Music Theory - btm4life.files.wordpress.com€¦ · TYPES/FORMS OF PRESENTING MUSIC i.) Vocals...

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© Mozambique Territory, Music Department | The Salvation Army ©

Music Theory

Student Hand Book

A Salvation Army principal based Theory

Redacted by: Emmanuel MOUKOKO

The Salvation Army Mozambique Territory

Av. Filipe Samuel Magaia, 860 Maputo, Mozambique

Phone: +258 847832511 E-mail: [email protected]

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INTRODUCTION

What is music?

Definition: - What is music? First of all, it is not wrong to say that music is audio(audible).This is the

arrangement of notes in either a sequence to produce or give a melody/harmony/tune etc…

TYPES/FORMS OF PRESENTING MUSIC

i.) Vocals

-Vocals concern the presentation of music by the use of words and singing them, it can also comprise of

humming...like the case on a cappella.

ii.) Instrumental -This is the presentation of music by the use of musical instruments, like Piano, Guitar, Marimba,

Saxophone, Clarinet, Xylophone, Etc…

Assignment

Research and familiarize yourself with various musical instruments, and get to know them

Brass Band as an instrumental type/form of presenting music

Definition: We normally break the word 'Brass Band' into two:

Brass- …………………………….

Band- …………………………….

New Terms

-Audio -Duet -Tone -Dynamics

- …………... - …., -Conservatoire - ………..

-Performance -Clarinet - ……………. -Phrase

-Saxophone - ………... -Diminution - ………..

- ………. -Solo - ………. -Quintet

-Guitar - ……. -Banding - …………..

- … - …………. -Marimba -Aria

-A Cappella -Tune -……. - ………….

- ……… - ……… -Buzzing Sound -Tessitura

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Playing A Brass Instrument In The Salvation Army Bands

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” (K.J.V)

-We should always know and remember that in our banding ministry, we are not doing it for pride but

For the Glory of God.

Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving

thanks to God and the Father by him.” (K.J.V)

You should never knowingly undertake a task associated with The Salvation Army activity without

first considering the primary reason for your motivation – Love of God and your fellow man. Nor must

you seek self-esteem or popularity in relation to decisions you have to make, or in your ministry as a

player in the band.

Our mission should be - Save souls, grow saints and serve suffering humanity.

Specifically, several points are of everlasting importance:-

1. Attendance-This should be a priority, it is essential that your willingness to be under discipline is

renewed constantly, theoretically and in reality. This includes in your band playing too.

2. Behavior-Behavior must be above criticism, especially as you are so often before the general public

and your own congregations week by week.

3. Uniform-Should be of military smartness despite your various individual shapes and sizes.

4. Do not intentionally impose a lower standard for the sake of protest or non-conformity. Your leader

is likely to be personally offended, should this happen and his/her performance would be bound to

suffer.

5. As a musical force, you should be alive to the advantages you have. If you as the present members

exercise the faith, determination and loyalty which is the hallmark of every successful enterprise in life,

and if your witness is true and sincere and the Word of God proclaimed faithfully, then the future is

secure, not just for yourselves but for those who wish to follow in your footsteps.

Having mentioned a few, we are all bound by the ‘’Regulations And Guidelines For Musicians’’

formerly known as 'Orders and Regulations for Bandsmen/Songsters' and any other relevant Orders

and Regulations in The Salvation Army.

In some Territories and Corps they might be some laid down guidelines or rules to follow e.g. -

-Days of band practices.

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-Times of meeting for practice.

-And any other that can be available...Just mentioning a few of them.

Playing A Brass Instrument

Sit Properly

-Sit with your ……………… as if you were about to stand.

-Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed.

- ……………………………….

Breathing [Breathe in...Breathe out]

- ………………………......

-Exhale slowly while saying 'hoe' (count 4).

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- ……………………………………………………………

-Take a big breath; make a Hissing Sound like a snake as you blow the air out (count 8). Keep the 'Hiss'

steady and see how long you can keep it going.

PLACE THE TONGUE

- …………………………………..

-Blow out until all your airflow is gone.

- …………………………………………..

FORM THE EMBOUCHURE

-Say the letter 'M' leave the lips lightly together.

-It is good to have firm corners of the mouth and to be more relaxed in the centre. Do not tighten the

lips into a smile.

PLACE THE MOUTHPIECE/THE POSITION OF THE MOUTHPIECE

-Hold the mouthpiece between thumb and forefinger.

-Make the 'M' embouchure then place the mouthpiece gently at the centre of the lips with half on the

upper lip and half on the lower lip.

-Ask your teacher or another player to check your embouchure.*

- …………………………………………….

Buzz

- ………………………………………………………..

-Start a stream of airflow using the syllable 'too'

- …………………………….

-Buzz the mouthpiece, making a sound like a fire engine siren.

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-Now, starting low, go high and hold.

-Now, starting high, go low and hold.

-Out loud, slow and steady say

1234 1234 1234 1234

-Now, 'Buzz' 4 counts and rest 4 counts.

rest rest

1234 1234 1234 1234

-Mouthpiece 'buzzing' is one of the best warm up exercises of all time. You do not need the instrument,

just your mouthpiece.

PRODUCING THE SOUND

It must not be lost to view that the expression “striking” the sound is only a term. The tongue, in fact,

does not give a blow, for instead of “striking” it operates on the contrary, with a backward movement;

it fills the place of a valve. (….)

It indicates that the sound is to be very short; the syllable ought then to be uttered briefly. When the

dots, thus:-

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You must pronounce the syllable with more softness, so that the sounds, although detached, may yet

form a connected phrase. When there are dots, over which there is a slur thus:-

The first note should be “struck” with a very soft Tu, and then (….)

Things to Check

*CHEEKS - …………………………………………............................................

*SOUND - Make it firm and steady, not wobbly.

*BREATH - ………………………………., full deep breath.

*POSTURE - Sit tall, do not lean.

Four Steps to Playing

-Make the 'M' embouchure.

-Put the instruments' mouthpiece to your lips.

-Breath in through the corners of your mouth.

-Start the sound with the syllable 'Too'

Quote

I will pass this way once,

So any good thing that I can do, any kindness that I can show to any human being,

Let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again.

About The Instrument

Of what is it made of?

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-We call the instruments that we use in The Salvation Army Bands (excluding percussions) BRASS

INSTRUMENTS because they are made out of thin pieces of brass metal that are rolled and hammered

into various shapes, sizes and thicknesses. Because they can be easily dented or damaged, we must

always be careful when handling them. Most instruments have either a lacquer or a silver coating

(plating) on the outside to make them look good and shiny.

How It Works

-We make music with the instrument by blowing air through it. When we make a 'buzzing' sound with

our lips into the instrument, we create air waves which travel through the tubing. These waves come

out of the 'bell' end of the instrument as sounds which are characteristic of both us and the instrument

we are playing.

-A longer tube makes a lower sound. A shorter tube makes a higher sound.

-Like the slide on a Trombone, valves change the length of the tubing. This enables us to make high

notes and low notes and all the other notes in between.

-The tuning slide allows for small adjustments in pitch so that we can play 'in tune' with the other

players in the band.

