This is an abbreviated version of the slide
This is an abbreviated version of the slide show used in class, MUST 1313, Music Theory I. I have removed all content that was not made by me. I have also removed audio files, exercises, and other selected slides. Fall Semester, Weeks 1 -4 C. L. Dude, It’s Music Theory! Light Charles Leinberger, Ph. D. Music. utep. edu
From Wikipedia Piano Keyboard W W H W W W H
Octave Designations C 4 – B 4 C 1 - B 1 C 2 - B 2 C 3 – B 3 C 5 – B 5 C 6 – B 6
Clefs G Clef Indicates G 4 on the staff. C Clef Indicates C 4 on the staff. F Clef Indicates F 3 on the staff. s Ba s ne ito Ba r or Te n Al to M so ez pr zo an o o an pr So Tr e bl e Middle C, C 4, is always on a line. In practice, there are seven common clefs. Some of these clefs are now obsolete. There are others than became obsolete long ago.
Scale Degrees: Major Key ic n To Su rto e p nic Me nt a i d m Su o bd t n ina D i om n t an e bm Su t n dia ing d a Le n To e
Scale Degrees: Minor Key To nic rto e p Su nic Me dia nt om d b Su t n ina m Do t t n a n i b Su m ian d e ic S on t ub
Major Scales � It’s because of this pattern of whole steps and half steps that major scales have different numbers of sharps and flats. � The order of sharps is always the same: ◦ F C G D A E B. � The order of flats is always the same: ◦ B E A D G C F.
Key Signatures: Major Keys � To identify a major key signature with flats, remember that the second-to-last flat is your tonic. � To identify a major key signature with sharps, remember that the last sharp is your leadingtone. � To write a major key signature with flats, write them in order until you get to the tonic, and add one more. � To write a major key signature with sharps, write them in order until you get to the leading-tone, and stop.
Key Signatures: Minor Keys � Relative major and minor keys have the same key signature. � The tonic of a minor key is a minor third below the tonic of its relative major key (C major and A minor, F major and D minor). � Parallel major and minor keys have the same tonic. � A minor key has three more flats, or three fewer sharps, than its parallel major key (C major and C minor, B major and B minor).
Minor Scales � Natural minor uses only the sharps and flats in the key signature. � Harmonic minor raises the 7 th scale degree (subtonic) to create the leading-tone. Harmonic minor is the only scale with an augmented 2 nd (step-and-a-half) between scale degrees 6 and 7. � Melodic minor raises the 6 th and 7 th scale degrees, when ascending only. Descending is the same as natural minor.
Minor Scales Natural Minor Harmonic Minor Melodic Minor
Intervals: Simple P 1 P 8 M 2 M 3 P 4 P 5 M 6 M 7 mi 6 P 5 P 4 mi 3 mi 2 P 8 P 1
Intervals: Inversions � The numerical value of an interval and its inversion always equal 9. � The quality of the interval may change when inverted: + Augmented M Major P Perfect mi minor ° diminished
Intervals: Compound P 1 M 2 M 3 P 4 P 5 M 6 M 7 P 8 M 9 M 10 P 11 P 12 M 13 M 14 P 15
Intervals: Compound � When a simple interval is made an octave greater, its numerical value increases by 7. � The quality of a simple intervals does not change when made an octave greater. � Unisons, 4 ths, 5 ths, and octaves are usually perfect. Larger than perfect is augmented, smaller than perfect is diminished. � 2 nds, 3 rds, 6 ths, and 7 ths are usually either major or minor. Larger than major is augmented, smaller than minor is diminished.
Enharmonic Intervals Zero 4 P 1 ° 2 1 8 M 3 ° 4 5 +1 mi 2 2 +3 ° 3 3 P 4 mi 3 M 6 ° 7 10 +4 ° 5 7 +2 mi 6 9 6 M 2 +5 +6 mi 7 11 ++4 P 5 M 7 ° 8 12 +7 P 8
Enharmonic Intervals Zero 4 P 1 ° 2 1 8 M 3 ° 4 5 +1 mi 2 2 +3 ° 3 3 P 4 mi 3 M 6 ° 7 10 +4 ° 5 7 +2 mi 6 9 6 M 2 +5 +6 mi 7 11 ++4 P 5 M 7 ° 8 12 +7 P 8
Note Values Breve Whole Half Quarter 8 th note Dotted Whole note Double. Dotted Whole note Dotted Half note Double. Dotted Half note 16 th note Dotted Quarter note 32 nd note 64 th note Dotted 8 th note Dotted 16 th note Double. Dotted Quarter note Double. Dotted 8 th note
se mi mi de mi He er er av av qu r er av mi qu se mi De iqu Se m ve Qu a t he otc Cr m nu e ve ev ibr Mi Se m Bre Note Values: British
Rest Values Breve rest Whole Half Quarter rest Dotted Whole rest Double. Dotted Whole rest Dotted Half rest Double. Dotted Half rest 8 th rest 16 th rest Dotted Quarter rest Double. Dotted Quarter rest 32 nd rest Dotted 8 th rest 64 th rest Dotted 16 th rest Double. Dotted 8 th rest
Rest Values �A whole rest, unlike any other rest or any note, can be used to indicate an empty measure in any meter. � In modern editions, multi-measure rests are a practical and easy-to-read indicator of long rests in any meter:
Tempo � Italian tempo markings, such as Allegro, Adagio, and Andante, have been used for centuries. � Interpretations of these markings have varied widely. � Metronome markings are more precise and leave less room for error. � Often, both are used.
