minor
Interval Identification in all keys with modifiers
Practice Sight Singing Exercise 1 on Moodle
Homework
Read
the Chapter 1, Complete the Self
Tests for chapter 1 (there are 6 self tests)
Begin reading Chapter 2 on Rhythm
Turn in the work at our next class