-As we blow into the instrument, moisture gathers inside it. All instruments have a water key fitted

which is used to let the moisture out. The seal around the water key must always be tight so that no air

escapes.

TROMBONE

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Care of Instrument In the Case

-Always store the instrument in its' case when not in use.

-Keep the mouthpiece in the mouthpiece holder in the case. If your case does not have one, wrap the

mouthpiece in a cloth so that it does not damage the instrument. Keep the mouthpiece clean with a

small brush and by running water through it regularly, at least once a week. When placing the

mouthpiece in the instrument, turn it lightly into a fixed position. Never tap, push or hit it.

Lubrication

-Valves should be oiled regularly. To oil the valves, unscrew the top valve cap and pull the valve part

way out. Put several drops of valve oil on the piston and return the valve to its' proper position, making

sure that the small valve guide, or 'lug', goes into its' slot first. Take care of the Trombones' slide too

when fixing the moving part onto the stationary one.

-Valves should be handled very carefully indeed: Never use force.

-Trombone slides should be greased regularly. The slide of a Trombone is its' most critical vital part

and once damaged is almost impossible to repair properly.

-The slides of all instruments should be greased sparingly. Pull the slides out one at a time and wipe

clean with a soft cloth. Spread a thin coating of Vaseline on the slide and return it to its' position.

Cleanliness

-Keep your instrument clean inside and shiny outside.

-Run lukewarm water through it regularly mixed with a mild detergent soap. Rinse thoroughly.

-If your instrument has a lacquer finish, wash the outside with warm, soapy water, rinse and dry and

polish with a soft cloth. If the water is too hot it may peel the lacquer.

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-If your instrument has a silver finish, use a non-abrasive polish.

BALANCE AND BLEND

Balance and Blend reveal the finer qualities in our music making, and indeed throughout the entire

field of our lives. Though usually spoken of together, they are not necessarily one item, but are related.

You can have one without the other, but this would be less than ideal.

-A good balance means 'a proportionate strength of the individual parts'. It is not primarily a

mathematical calculation, although it may depend to an extent on the number of each type of

instrument in the band. It is essentially a balance of Tone quality and Tone color.

-Balance can be influenced by the strength or weakness of a player’s tone production capabilities, and

individual players should listen to one another as they play in order to make adjustments to their own

tone as required. It is the conductors' responsibility to indicate to players who are over-doing it either

way, and they in turn should take notice if they are keeping one eye upon him.

-Balance can also be affected by inadequate use of instruments playing 'second' parts. Often thought of

as 'secondary’ or less important parts, it is interesting to find how often the essential harmony note is

given to the 2nd

Cornet, 2nd

Horn, 2nd

Baritone or 2nd

Trombone.

When all of the above finer points have been achieved (at least to the conductors' own satisfaction),then

the different tonal characteristics must be blended into an harmonious accord. The variation in a brass

band is not as wide as in some other combinations, but care is needed to avoid a strident Cornet or

rasping Trombone from overshadowing the other softer sounds of other instruments without losing its

own individual tone color.

Tone production has some influence here, too, and good tuning is essential, a quality which depends as

much on the player as on the instrument. Even if instruments are not as good in quality as one would

wish, an understanding player and/or knowledge of alternative fingerings can help.

(The Valve Test)

-Firstly, sound the natural note

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then try to produce the same sound by depressing the third valve, if the note is too sharp, pull out the

third valve-slide, if the note is too flat push in the third valve-slide, the desired result will then be

obtained.

-Secondly, sound the natural note then try to produce the same sound by depressing the second and

third valves, if the note is either too sharp, or flat, the fault lies with, the second valve, the third valve

having been previously tuned, pull out the second valve-slide to flatten the note, or push in to sharpen

it.

-Thirdly, sound the natural note then try to produce the same sound by depressing the first and third

valves, if the note is either too sharp, or too flat, the fault lies with the first valve, the third valve having

been previously tuned, pull out

the first valve-slide to flatten the note, or push in to sharpen it.

If these instructions are carefully carried out and the notes are produced correctly all the valve-notes

and their combinations will be perfectly in tone with the open notes.

Phrasing

-Phrasing is something more than selecting a suitable place to breath. It includes the breathing spaces,

of course, for these should be made to occur where the sense of the music or of the associated words,

permits; and there is no virtue in playing long passages without a breathing space just for the sake of it.

-Phrasing does not necessarily begin or end at a bar-line, nor on the same note in relation to a bar-line

for every phrase. Such an idea would be similar to a child’s first effort at poetry. For example, the

unthinking habit of singing 'we plough the fields and scatter!' is all too often repeated just as

unthinkingly by players too. Another common example is 'The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want; He

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makes me down to lie!'

-Phrasing should outline the design of the composition, however briefly as in the case of a hymn tune,

or however extended as in the case of a major composition. As a Salvation Army Composer once said;

'It is simply making the rhythmic structure apparent.' (Lieut-Colonel Ernest Rance).

-A study of the basic elements of rhythm is a 'must' for enterprising conductors and players. Although

this is a very big subject, it is worthwhile to emphasize one obvious great help available to us in The

Salvation Army. Much of our music is associated with or reflective of words, and wherever this is the

case, full advantage should be taken of it. Knowing the words relative to the music will go a long way

towards a correct interpretation of the phrasing.

METER

-Meter is the regular flow, the persistent pulsation of the music, as indicated by the bar-line and the

time-signature. It is an important feature in the rhythmic structure of any composition.

-It is the backbone or the framework of it, for it outlines the pattern of accented and unaccented notes.

This rhythmic pulsation should be marked out in performance by giving a light accent to the first note

after each bar-line, unless a definite indication is given to the contrary. This might be, for example, by

tied notes which carry the emphasis to other notes, or by a special accent on otherwise unaccented

notes.

-The Metronome, according to a dictionary, is a measure of time, but it is not such a close relation of

meter as we might suppose, for in the language of music it means a Measure of tempo (the speed of the

meter).

-Before the introduction of the metronome, speed was suggested at first in the notation itself, and later

by the various terms such as Allegro, Andante and so on. Considerable latitude was taken with the

translation of such terms, and it would seem that it was a desire to draw a finer line which led to the

invention of a mechanical device-hence the metronome. Such an indication is now familiar on music

copies, in the form of M=112 (or some other figure), signifying a speed of 112 Crotchets to a minute.

Even now the metronome indication is generally considered to be only a guide as to the intended

speed, for it is questionable whether many of us are sensitive enough to recognize the difference

between say 112 and 116 or between 69 and 72.

As has often been said, the metronome speed should be treated as a 'Pointer not a Ruler' or, to change

the metaphor, as a loose-fitting coat rather than a strait-jacket, leaving room for the occasional

inspiration of the moment.

TONE PRODUCTION

The quality of Tone production is the first essential for any aspiring player, irrespective of whichever

instrument you play. Quality of tone is in many cases a gift from God. It is possible to cultivate a better

one, but this entails a lot of hard work with many hours of consistent long note practice and constant

alertness to the improving sound. Some people are gifted, having a natural tone, enabling them to

produce correct notes.

