Lesson Two - Keys and Intervals

7/29/2019 Lesson Two - Keys and Intervals

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Lesson Two

The harmonic minor

The harmonic minor has a very particular colour and this is caused by the seventh

degree of the scale being raised by a semitone.

The harmonic minor has three semitones and the interval between the 6 th and 7th

degrees is a semitone larger than a tone, or a major 2nd. This interval is known as an

augmented 2nd. The harmonic minor has the same intervallic structure ascending

and descending.

2 - 3 5 6 7 - 8

The melodic minor

The melodic minor arose as it was considered easier to sing an ascending scale with

the 6th and 7th degrees raised by a semitone and to revert to the natural minor when

descending

Ascending 2 3 7 8

Descending 6 5 3 2

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Lesson Two

Constructing minor scales: E & D

Remember that the semitones should lie between: 2-3 and 5-6

Write out the following minor scales adding accidentals

E melodic minor descending

Key signature

E harmonic minor

E melodic minor ascending

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D melodic minor ascending

Key signature

D harmonic minor

D melodic minor descending

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Lesson Two

Identify the majors and relative minors of the following adding the tonic triad

1)

Major Minor

2)

Major Minor

3)

Major Minor

4)

Major Minor

5)

Major Minor

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Lesson Two

Intervals Melodic and Harmonic

Major Keys

In a major key, all the intervals are either major or perfect. There are NO

minor intervals in a major key (when the lowest note is the tonic).

Here is the scale of C major, showing each interval type:

In any major scale, the unison, fourth, fifth and octave are PERFECT intervals.

All the other intervals are MAJOR.

Here are some examples of intervals from other major keys:

Minor Keys

In minor keys you will find major, minor and perfect intervals.

Here are the scales of G major and G minor harmonicfor you to compare (dontforget that all B and Es are flat in G minor, and that the 7th note (F) is always

sharpened!)

You can see that only two intervals are different, between the major and minor

versions of the scale.

These are the third and the sixth.

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Lesson Two

In a minor scale, the third above the tonic is always a minor third, and thesixth above the tonic is always a minor sixth. In the major scale, they are the

major third and major sixth. All the other intervals are the same type, whether

the scale is major or minor.

Exercise Describe each of these melodic intervals giving the type

(major, minor, perfect) and number (3rd, 4th, 6th). In each of these, thelower note is the tonic of the key.

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What if the first note isntthe tonic of the key?

You have so far been working out intervals that are in the key working by the

scale that you know. But it doesnt work the same if the bottom interval note

isnt the root note.

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Lesson Two

Seconds

G Major

The interval from G to A is a major second. But what about the next two notes

A-B?

What numberinterval is it? _________________

To work out the type of interval, forget that it is in G major. Imagine that the

lower of the two notes is the tonic. The lower of the two notes is an A, so we

imagine a scale in A major.

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Lesson Two

What if it is larger than a major second?

________________________________

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Lesson Two

Melodic Intervals

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Fourths

A fourth is normally perfect. However, they can be smaller or larger

than perfect. Look at the interval from C to F# in the G major scale. Weknow that in the C major scale, the perfect 4 th is notes C-F.

F# is larger than F. Therefore it is augmented (bigger). The intervalfrom C-F# is an augmented 4th.

Intervals that are smaller than normal are called diminished (not minorin a 4th). The lowest note of the pair below is A#. The interval A-D is a

erfect 4th and A#-D is smaller so it is a diminished 4th.

FifthsFifths can also be perfect, augmented or diminished.


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Lesson Two

Sevenths can be major, minor or diminshed

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Lesson Two

xercise: Complete these melodic intervals

A:

B:

C:

D:

E:

F:

G:

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Lesson Two

A:

B:

C:

D:

E:

F:

G:

Exercise: Complete these harmonic intervals

A:

B:

C:

D:

E:

F:

A:

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Lesson Two

B:

C:

D:

E:

F:

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Lesson Two - Keys and Intervals

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