Just Enough Music Theory

Road Map for the Week Tuesday Intervals in music and how to create chords Monday Masters of the musical university – the octave, scales, keys Wednesday Choosing chords – Circle of 5ths Thursday Chord substitution - chord alternations - chord extensions Friday Arranging – composing – where to go from here

GOALS By the end of the week you should be able to:  Understand the overtone series and its use  Spell the chords on the diatonic scale  Know how to create chord progressions  Know how to interpret chord symbols  Use chord extensions to create the sound you want

The Handouts you don’t have! Handouts Just Enough Music Theory Reach me at: A WONDERFUL reference book for this subject is Edly’s Music Theory for Practical People locally or Amazon

Music Begins when something vibrates air…….a reed…..human lips…..vocal cords…..a string…. an animal skin….metal plate…block of wood  A musician's job is to manipulate the four major auditory attributes of musical tones: pitch - loudness - duration - timbre  The vibrations are perceived by the brain as sound – musical tones. We order those tones based upon how fast or slow the vibrations occur – in cycles per second or Hertz (Hz) Musical tones are psychoacoustic. That’s why music is SO powerful and so memorable

The Range of Musical Tones Name of ToneHertz C016 C132 C264 C3128 C4 (middle C)256 C5512 C61,024 C72,048 C84,096 C98,192 C1016,384 The table is in “scientific” not “musical” pitch. C4 in musical pitch is Hz

Masters of the Musical Universe Scales - order or tones A scale divides the octave into a specific number of tones or pitches – usually between 5 and 31 pitches. A scale ALWAYS imposes a specific order to the pitches it contains The Octave – range of tones The interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency is called the OCTAVE. The octave is sometimes called the “diapson”. Keys - A sense of belonging - population without order Keys tell you which tones within the octave are used in a piece of music. The scale we select within a key determines the relationships among the tones of that key and thereby allows us to construct melody and its supporting harmony.

Masters of the Musical Universe – the Octave The term “octave” comes from the Latin word “ octavus ” which means “eighth”. “Octave” describes this doubling of frequency because that span of frequencies natural divides into eight parts: Do - Re - Me - Fa - So - La - Ti - Do These eight divisions of the octave are a phenomenon of nature. They are the basis for all Western music

The Overtone Series Listen to the Overtones Across Six Octaves Look at how guitar strings vibrate

The Overtone Series Used in Music – 2001 –Close Encounters - NBC Sunrise in PerformanceThe Music Sunrise begins with a sustained low C the double basses, contrabassoon and organ. Prelude to the brass fanfare of "dawn" motif - in intervals of a fifth and octave, as C 1 –G–C 2 - also called the Nature-motif The motif is a part of the first five notes of the natural overtone series : The major third is immediately changed to a minor third, which is the first note played in the work (E flat) that is not part of the overtone series Close EncountersNBC

The Musical Scale A scale divides the octave into a number of tones - Scales exhibit these characteristics: Order Scales arrange their pitches in a specific order Number In theory there is no limit to the number of pitch divisions that can be applied to an octave. The number of divisions used in Western music ranges from five to twelve. Experimental work is being done with as many as 31 divisions. Indian classical music divides the octave into 22 divisions. Western music describes the divisions of the octave as “steps”. These steps may be whole steps or half steps. Look at a piano key board. The black and white keys are these whole and half steps. The first tone of a scale is called the “tonic” or “root”. It usually is the name of the key

CENTS  Humans can discern about 5 cents and no smaller intervals. That's about 1/10 of a semitone.  The cent is a unit of measure used for musical intervals.  The octave can be divided a chromatic scale of 12 semitones.  Each of these twelve semitones is further divided into 100 cents.  One cent is too small to be heard between successive tones.

Cents Cents across the octave

Whole & Half Steps The pattern of steps in a major scale is: W W H W W W H

More Scales than a Fish! Review the handout on the website to see the vast number of possible scales Major Pentatonic in the keys of C, G, D, A, E and F In the key of “C” that’s: C D E G A Melodic players should master these scales ………… Ionian mode scales in the keys of C, D, G, A and E major In the key of “C” that’s: C D E F G A B Natural minor Scales in the keys of Eminor, A minor, D minor and G minor In the key of “A minor” that’s: A B C D E F G More info here……..