Presuming that you already know how to produce a note, play from C below the stave to low G slowly

in semi breves, with a level tone. Listen carefully as you descend. Blow forward into your instrument to

keep it full of air. You should eventually get a vibration that will go through your body.

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Having played this Scale for at least 15 minutes, try to find out which of the 4 notes was the best.

Having found the really good note, concentrate and develop the other 3 notes in exactly the same way.

Keep playing until you are satisfied that they are as near perfect as you can get them. Always try to

cultivate a similarity of tone in all the notes.

By now you should have an idea of how to play to get a good quality of tone. Never relax or take a

chance. Always be alert to the fact that the tone must be good and always blow forward. Immediately

you retard the breath and free flow of air, the tone will suffer and sound thin. When you produce the

note hold a good current of air behind it, and if you control your breath (another very great factor in

playing), you should be able to sustain a long level note and make a crescendo or diminuendo at will.

BREATH CONTROL

-Breath control has a very important part in playing. It is the ability of the player to control his or her

breathing that ensures a relaxed sound. In the keyboard of an Organ an equal amount of air goes into

each key, ensuring a level sound. The same effect is achieved by good breath control.

If after continued practice you feel you have mastered the technique of getting those 4 low notes,

commence to play the Scale of C Major ascending and listening intently to hear that you are producing

the same quality of sound as before. This will take time, but eventually (if you are determined to

succeed) it will develop and you will feel you have achieved something.

Now proceed as high as G above the stave which will give you a range from G below the stave to G

above the stave (2 octaves), always having in mind the really good note you first mastered.

From G upwards there is always a tendency for the tone texture to get thin, but this can be corrected by

perseverance. You must blow forward until you have perfected a full sound from low G to top C and

satisfied yourself that it is indeed a good solid sound. Keep going back to your original best note and

strive to get the same result with every note.

The production and quality of Tone are fundamentals if you expect to become a good player. It cannot

be said too often that the first essential is quality of tone.

Even when one has obtained 'Tone Consciousness' it has to be jealously guarded and practiced

diligently. Play simple melodies with this in mind and try to play as a singer would sing it.

It is true to say that all the words in the world cannot take the place of a few minutes of practical

application. It is in your hands whether you decide to play well or badly or not at all. But if you are

prepared and willing to subject yourself to the discipline of the practice routine, the final result will be

beyond your highest hopes, something which will give you satisfaction in achieving and other people

pleasure in hearing.

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An Orchestra

-This is a collection of musicians who play special kinds of instruments. The instruments in an

orchestra are divided into four families or groups.

i.) The String family which includes Violins, Violas, Cellos and double basses.

ii.) The wood wind family which includes the flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon.

iii.) The brass family which includes the trumpet, saxophone and trombone.

iv.) The percussion family which includes the kettle drums, cymbals and side drums.

Although the word orchestra originated from European Countries, groups from other parts of the world

now use it. Instruments used in orchestra have also increased in variety around the world.

Music in Communities

-Every community in the world has music as part of its' culture.

1. African Music-Found in Africa South of Sahara. North African music is not included since it's

largely influenced by Arabic and Moslem culture.

2. Western Music-Found in Europe, Australia and North America.

3. Latin American Music-Found in South American continent including the West Indies.

4. Oriental Music-Found among the Eastern Countries such as India, Arabia, Indonesia, Japan, China

and the greater part of the Continent of Asia.

5. Other Communities-West Indians of North America, the Eskimos of Canada and the Aborigines of

Australia is unique. It's difficult to group it within the above cultures.

Kinds of Music

Folk Music

-From natives of a region or Country.

Art Music

-This is music that is composed.

Pop Music

-Pop stands for popular e.g. Rumba, Rock n roll, Reggae. Etc…

Other Kinds of Music

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A Topical Song

-This song talks about a major event or idea.

A National Song

-A song highlighting a country’s achievements.

Patriotic Song

-Songs that shows the importance of being loyal or truthful to ones' Country.

Hymns

-A sacred religious song.

STAVES, CLEFS AND NOTES

Staff notation Notation of Pitch

-One way of indicating how high or low musical sounds are is to mark them on horizontal parallel

lines. We place special symbols to represent notes on the lines or in the spaces between them.

The set of horizontal parallel lines used by musicians to compare the pitch difference of notes is called

a staff or stave. Today the most common staff consists of five parallel lines.

We recognize these lines and spaces from the bottom one to the highest. The note symbols are placed

on the stave according to how high or low the sound is.

Among the five notes shown on the stave, the note on the fifth line is the highest, while the note below

the first line is the lowest.

The method of representing note symbols to show pitch and other musical information on the staff is

called staff notation.

Leger lines are drawn on top or below the staff.

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In order to show the difference in pitch, it is necessary to write a sign on the staff to indicate whether

they are high or low. This sign is called a Clef and is written at the beginning of every staff.

-Generally a clef is a key placed at the beginning of each stave.

Types of clefs:-

1. G-Clef

2. F-Clef

3. C-Clef

Let us start with the first one.

1. G-Clef

-The G-Clef forms a number of keys depending on the position of the tessitura.

These numbers of keys include:-

a.) Treble Clef.

b.) French Violin Clef, Etc…

-Let us consider the Treble Clef since it is of importance to us.

Treble Clef

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The blob of the G-Clef always makes a G where it starts. The blob in the Treble Clef is found on the

second line in the staff.

The word 'treble' means high. When placed at the beginning of a stave it shows that the notes to be

found on it are relatively high.

How to draw a treble clef

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2. F-Clef

-The F-Clef forms quite a number of keys depending on the position of the tessitura.


a.) Baritone Clef

b.) Bass Clef

c.) Sub bass Clef Etc…

-Let us consider the Bass clef since it is of importance to us.

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Bass Clef

-The blob of the F-Clef always makes an F, where it starts.

-The blob in the Bass Clef is found on the fourth line in the staff.

The word 'Bass' means low. When placed at the beginning of a staff it shows the presence of

relatively low notes.

3. C-Clef

-The C-Clef forms quite a number of keys depending on the position of the tessitura.


a.) Baritone Clef

b.) Tenor Clef

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c.) Alto Clef

d.) Mezzo-Soprano Clef

e.) Soprano Clef Etc…

Assignment

Find any other keys formed by the C-Clef.

Let us consider the Alto and Tenor Clefs.

-Generally the blob of the C-Clef always makes a C where it starts. The C is normally termed as the

Middle C.

-The blob in the Alto Clef is found on the third line in the staff.

-The blob in the Tenor Clef is found on the fourth line in the staff.

-The Alto Clef is mainly used for Viola, while the Tenor Clef is mainly used for Cello and Trombone.

Drawing the C-Clef

You can use a 'K' and add 'I' to Become 'IK'

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Assignment Draw any other keys formed by the F and C Clefs.

Letters used to name notes on the staff

A B C D E F G

Only the first seven alphabetical letters are used. They range in ascending order, from A to G. When

higher or lower notes are to be named, we repeat the letters by extending them forwards or backwards.