Meter (Time) Signatures Simple Meters: The bottom number names the beat note. Duple Triple Quadruple Compound Meters: The beat note is a dotted note. Duple Triple Quadruple
Abbreviated Meter Signatures � Some meter signatures are often abbreviated. � 4/4 becomes Common Time. � 2/2 becomes Cut Time, also known as Alla Breve.
Other Meter Signatures � Quintuple, Septuple, and other asymmetrical meters are also possible. � Often, a prime number (divisible only by itself and 1) is used for the top number in the meter signature.
Division of the Beat Simple Meters: Beats divide in half. Compound Meters: Beats divide in thirds.
Subdivision of the Beat Simple Meters: Beats subdivide in quarters. Compound Meters: Beats subdivide in sixths.
Triads � Augmented triads have a root, a major 3 rd, and an augmented 5 th. � Major triads have a root, a major 3 rd, and a perfect 5 th. � Minor triads have a root, a minor 3 rd, and a perfect 5 th. � Diminished triads have a root, a minor 3 rd, and a diminished 5 th. D+ D D mi D°
Seventh Chords � Major 7 th chords (MM 7) have a root, major 3 rd, perfect 5 th, and major 7 th. � Major-minor 7 th chords (Mmi 7) have a root, major 3 rd, perfect 5 th, and minor 7 th. � Minor 7 th chords (mimi 7) have a root, minor 3 rd, perfect 5 th, and minor 7 th. � Half-diminished 7 th chords (ø 7) have a root, minor 3 rd, diminished 5 th, and minor 7 th. � Fully-diminished 7 th chords (° 7) have a root, minor 3 rd, diminished 5 th, and diminished 7 th. GM 7 (GMM 7) G 7 (GMmi 7) Gmi 7 (Gmimi 7) Gø 7 (G°mi 7) G° 7 (G°° 7)
Triads and 7 th Chords Type of Triad 3 rd 5 th Augmented M + Major M P Minor mi P Diminished mi ° Type of 7 th Chord 3 rd 5 th 7 th M 7 M P M Mmi 7 M P mi mi 7 mi P mi ø 7 mi ° °
Basso Continuo and Figured Bass � The basso continuo was part of the baroque orchestra. It usually consisted of two instruments: a keyboard instrument like the harpsichord, and a bass instrument, like the cello. � Before musicians used lead-sheet symbols, such as Fmi/C, G 7/B, Csus 4, etc. , they used “figured bass, ” a bass line with numbers below (or sometimes above) the staff. � The numbers represented intervals above the bass note, and told the keyboard player what notes to play in each chord.
Complete Figures: Abbreviated Figures: 5 3 er In v 3 rd d In ve rs i si on on n io 2 n 1 st Po In ve rs si tio n on Ro ot In ve rs i n 2 n d rs io In ve 1 st Ro ot Po si tio n Figured Bass and Inversion 6 3 6 4 7 5 3 6 4 2 6 6 4 7 6 5 4 3 4 2
Figured Bass and Accidentals � Figured bass is not independent of the key signature. � Any sharps or flats in a key signature apply to notes above the bass line. � Accidentals appearing next to a figured-bass number apply to the note that is the indicated interval above the bass. � Accidentals that are not next to a number apply to the note a third above the bass. This is usually the 3 rd of the chord, but not always! � A number with a line through it, or a number followed by a plus sign (+), means the indicated note is raised a half step.
Figured Bass and Accidentals This: Would be performed as this:
Figured Bass and Accidentals Root: C G C F C G C Type: mi M mi mi mi Mmi 7 M Bass Position: 5 3 6 4 6 3 5 3 6 4 7 5 3
Alignment � Imagine a vertical line running through the staff. � The accidentals go to the left of the line. � The notes go to the right of the line. The line is like a “note magnet” drawing all of the notes toward it. � If two notes without stems are a second apart, the top note is moved to the right. � If two notes, each with its own stem, are a second apart, the bottom note is moved to the right.
Alignment Good Alignment: Bad Alignment:
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