Download Time Signatures and Intervals

Assoc. Board. Grade 5
Theory
Irregular time signatures
and Intervals
Preparatory work
Key signatures :
GooD
#
AlE
BeeF
b
ORDER of #s and bs :
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
#
b
Bass clef names :
Lines : Great Big Dogs Fight Animals
Spaces : All Cows Eat Grass
Technical names for the degrees of the scale:
8 Tonic (1)
7 Leading note
6 Sub mediant
5 Dominant
4 Sub dominant
3 Mediant
2 Super tonic
1 Tonic
Time signatures :
Top figure tells how many.
Bottom figure tells what kind
Top figure can be any value
Bottom figure must be a multiple of 2
Bottom figure values :
1 = semibreves
2 = minims
4 = crotchets
8 = quavers
16 = semiquavers
A simple time signature is one where the beat
can be divided by 2 e.g. 3/4
A compound time signature is one where
the beat can NOT be divided by 2 e.g. 6/8
The grouping of notes in a given time signature
should try to show or reflect the beat.
The irregular time signatures for Grade 5 are :
5/4 5/8 7/4 7/8
The irregular time signatures for Grade 5 are :
5/4 5/8 7/4 7/8
Add a bar line every 5 or 7
crotchets or quavers.
This is a counting exercise!
Intervals :
An interval is the distance between two notes.
One rule and one question must apply in all cases.
1. Count the letter names.
2. Is the top note in the major scale of the bottom note ?
Intervals 2 :
If the top note is in the major scale of the bottom note
the interval is a major one.
If the top note is not in the major scale of
the bottom one:
How is it different?
Intervals 3:
If the top note is not in the major scale of the bottom one:
How is it different?
One greater - augmented
One less - minor
Two less - diminished
Intervals 4 :
Only one more thing to remember :
Intervals of a 4th or a 5th if they are major are
are called perfect.
Intervals of a 4th or a 5th can never be minor they go straight to diminished.
Always count inclusive
Always count inclusive and
from the bottom to the top
3rd
Major 3rd
6th
Major 6th
6th
Minor 6th
5th
Augmented 5th
7th
Major 7th
More difficult Intervals :
You must know/work out the key signature and
number of sharps or flats for the lower note in any
interval.
Always work from the bottom note up
even though the top note may come first
in the music.
More difficult Intervals :
It makes no difference if an interval is taken from a
major or a minor key - work it out as an isolated
interval on its own.
6th
Minor 6th
4th
Augmented 4th
5th
Diminished 5th
Take the difficulty away!
6th
Put the difficulty back in.
Minor 6th
Now try
these
Interval __________
Hint!
Even more difficult Intervals :
You must know/work out an interval in different
clefs
The clef makes no difference to the
process - simply work out the two note
names as before - bottom to the top.
Tenor clef
Fixes the position of middle C
Alto clef
Fixes the position of middle C
Last thing on difficult Intervals :
An interval may be greater than an octave. This is
called a compound interval. Nothing else is changed
and the process of naming remains the same.
Always check the key signature
on the left - does it affect the
notes in the interval. Look left.
C to E, more than an octave between.
C to E, more than an octave between.
Compound Major 3rd
Compound perfect 4th
Compound Major 7th
Now try a
mixture of
examples
Interval __________
Minor Key signatures :
Minor keys do not have their own key signatures.
They ‘borrow’ a key signature from the major.
Two rules must apply in all cases.
1. Count up 3 note names.
2. Count up 3 semitones.
Now adjust the top note if you have to.
Minor Scales :
There are 2 types of minor scale :
Harmonic and Melodic
In each case, ‘borrow’ the key signature from the
major relative. In both cases apply the key signature
then For Harmonic minor, raise note number 7
For Melodic minor, raise notes 6 and7 on the way up,
than cancel them on the way down!