A. Naming the notes on the Treble Clef

i.)Naming the lines

-For the ease of remembering,you can say:-

Every Good Boy Deserves Favor

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ii.) Naming the spaces

-For ease of remembering, you can say:

F A C E

B. Naming the notes on the Bass Clef

i.) Naming the lines

-For ease of remembering, you can say:-

Good Boys Deserve Favor Always

-You too can add leger lines on top and below the stave for the Bass Clef

-The first leger line on top of the bass clef is a C and is normally called the middle C.

ii.) Naming the spaces

-For ease of remembering, you can say:-

All Cows Eat Grass

-There you too can add and still name notes on the spaces that can be found on the leger lines.

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Things to notice when naming the staves

-The notes use the lines and spaces alternately.

-All the notes walk up the stave in alphabetical order but:-

They only use the first seven letters of the alphabet so:-

When they get to G they start again at A.

-If you run out of lines, you draw an extra little line and put the note you want on it. These extra little

lines are called leger lines.

Leger Lines

-The range of sounds used in staff notation goes beyond the treble and bass staffs. Notes that stretch

above these staffs are written on little lines added above and below the staves as well as in spaces

formed between them. These additional lines that carry the extra notes are called leger lines. Leger

lines are positioned with the same spacing as the lines on the main staff.

-Each time a new leger line is written above or below the staff, the previous one must be written to

show how high or low the note is.

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Assignment

What is a peddle C?

The Great Staff

-When the treble and bass staffs are combined/joined together through the middle C to form a

continuous pattern of notes, we call that combination the great staff.

The Keyboard and The Great Staff (Relationship)

-If you sit facing the piano keyboard, the keys to your right produce sounds that get higher than those

on your left get lower and lower.

-The piano keyboard has two kinds of keys. Some are white while others are black. The white keys are

all adjacent to one another. The black ones are arranged in groups of twos and threes with gaps between

them

-The white keys are given alphabetical names from A to G. They are all repeated when they extend

beyond the seven letters.

NB: Behind every two black keys that white key is a C.

Behind every three black keys that white key is a F.

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-One clue of naming keys on the piano or melodica is to remember that the white key in the middle of

each pair of black keys is always a D.

-The distance between one letter e.g. 'A' to another 'A' above or below is called an octave. An octave is

an interval of eight sounds or notes.

NB: Note that the middle C on a normal size piano is approximately in the middle of the keyboard.

Assignment

Find if it is possible to combine other staffs together.

NOTES, RESTS, BARS AND BARLINES

-Notes have different shapes to show whether they are long or short. Each note also has a matching rest

to show silence. Each note lasts for a different number of beats.

-A note is a sounded beat that has tone or sound quality.

-The duration of a note depends on how many counts the beat has, e.g. in a semi-breve, the sound lasts

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for four regular counts.

Consider:-

Duration of beats

-When we sing we can feel throbs called Beats. These can be compared to the steps when we walk, jog,

run or race. The time taken by each beat is referred to as duration. The duration of each beat is

measured by comparing it with the regular counts at a walking pace.

-The syllables ta ta ta ta which help us to mark the pace of beats are called French rhythm names. In

written music the regular steps or beats at the walking pace are shown by an oval head that is shaded, it

has a stem either on its' left or right.

-The name of this beat is crotchet. It is given one count at a time.

-When we double the crotchets pace, we usually compare it to a child’s steps when walking along with

his father. For every step a father makes the child makes double.

-This name of this beat is quaver.

-When we double the quavers pace, we usually compare it to a puppy’s steps. For every step the child

makes the puppy makes double.

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-This name of this beat is semiquaver.

-When we combine two crotchets, they last as long as a minim. I.e. the minim receives two counts of

the crotchet.

-When we combine two minims, they last as long as semi-breve.

-When we combine two semi-breves, they last as long as a breve. These days the breve is not normally

used.

- Semi-breve is also referred to as a whole note. - Minim is also referred to as a half note (2 in the whole notes) - Crotchet is also referred to as a quarter (4 in the whole note)

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- Quaver is also referred to as an eighth note (8 in the whole note) - Semi-quaver is also referred to as a sixteenth note (16 in the whole note)

Assignment

Find other notes?

Notes and their rests symbols

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Writing notes and Rests

-Notes and rests should be drawn carefully so that their meaning is clear. Do not make notes too large

or too small. Fit them neatly on to the stave.

-It matters whether stems go on the right of the note or on the left of the note. It also matters whether

stems point up or hang down.

Writing notes

-Line notes should circle round their line without touching the line above or the line below.

-Space notes should fill the entire space, but not go over the line.

Things to remember

-Stems on notes go up on the right.

-Stems on notes go down on the left.

-Stems on notes go up when the note is below the middle line (third line).

-Stems on notes go down when the note is above the middle line.

-Stems on notes go either way when the note is on the middle line.

Beams

-Beams (joining lines) for quavers and semi quavers should be written at a slight angle so that they are not muddled with the lines of the stave. Beams are also known as hooks.

-Notes that have one or more hooks are usually joined or grouped in twos, threes, fours and so on.

There are two advantages for this:

31


a.) Musicians can recognize the kind of beats easily.

b.) The arrangement of beats looks more orderly when the notes and their rests are grouped.

Writing rests

-Rests need special attention. Draw them carefully so their meaning is clear.

NB:-Semi-breve and minim rests are placed in the third space up.

-Semi-breve rests hang from the line. Minim rests sit on the line.

-Heads of quavers rests and alternative crotchet rests are also placed in the third space up.

-The top head of semi quaver rests is placed in the third space up.

Assignment

Draw the rests of the other notes you know.

DOTTED NOTES AND RESTS

-The duration for each beat can be made longer by adding a dot after it. Such a beat is said to be dotted.

A dot after any beat makes its' duration last longer by half of its' original length or period.

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Double doted

Tie or bind -This is a curved line placed between two notes of the same pitch. If two notes of the same pitch are

tied or bound, the second one becomes part of the first one. It does not make a fresh sound but merely

continues the first sound.

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Slur -This is a curved line placed between two notes of different pitches. If two notes of different pitch are

slurred, the second one becomes part of the first one. It does not make a fresh sound but merely

continues with a new pitch.

Rhythm -All music has rhythm. Usually the rhythm is based on a steady pulse. Some beats are regularly

stronger than others. These regular strong beats help to move the music onwards.

Bars and Bar lines -A bar line is placed before each strong beat. The bar lines divide the stave up into bars. Each bar will

usually have the same number of beats in it. When you add up the number of beats in each bar you will

know if the music is in two times, three times or four times. A double bar line is used at the end of a

piece of music.

-The space between two bar lines is called a bar or measure.

TIME Accents and Stresses

-When a song is being sung, we easily identify regular beats that throb through it. Tapping while the

song goes on will help to show this. The beats may be minims, crotchets or quavers. If the regular beats

34


are identified as crotchets, then the crotchet is the main or basic beat in the song. The main beat marks

the pace of a piece of music. Each song has its own basic beat unless it changes in the course of

singing. It either gives the song a faster, moderate or slow pace.

-While a song is being sung, we also note that some of the beats are more “stressed” than others. The

beats are said to be accented. In writing notes in music, the accent is shown by placing the symbol > above or below the stressed beat.

