Download Music Theory Part 2 - The Interval

Music
Theory
created 2012-13 by
William Anderson
B.A. Music
Music Theory – Part 2 The Interval
In this section you will learn about how musical intervals or the spaces between
notes and how they are used to create musical scales which help make songs. You
will need to remember the pattern for the major scale.
The Interval
The smallest interval in Western music is the step step. If we start on any note and move
to the next highest (or lowest) note, this is a half step.
It's the same as cutting the bottom of the white notes off and moving up the keyboard.
if we cut the white notes on the keyboard - it shows each half step q q q q q q q q
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Sharps and Flats
Sharps: Putting a G symbol in front of a note means to raise the note one half step and
is called a sharp. For example, starting on the note C, if we move up one half step, we
are at C G (or C sharp).
Flats: Putting a
H
symbol in front of a note means to lower the note one half step and
is called a flat. For instance, starting on the note D and lowering it one half step, it
becomes DH (or D flat).
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Sharps and Flats combined (enharmonic equivalents)
Since there is only one note between C and D there is only one C# which is also DH.
This also means that E# is the note F and B# is the note C. Also F H is the note E
and CH is the note B. (Don't worry, these notes are not used very often!)
Some flats are written next to the note as in this example: These are called accidentals.
played C
D
Eb
F
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Some sharps are written next to the note as in this example: These are called
accidentals.
played
D
E
F#
G
Intervals (continued)
Music and therefore songs are composed of notes and rhythms played in ways the
composer imagines will sound good. The musical alphabet repeats itself, for example
from low A to high A. The notes in between are arranged by intervals. Each interval in
Western music is the same and divides the space into 12 intervals.
Intervals starting at low A
A
1
A#
2
B
3
B# C
4
C#
5
D
6
D#
7
E
8
E# F F# G
9
10 11
G#
12
A
note: B# is the same note as C and E# is the same as F
On the keyboard we would play every note starting at A going up to the next A.
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Scales
Most music is written using what we call scales. Scales are created by choosing notes
that sound good together. The most common scale in music is the major scale. It can be
created starting on any key or starting note, following a simple pattern.
Key: ½ step = one half step (next closest note)
½ step + ½ step = one whole step (two half steps)
The pattern for the major scale is:
Whole step, whole step, 1/2 step, whole step, whole step, whole step, 1/2 step
Beginning on C
Another example, on one string of a guitar or violin. The string in broken into half step
intervals marked by lines (or frets).
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Key Signatures
While the pattern for all major scales is the same, starting on different notes creates
different patterns on a keyboard. For example, in the key of F major, there is no B but
instead there is a BH.
Each major key has the same pattern but different flats and sharps. If the music added
each flat or sharp next to a note (accidental) it would be very difficult, instead we add
it to the beginning of the song and it is called a key signature.
The key without any sharps or flats is C major. If we count up five notes, (C, D, E, F, G)
to G major, we have one sharp. Count again up five notes, (G, A, B, C, D) and we have D
major which has two sharps. This pattern of counting up continues.
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Starting from C again but counting up four notes, (C, D, E, F) we have F major which has
one flat. Counting up from F four notes, (F, G, A, BH) we have BH major which has two
flats.
Circle of Fifths
A helpful way to remember this counting notes relation is the Circle of Fifths which is a
way to look at the key signatures and remember them.
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