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Music Notation
Notes for Music Notation
Pitch--Definition and Practice
When a frequency is sounded, for example A=440 hz, a pitch is
created. A=440 is notated as A4, the note A below middle C on the
piano. For a complete list of frequencies, please look at the following
webpage: http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html
The Octave and Octave Register
Musical notation follows the alphabet (A, B, C, D, E, F, G and returns
to A). All notes within an octave (from one musical pitch, D for
example, upto and including the octave above). There are 12 unique
pitch identifiers (C# for example) within the octave register. However,
in an octave register there are 13 unique pitches.
Defining Pitch and Time
The function of musical notation is to define pitch (highness or
lowness) and time (longness or shortness).
The Staff as we know today originated in the 12th and 13th centuries.
It was a form of musical annotation to religious texts and these
annotations were called Gregorian Chants. Before that time, symbols
were used in conjunction with text to represent pitch. With Gregorian
Chant, lines began to be used to represent pitch and the relative
highness or lowness of those pitches. While the first Gregorian Chants
only had one line, eventually a system was expanded to include four
lines. However, more lines were used for different instruments (for
example the lute [ancestor of the guitar]often had seven lines). In
France a system having five lines began and soon this was standard
practice throughout the 16th century in Europe.
Example of Gregorian Chant (4 line system)
This is the The Introit Gaudeamus omnes, scripted in square notation
in the 14th—15th century Graduale Aboense, honors Henry, patron
saint of Finland. To hear this Chant, goto
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_chant)
The Clef
There are three types of clefs (G clef, F clef, and C clef). Each of these
indicate the foundational pitch (G for Example, with the G clef) the the
clef assigns on the staff. The word clef is French and means, "key."
The Position of the Clefs
Essentially, the clef allows most of the notes with in different tessituras
(pitch range for an instrument or voice) to be located on the staff. For
example, the Soprano clef is attached to the bottom line as the
tessitura of the soprano instrument (soprano recorder, vocal range of
soprano) would require a majority of the notes to be above the staff.
The soprano clef is used to make the majority of the notes in the staff.
Source: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clef)
The Grand Staff
The Grand Staff (cont.)
Source: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staff_(music))
The Major Scale
The Major Scale employs this pattern of whole and half steps.
Whole/Whole/half/Whole/Whole/Whole/half
Whole Step/Whole Tone
C to D is a whole step, because there is a pitch on the piano inbetween
it called C#.
Half Step/Semitone
C to Db is a half step, because Db is the very next pitch on the piano
from C.
Defining Accidentals
An accidental is a symbol that raises or lowers a pitch by a half or
whole step.
The Tetrachord
Each Major scale is made up of two tetrachords, one beginning of the
1st scale degree (1st note of the scale) and the 5th scale degree (the
5th note of the scale).
The Tetrachord (cont.)
Source: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrachord)
The C Major Scale/Scale Degrees
The C Major scale is the only scale that does not have any sharps or
flats!
Each of the scale degrees is assigned a name:
1st--Tonic or key note
2nd--Supertonic (Super meaning above the tonic)
3rd--Mediant (in the middle between the tonic and the dominant and
the major third above the tonic)
4th--Subdominant (Sub meaning below the dominant)
5th--Dominant (the second most important scale degree to the tonic)
6th--Submediant (the minor third below the tonic)
7th--Leading Tone or Leading Note (the note that leads to the tonic
The Major Key Signatures (Sharp Key Signatures)
The Key Signature with:
1 Sharp--G Major
2 Sharps--D Major
3 Sharps--A Major
4 Sharps--E Major
5 Sharps--B Major
6 Sharps--F# Major
7 Sharps--C# Major
Another Way to Remember the order of Sharp Key
Signatures
Remember the sentence:
Good Deeds Are Ever Bearing Fried Chicken.
*All keys are with just the letter name, except the last two which must
add a sharp. The reason is there is a F-natural Key Signature that is a
flat key, and C-natural has no sharps and no flats.
The Major Key Signatures (Flat Key Signatures)
The Key Signature with:
1 Flat--F Major
2 Flats--Bb Major
3 Flats--Eb Major
4 Flats--Ab Major
5 Flats--Db Major
6 Flats--Gb Major
7 Flats--Cb Major
Another Way to Remember the Order of Flat Key
Signatures
Remember the sentence:
Five Big Elephants Ate Dorothy's Good Cheese
*All keys end with flat except the first F. NOTE: If it was F-flat it
would actually be the note E, so this is not possible.
Enharmonic Keys
These keys are Enharmonic. They sound the same but are written
differently.
If two major keys are not enharmonic, then they are transpositions of
each other. Transpositions are the exact same formula built off of a
different pitch. To transpose means to write or play music in some
key other than the original.
Order of Sharps in a Key Signature
The order of sharps in a key signature is always:
F,C,G,D,A,E,B
A mnemonic device to remember the order of sharps in a key
signature is:
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle.
Order of Flats in a Key Signature
The order of flats in a key signature is always:
B,E,A,D,G,C,F
A mnemonic device to remember the order of flats in a key signature
is:
Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father.
The Circle of Fifths
The Circle of Fifths (or circle of fourths if you read it counter clockwise)
shows the relationships between the twelve tones of the chromatic
scale and their corresponding key signatures. Essentially, by starting
at any pitch, ascending by the interval of an equal tempered perfect
fifth, one goes through all twelved tones and returns to the starting
pitch.
Interactive Circle of Fifths
Goto (http://randscullard.com/CircleOfFifths/) to study and look at the
relationships in the Circle of Fifths more.
Help in Learning the Circle of Fifths
Goto (http://www.circle-of-fifths.net/) to assist you in learning the
Circle of Fifths.