-The regular accents or stresses in a song make the beats to arrange themselves in patterns of two, three

or four. This depends on how often the accented beats occur.

-The arrangement of beats in twos, threes or fours caused by accenting some beats more than others is

called time of music. The kind of time depends on whether the beats are in twos, threes or fours. We

usually assume that each accented beat is always given count one. Any beat except the semi-breve

which is rather too long can be used to form time.

DUPLE, TRIPLE AND QUADRUPLE TIME

Duple Time

-This is when the main beats fall in groups of two. If the strong beat falls on every 2nd

beat we say there

are 2 beats in a bar and the music is in two times. In music this is called duple time.

Triple Time

-Here the accents make the beats to fall in threes. There is one strong beat followed by two weak beats.

-If the strong beat falls on every 3rd

beat we say that there are 3 beats in a bar and the music is in three

times. In music this is called triple time.

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Quadruple Time

-Beats appear in groups of four. There is strong beat followed by three weak beats.

-If the strong beat falls on every 4th

beat we say that there are 4 beats in a bar and the music is in four

times. In music this is called quadruple time.

Other kinds of beats can also be used as main beats to create time.

Beating Time

-When you need a signal to keep your group together, or to show them a speed (tempo) without making

a noise such as clapping or counting aloud, you can beat time.

Up beats (Anacrusis)

-The first beat in each bar of written music is always accented or stressed. This means it is a stronger

beat compared to the other beats in the same bar. Beats that are not accented are called weak beats.

36


-Not all tunes begin on the accented beats. Sometimes due to the intonation of words in a sentence, a

tune begins on a weak beat.

NB: Every bar has one down beat.

-Sometimes a bar does not begin on the first beat, but begins with an up-beat or Anacrusis leading to

the next bar. When this happens, its' value is taken out of the last bar of the piece.

-These are the directions for beating time. Follow the shapes in the air using your right hand. You learn

more when practicing and playing.

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SIMPLE AND COMPOUND TIME

-Each kind of time whether Duple, Triple or Quadruple can be described as simple or compound

depending on whether the main beat is simple or compound.

Simple time/Simple time Signatures

-This is the kind of time made up of simple beats. A beat is said to be simple if it is naturally sub-

divisible into two equal beats. A Crotchet is a simple beat because it can be broken into two Quavers.

The main beat in this example is the Crotchet which is a simple beat. There are two of them in each

bar. Such time is therefore described as Simple duple time.

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Note that Quavers in simple time will generally be grouped in twos or fours except in 3

8 times.

What the number means

-Notice that at the start of a piece of music (just before the notes begin) there are two numbers one

above the other. This is called the time signature.

-In simple time the top number tells you how many beats there are in the bar.

-In simple time the bottom number tells you what sort of beat to count.

NB: There is another type of time called compound time where this does not happen, but you do not

need to think about this yet, we'll cover it later.

The bottom number

4 means Crotchet beats (the most common).

8 mean Quaver beats.

2 means Minim beats.

2

4 mean two Crotchet beats in a bar.

22 mean two Minim beats in a bar.

9

8 mean nine Quaver beats in a bar.

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Placing your time signatures on the stave

-There are three signs or groups of signs which are placed at the beginning of the first Stave in a piece

of music.

1. The Clef

-The clef is always placed first.

-Every stave must have a clef placed first.

2. The Key Signature

-The key signature is always placed second, immediately after the clef.

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-Every stave must have its' key signature placed second.

NB: Not every piece has a key signature.

3. The Time Signature

-The time signature is always placed third, immediately after the key signature.

-The time signature is written only once on the first stave unless there is a change of time in the music.

-Do not write the time signature again unless the time changes.

Putting notes into bars Getting the math’s right

Remember: A time signature tells you how many beats there are in each bar. It also tells you what

length the beats are.

Each bar must add up to the correct number of beats. So:-

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Grouping Quavers and Semiquavers into beats

Learn the grouping rule: Notes with tails should be joined together with beams to make separate beats.

Crotchet beats examples.

You have just learned the grouping rule that notes with tails should be joined together to make separate

beats But sometimes a whole bar of Quaver notes all join together.

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Triplets

-In Simple time the beats normally divide into two or four, for example, a Crotchet usually divides into

two Quavers or perhaps four Semiquavers. However, sometimes in simple time a beat needs to be

divided into three. When this happens the three notes are called a triplet.

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§§§ Learn how to play triplets.

Simple and compound time

Each kind of time whether duple, triple or quadruple can be described as simple or compound

depending on whether the main beat is simple or compound.

Simple time

This is the kind of time made up of simple beats. A beat is said to be simple if it is naturally sub-

divisible into two equal beats. A crotchet is a simple beat because it can be broken into two quavers.

Other beats include:-

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The main beat in this example is the crotchet which is a simple beat. There are two of them in each bar.

Such time is therefore described as simple duple time. Study the arrangement of beats in the following

examples:

Note that quavers in simple time will generally be grouped in twos or fours except in 38 time.

Compound time/a compound time signature: 6

8

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-This kind of time is made up of compound beats. A beat is said to be compound if it is sub-divisible

into three equal beats. A dotted crotchet is a compound beat because it is sub-divisible into three

quavers.

Other compound beats are:-

When the main beat in a given time is compound or dotted, the time is described as compound time.

The main beat in the example is the dotted crotchet. Since there is no number that represents a dotted

crotchet, the time signature is expressed in terms of quavers.

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68 times is described as compound duple time. This means that there are six quavers beats in each bar

although the main beats are two.

Quavers and semiquavers in compound time will be generally grouped into three.

-So compound time has dotted note beats instead of ordinary beats.

Remember in 6

8 times

-There are six quavers in every bar.

-There are only two beats in every bar.

-The two beats are dotted beats.

-There are three quavers to each beat.

-Triplet signs are not needed in this time.

When to use 6

8 times 6

8 time is often used for jigs and other pieces needing a skipping rhythm e.g. waltz, swing, tango,

rhumba.

Etc…

Grouping notes in 6

8 times In

68 time quavers and semiquavers join together in their beats as they do in simple time. There are no

exceptions to this rule.

Example:

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Other compound times you'll end up learning them later in your playing or later.

SHARPS, FLATS AND NATURALS Tones and Semitones -The smallest distance in pitch between any two notes on the keyboard is called Semitone.

49


Next-door notes are a semitone apart. In the diagram there are semitones between notes 1-2, notes 2-3,

3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, and so on. Note that there are two 'white' semitones on the keyboard, between 7

and 8 and between 12 and 1. All the other semitones lie between a white note and the next nearest black

note.

Two next-door semitones make a tone. In the diagram there are tones between notes 1-3, notes 2-4, 3-

5, 4-6, 7-9, and so on.

Sharps, flats and naturals -The sign (#) is a sharp. Sharps Raise notes one semitone to the next note on the Right.

-On the guitar you will finger the next fret up, and on the violin and cello you will need to finger a little

closer to the bridge.

-The sign (b) is a flat. Flats Lower notes one semitone to the next note on the Left.

-On the guitar you will finger the next fret down. On the violin and the cello you will need to move a

little further from the bridge. You may even need to finger the next string down.

-The natural sign is used to cancel a sharp or a flat.

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-Do not worry about the black notes having two names; we will learn the reason for this on the topic

about scales, keys and keys signatures.

Accidentals -The family name for sharps, flats and naturals is accidentals.

Writing accidentals on the stave

- Accidentals need to be written carefully. They must sit before their note on the same line or space.

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-An accidental lasts for the rest of the bar only if there is no other accidental in

between the bar.

SCALES, KEYS AND KEY SIGNATURES

-Most music is composed using a particular pattern of notes called a scale.

-If the notes of any given tune were rearranged according to the order of their pitch, they would form a

kind of ladder. The notes in the ladder would ascend from the lowest or descend from the highest.

-When notes are arranged in ascending or descending order step by step they would form a scale. The

word 'scale' is borrowed from the Latin term 'scala' which means “ladder”. Every tune that is formed or

Composed is based on a scale of some kind. If notes in a tune were not based on any scale they would

sound disorganized and would not make sense.

Kind of scales -There are different types of scales, each with its own special pattern. The scale patterns are usually

made up of tones and semi-tones.

-There are two very popular patterns that are the major scale pattern and the minor scale pattern. Every

note has its major and its minor scale.

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Major Scales/Heptatonic Scale.

-Major Scales have the following pattern of tones and semitones.

tone tone semitone tone tone tone semitone

-They also always have their letter-names in order, with none missing. On the keyboard, you will see

the pattern of tones (T) and semitones (S) in the Major scale of C.

*Major Scales have eight notes.

In order to keep the pattern of tones and semitones correct, accidentals are used.

Assignment:[Do/Work out other Major Scales using the keyboard diagram]

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The Mother Major Key.

-The mother major key is C major. This is because it has no flats or sharps as accidentals to form the

T T S T T T S Pattern

The Flats Major Keys (b Major Keys).

-During the exercise of forming Major keys, you realized that in some Major keys you needed to use

the “b” sign to come up with the T T S T T T S pattern e.g. F major, Bb Major, Eb Major Etc…

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The Cycle of Fourths For Flats Keys.

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

-Using the cycle of Fourths, you find out that

1st Major Flat key is called F Major (has 1 b)

2 nd

” Bb Major (has 2 bs')

3 rd

” Eb Major (has 3 bs')

4th

” Ab Major (has 4bs')

5th

” Db Major (has 5bs')

6th

” Gb Major (has 6bs')

7th

” Cb Major (has 7bs')

-The order of flats appears in the order:-

1st Bb

2 nd

Eb – but also includes Bb.

3 rd

Ab - but also includes all above.

4th

Db - ”

5th

Gb - ”

6th

Cb - ”

7th

Fb - ”

Drawing the Flat Major Keys

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-C Major has no sharps or flats.

-You can also add notes an octave up or below depending on the complete octave range.

Assignment: [Draw the other remaining major flats keys]

-For ease of remembering the names for Major Flat Keys you can say:-

Father Buy Eggs And Do Go Carefully.

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You should bear in mind that only one of the Major Flat keys has no flat sign on its' name which is

F Major, the rest are named either Bb Major, Eb Major Etc…

-For ease of remembering the order of flats the way they appear, you can say:-

Buy Eggs And Do Go Carefully Father.

B F major

BE Bb major

BEA Eb major

BEAD Ab major

BEADG Db major

BEADGC Gb major

BEADGCF Cb major

The Sharps Major Keys (# major keys).

-During the exercise of forming major keys, you realized that in some major keys you needed to use the

#sign in order to come up with the T T S T T T S pattern e.g. G major, D major Etc…

The Cycle of Fifths For Sharps Keys.

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

-Using the cycle of fifths, you find out that:-

1st Major Sharp key is called G Major (has 1 #)

2 nd

” D Major (has 2 #s')

3 rd

” A Major (has 3 #s')

4th

” E Major (has 4#s')

5th

” B Major (has 5#s')

6th

” F# Major (has 6#s')

7th

” C# Major (has 7#s')

-The order of sharps appears in the order:-

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1st F#

2 nd

C# – but also includes F#.

3 rd

G# - but also includes all above.

4th

D# - ”

5th

A# - ”

6th

E# - ”

7th

B# - ”

Drawing the sharp Major Keys.

Assignment: [Draw the other remaining Major sharp key].

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-For ease of remembering the names for Major Sharp Keys you can say:-

Give David And Elizabeth Biscuits For Christmas.

-You should bear in mind that only two major sharp keys have a (#) sharp sign on their name i.e. F#

Major and C# Major. All the rest don't have the sharp sign, so you name them:- E Major, D Major

Etc …

-For ease of remembering the order of sharps the way they appear, you can say:-

For Christmas Give David And Elizabeth Biscuits.

F G major

FC D major

FCG A major

FCGD E major

FCGDA B major

FCGDAE F# major

FCGDAEB C# major

Using the cycle of Fifths to Name all the Major Scales.

Naming the Sharp Major Keys

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C

Naming the Flat Major Keys

Assignment:-[Draw Staves for other clefs and write on them the various key signatures for Major

Keys]

Accidentals in minor keys

-To keep the pattern of tones and semitones correct in minor scale, accidentals are added to some notes.

These extra accidentals have nothing to do with the key signature. They are needed in addition to the

key signature to keep the correct pattern.

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-There are two main types of minor scales:-

a.) Harmonic minor scale.

b.) Melodic minor scale.

-In the harmonic minor scale, the accidental raises the 7th

note one semitone.

-In the melodic minor scale, the accidental raise the 6th

and 7th

notes ascending, and lower them again

(back to their key signature notes) descending.

Do not worry about accidentals in minor keys. When you are looking at music, extra accidentals can

help you decide whether a piece is in a major or a minor key.

When you are composing a piece in a minor key, use your ear to decide whether your piece sounds

better with accidentals in or out.

-The key is D minor with its key signature of Bb. The 6h note is Bb, the 7

th note is C.

-The 6th

note could be raised to B (natural), the 7th

note could be raised to C#.

-Play the example several times. Try leaving the accidentals out-you may prefer the sound.

-Remember: When composing, the choice is up to you.

The names of the notes of the Scale.

-Every note in a scale has a name by which it is known. Of course you can call the notes by their

numbers (such as 5th

, 2nd

and so on), but you may find the correct names useful when talking about

music.

-Below are the two systems of naming the notes of a scale: tonic solfa and the degrees of the scale.

Note Number Tonic Solfa Degree

1st

doh Tonic

2nd

ray Super tonic

3rd

me Mediant

4th

fah Sub dominant

5th

soh Dominant

6th

lah Sub mediant

7th

te Leading note

8th

(1st)

doh Tonic

Relative Majors and Minors

-Major and Minor keys with the same key signature as each other are called relative majors or relative

minors.

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How to form Relative Minors from Relative Majors.

-A Scale is subdivided into two equal parts each called a tetra chord.

Doh

ray 1st

Tetra chord.

me

fah

soh

lah 2nd

Tetra chord.

te

doh

-We usually use the second note [lah/6th

/Submediant] of the 2nd

Tetra chord to get the first note in our

minor key.

C Major will form A Minor.

-Depending on whether you want to form a melodic or harmonic minor key. You can do it this way.

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Assignment:[Form any other Relative Minors from Relative Majors]

What is the key of this piece?

-Two ways of answering this questions are:-

1. By listening.

-There is really only one way to discover whether a piece is in a major or a minor key by listening, and

that is experience. This means practice.

-By listening to lots of major and minor chords you soon learn to recognize a piece in which the key

chord and other chords at important places are minor.

-The minor 3rd

is the most important feature in hearing whether a piece of music is major or minor. It is

the 3rd

note of a scale which makes a chord sound major or minor. So the more you practice listening to

chords and scales, the better you will become at identifying major and minor.

-One feature that both the harmonic and the melodic minor scales have in common is that the 3rd

note

from the keynote is a semitone lower than the 3rd

note in the major scale starting on the same note.

2. By looking.

-To identify the key of a piece, first look at the key signature. The piece will be in one of the two keys:

Either the major key with that key signature or the minor key with that key signature. Next, look at the

notes which begin and end the piece. A piece is likely to end on its key note (this may be in the bass

part, so look at all the notes in its last chord). A piece may or may not begin on its key note-it is worth

looking at the beginning, but the ending is more reliable. Now look to see if there are any accidentals

which might belong to the particular minor key you are checking. Are the 6th

or 7th

notes raised?

Sometimes pieces change key (modulate). You'll learn it later while playing.

Put all this evidence together, and the name of the key should become obvious. For example:-

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Look at the key signatures: both have 1 flat. Therefore the piece is in F major or in D minor. Look at the last note: example A ends on F; example B ends on D. Check for accidentals: example A has none; example B has B(natural) and C#. Result of investigation: example A is in F major; example B is in D minor.

The Pentatonic scale

-The pentatonic scale has five notes to the octave and because it is an easy scale to work with, it is

often used for children songs and pieces.

-The pentatonic scale pattern of tones and semitones is:-

tone tone+semitone tone tone tone+semitone

-If you look at the black keys of the piano, you will see that they are arranged in a pentatonic scale.

If you check the intervals between the notes, you will see that the pattern is correct!

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Assignment: [Try and construct any other pentatonic scales]

Modes

-Modes are a type of scale which was used in Church and folk music from the earliest times. They are

now used a great deal in rock and pop music, and also in jazz.

-Two very popular and useful modes are the Aeolian mode and the Dorian mode.

Assignment:[Find any other modes]

-The Aeolian mode has the same pattern of tones and semitones as a scale made by playing all the

white notes on the piano from A to A.

-This does not mean that the Aeolian mode can only begin on A. The Aeolian mode can be built on any

note by copying this pattern of tones and semitones.

Assignment: [Find the pattern of tones and semitones on the Aeolian mode and try new notes using the

mode.]

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-The Dorian Mode has the same pattern of tones and semitones as a scale made by playing all the white

notes on the piano from D to D.

-This does not mean that the Dorian mode can only begin on D. The Dorian mode can be built on any

note by copying this pattern of tones and semitones.

-You should play these modes until you are familiar with them before you try to use them in

composing.

Assignment: [Find the pattern of tones and semitones on the Dorian mode and try new notes using

mode.]

Intervals

-An interval is the distance in pitch from one note to another. You already know two intervals by name.

Semitone: the smallest distance between any two notes on the keyboard.

Tone: 2 next-door semitones.

And you might also have met another interval with a special name:-

Octave: the distance from any note to the next one with the same name.

But we need to be able to describe the size of any interval so we can talk about them. Intervals are

measured and described by the number of letter-names between them including the first and the last.

C-E is a 3rd

why? Because there are 3 letter-names between them – C , D, E.

C-A is a 6th

why? Because there are 6 letter-names between them-C, D, E, F, G, A.

Here are the intervals in the scale of C Major.

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Intervals which are a semitone smaller than a major interval are described as 'minor.' Compare the

intervals you'll draw later with those in the scale of C major. You'll notice that each minor interval is

one semitone smaller than its matching major interval. You'll notice that the 4th

,the 5th

and the 8ve

do

not change but remain 'perfect.'

NB: U-Stands for Unison interval.

The intervals you are likely to need to know about are the ones which affect chords. These are the 3rds

,

5ths

, 6ths

and possibly the 7ths

. Look at the diagrams we are about to draw and notice the difference

between each pair of intervals (expect the perfect 5th

which is never major or minor, but always

'perfect').

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Summary

-2, 3, 6, 7 can be found as major/minor.

-Unisons, 4, 5, Octave (8ve

) are perfect.

-When you raise a major half step (semitone) it becomes augmented.

-When you lower a major half step it becomes minor.

-When you lower a major two half steps it becomes diminished.

-When you raise a minor half step it becomes major.

-When you raise a minor two half steps it becomes augmented.

-When you lower a minor half step it becomes diminished.

-When you raise a perfect half step it becomes augmented.

-When you lower a perfect half step it becomes diminished.

First note 2nd

note Interval Numeric distance

C C Unison (P1) 0

C Db Minor 2 (m2) 1

C D Major 2 (M2) 2

C Eb Minor 3 (m3) 3

C E Major 3 (M3) 4

C F Perfect 4 (P4) 5

C F# or Gb Tritone (A4/D5) 6

C G Perfect 5 (P5) 7

C Ab Minor 6 (m6) 8

C A Major 6 (M6) 9

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C Bb Minor 7 (m7) 10

C B Major 7 (M7) 11

C C Octave (P8) 12

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/interval_(music

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/interval_(music)

http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/theory/intervals.htm

http://www.musicalintervalstutor.info/listenpg.html

Chord

-A Chord is the name given to two or more notes sounding together.

-The commonest type of chord is a 3-note chord called a triad. A triad has its notes arranged like this.

As you can see, a triad is made up of a 3rd

and a 5th

above the bottom note(known as the root).

To play a triad you first find the bottom note (the root), then miss out the next note, play the next note,

miss out the next note, and play the last note:-

Play One miss one play one miss one play one

(root) (third) (fifth)

-When a triad is played with its notes sounding together like this, it is often known as a block chord.

Chords inversions (rearranging chords)

-The three notes of a triad or chord can be arranged in any order-whatever sounds best is fine at this

stage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/interval_(musichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/interval_(musichttp://library.thinkquest.org/15413/theory/intervals.htmhttp://www.musicalintervalstutor.info/listenpg.html

68


-When a chord has its root on the bottom, it is said to be in root position.

-When a chord has its third on the bottom, it is said to be in first inversion.

-When a chord has its fifth on the bottom, it is said to be in second inversion.

Patterns with Chords

-Once you understand what a chord is, you can make backings and accompaniments for your melodies.

Sometimes block chords are too heavy or solid for a piece, and something lighter is needed. Chords can

be split up into their separate notes, and arranged into patterns called riffs or broken chords.

-The following examples are created from the chord of C which contains C, E and G.

Naming Chords

Chords can be built on any note of a major or minor scale. Here are seven chords built on the notes of

the C Major scale.

Notice that each of these seven chords is named in two different ways:

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a) By a roman numeral according to the number of the scale-note it is built on.

b) By its root-note name (the note of the scale upon which the chord is built) and its type, i.e. whether it

is:-

Major: A chord in which the interval between the root and the 3rd

is 4 semitones (a major third) or

Minor: A chord in which the interval between the root and the 3rd

is 3 semitones (a minor third).

The chord will have a small 'm' after its root-note name to show it is minor.

dim (short for diminished) as in B(dim) is shown in brackets as it is a more advanced chord. You might

learn it later as you advance.

Primary Chords

In any major or minor scale, three chords or triads are used more often than the others. These are

chords I, IV, V. They are known as the primary chords.

Look again at the scale of C major shown above. The primary chords are C (I), F (IV) and G (V). These

three chords between them contain every note of the major scale.

Chord I (C) has C ,E , G Chord IV (F) has F ,A , C Chord V (G) has G ,B , D.

This means that every note of a melody composed in C major can be harmonized by at least one of the

three primary chords.

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In just the same way, any piece in a major key can be harmonized by using only three chords-the three

primary chords-provided it doesn't change key halfway through.

Secondary Chords

-The three primary chords are the most important chords in harmonizing a melody. But there are only

three of them. To add color and variety to the backing, the three secondary chords are used.

Look again at the chords of the scale of C.

The three secondary chords in a major key are chord II, chord III and chord VI.

NB: Chord VII is a special chord, and you'll learn it in an advanced stage.

Working out chords

To work out primary and secondary chords of any key:

1. Play the scale or write out its notes.

2.Build triads on each note (except the 7th

) by the 'play one, miss one, play one, miss one, play one'

method, or write the three notes for each chord on the stave, remembering that in root position they all

sit on lines, or all sit in spaces. (If you decide later you want to use the chord in an inversion-you will

need to change the position of one or more of the three notes.)

3. Label the chords with their numbers or letter-names for easy reference.

Remember that major chords use only the letter-name of their root, but minor chords have a small 'm'

after their letter-name. These labels are called the chord symbols.

Using chord symbols

One of the easiest ways of indicating backing chords to a melody is by writing the chord symbols over

where they are needed on the stave.

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Look at the above example and note:-

The key is G major, we know this from the key signature of F#, and the ending on G(the key note)

The primary chords are I (G), IV(C),V(D). The chord for the first bar is G. This is the key-chord and 'anchors' the piece in its own key. Bar 2 is harmonized by C, one of the primary chords. Bar 3 have two chords: Am, and D. Dis another of the primary chords, but Am is not. Bar 4 has G. Note that a piece usually ends on its key-chord to make it sound satisfying.

Chords in common keys

NB: Note that:

The extra sharp on the 7th note in the minor scales is always used in chord V. Chords II and III in minor keys are tricky to use. It is probably better to keep to I,IV,V and VI in

minor keys before you advance.

Using chords in the Aeolian and Dorian modes.

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Both these modes are easy to harmonize. This is one reason why they are so much used in popular

music.

Chords in the Aeolian mode.

NB: Chord II is not available in the Aeolian mode, but note that you can use Chord VII.

Chords in the Dorian mode.

NB: Chord VI is not available in the Dorian mode, but note that you use Chord VII.

Other modes you'll learn them as you advance.

Cadences.

A piece of music, usually (but not always) ends on its home chord (Chord I). This makes the piece

sound finished, and gives a satisfying ending.

The chord before the last chord is also important. It needs to lead on to the last chord in a way that

'announces' the ending.

These two final chords in any piece (or section of a piece) are known as a cadence.

Final cadences.

There are two common cadences used to end a piece.

1. Chord V followed chord I is known as perfect cadence (V-I).

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2. Chord IV followed by chord I is known as a plagal cadence (IV-I).

The perfect cadence (V-I) is more common than the plagal cadence (VI-I), but there are no rules about

which you should use. Let your ear be your guide when you are composing.

The examples on the Topic: Using Chord Symbols has a melody written out with its backing chords.

The key is G major. So Chord V is based on D (D, F#, A), and Chord I is based on G (G, B, D). Chord

IV is based on C(C, E, and G). Notice that the last two chords are D and G. Therefore this piece ends

with a perfect cadence.

Non-final cadences.

Sometimes during a piece there is a feeling that the music has arrived somewhere, and yet the piece has

not yet finished. It is as if the music is resting for a minute before continuing. This resting place is also

a cadence, even though the music sounds 'unfinished'. In a cadence like this, the second chord will not

be Chord I.

There are two common 'unfinished' cadences used to end a section of a piece:

1. Chord I followed by Chord V is known as an imperfect cadence (I-V). (The first chord can also be

Chord II, Chord IV or even Chord VI, but the second chord is always Chord (V).

2. Chord V followed by Chord VI is known as an interrupted cadence (V-VI).

Look at 'Phil the fluter's ball' below. It is in the key of C major. The chord in the key of C major are set

out below for reference.

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NB:

There are four phrases in the tune. Each phrase ends with a cadence or resting place. The last two chords of phrase 1 are F and C (IV and I). IV-I is a plagal cadence. The last two chords of phrase 2 are C and G (I and V). I-V is an imperfect cadence. (Remember

that the important thing about an imperfect cadence is that the second chord is chord V).

The last two chords of phrase 3 are G and Am (V and VI). V-VI is an interrupted cadence. The last two chords of phrase 4 are G and C (V and I). V-I is a perfect cadence.

Play this piece through several times (with a partner, if necessary) and add the cadence chords. Repeat

it until you can remember the sound of each cadence.

NB: The perfect cadence (V-I), and the imperfect cadence(I-V) are the two most important for you to

learn now. Make sure you can recognize and use these first, and add the other two later own.

Common Musical Terms & Signs.

In written or performed music, it is common to find words of Italian origin used. This is so because

most of the early musicians who discovered written music symbols and signs were Italians. Musicians

used these terms and signs to show how a written piece of music should be performed. Today, we still

use the terms because of the honor we have for these early discoveries. It would take a long time to

translate all of them into another language.

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-Terms and signs commonly used in musical notation can be grouped as follows:-

Terms that indicate volume of sound.

Italian English

Forte (f) Loud

Mezzo forte (mf) Moderately loud

Fortissimo (ff) Very loud

(fff) as loud as possible

Piano (p) soft

Mezzo piano (mp) Moderately soft

Pianissimo (pp) Very soft

(ppp) as soft as possible

Terms that suggest change of Volume in Sound.

Crescendo (cresc) gradually louder

Decrescendo (decresc) gradually softer

Diminuendo (dim) gradually softer

Terms that show speed.

Italian English

Tempo Speed

Grave Very slow and solemn

Lento Slow

Largo Slow and broad (Volume spread out)

Andante At a walking pace

Moderato At a moderate pace or speed

Allegro Fast (Quick)

Allegretto Less than Allegro

Vivace Quite fast

Presto As fast as possible

Terms that suggest change of speed.

Italian English

Accelerando (accel.) Gradually faster

Rallentando (Rall.) Gradually slower

Ritardando (Ritard.) Holding back

Ritenuto (Rit.) Held back

A tempo Resume the previous speed

Tempo primo In the original speed

Terms for expression.

Italian English

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