Intervals Pitches on scales are given two kinds of names.  letter names [A- B – C – D – E – F - G].  a number that describes their relationship the tonic pitch Scaledoremefasolatido Interval name UnisonSecond 2 nd Third 3 rd Perfect fourth 4 th Perfect fifth 5 th Sixth 6 th Seventh 7 th Octave

Intervals What about the black keys?????  The major intervals become minor intervals  The perfect intervals become diminished intervals ScaledoramemiSele ti e do Interval name UnisonMinor Second 2 nd Minor Third 3 rd Diminished fourth 4 th Diminished fifth 5 th Minor Sixth 6 th Minor Seventh 7 th Octave

Making Chords These stacks of three tones are called “triads”. Additional tones are often added to the basic triads. These additional tones are called “Chord Extensions”. The sounds created by chord extensions are the essence of many styles of music A chord is a stack of at least three tones played simultaneously. When chords are built on the diatonic scale used in most traditional music, three forms are created: major - minor - diminished

Chord Formulas: The Major Chord To form a major chord Begin with the tone that names the chord. Add a major 3rd above that fundamental tone Add a perfect 5th above the fundamental tone. Examples: The C-major chord is [C or Cmaj ] is spelled C – E – G. The G-major chord [G or Gmaj ] is spelled G – B - D The D-major chord [CD or Dmaj ] is spelled D – F# - A OR….. A major chord is a major 3 rd PLUS a minor 3rd

Chord Formulas: The Minor Chord To form a minor chord Begin with the tone that names the chord. Add a minor 3rd above that fundamental tone Add a perfect 5th above the fundamental tone. Examples: The C-minor chord [Cm or Cmin ] is spelled C – Eb – G. The G-minor chord is spelled [Gm or Gmin ] G – Bb - D The D-minor chord is spelled [Dm orDmin ] D – F - A OR…. A minor chord is a minor 3 rd PLUS a major 3rd

Chord Formulas: The Diminished Chord To form a diminished chord Begin with the tone that names the chord. Add a minor 3rd above that fundamental tone Add a diminished 5th above the fundamental tone. Examples: The C-diminished chord [Cdim or C °] is spelled C – Eb – Gb. The G-diminished chord is spelled [Gdim or G °] G – Bb - Db The D-diminished chord is spelled [Ddim or D °] D – F - Ab OR…. A diminished chord is a minor 3 rd PLUS a minor 3rd

Chord Formulas: The Augmented Chord To form an augmented chord Begin with the tone that names the chord. Add a major 3rd above that fundamental tone Add an augmented 5th above the fundamental tone. Examples: The C-augmented chord [Caug or C + ] is spelled C – Eb – Gb. The G-augmented chord is spelled [Gaug or G + ] G – Bb - Db The D-augmented chord is spelled [Daug or D + ] D – F - Ab OR…. An augmented chord is a major 3 rd PLUS a major 3rd

Chord Symbols Major Chords : Maj M Δ Gmaj GM GΔ Minor Chords: min m - Dmin Dm D- Diminished Chords: dim o ° Adim Ao A° Augmented Chords: aug +

Slash Chords Sometimes a specific tone is to be played as the lowest tone In the triad. To indicate this a slash “/” is used following the chord name. C/B means play a C chord with “B” as the lowest tone. A walking bass on guitar is often notated this way: C C/B C/A C/G and then off to a new chord

Chord Nomenclature Music notation often uses the letter names of the chords: In C major – C Dm Em F G Am Bdim In conversation, in studio work and in text, chords symbols are used. The symbols used are Roman numerals representing the interval of the scale on which the chord is built In C major - I ii iii IV V vi vii °

Chord Progressions Chord Progression…… Chord Changes….. Harmonic Motion…..Harmonic Rhythm The most basic chord progression in a major key is I – IV - V Key of C major: C - F - G Key of G major: G - C - D The “circle of 5hts” is a tool for determining chord progressions in any key

Circle of 5ths

Circle of 5ths – Key Signatures Add one sharp to each Key as you move clockwise around the circle. Which sharp to add is determined by the scale pattern of: W W H W W W H The order of sharps to add is: F# C# G# D# and so forth

CIRCLE OF 5THS – KEYS Anticlockwise the movement is in 4ths. Add flats instead of sharps. More info here…….

Circle of 5ths – Relative Minors

Circle of 5ths – the chord box

The Circle of 5ths – Chord Progressions What you need to know is here! There is much more to say about chord progressions. Chord extensions and use of intra-modal chords really enliven a performance. But, those topics are beyond a week long class. We’ll take just a peek at these two subjects

Suspended and other useful chords A suspended chord replaces the 3 rd with either a 4 th or a 2 nd. D sus4 is spelled” D G A Often this chord will be played as D7 sus4 spelled D G A C D sus2 is spelled” D E A Often this chord will be played as D7sus4 spelled D E A C The “minor 7 th chord is often useful. An example is Dm7 spelled D F A C Rearrange the tones of the Dm7 chord in this order – F A C D – and the chord gets a new name: F6. What to call it depends upon the key

Chord Extensions Often a fourth tone is added to the triad. It’s most often the flatted 7 th of the scale. These are called “7 th chords “ and written as C7, D7, G7. Or as numeric notation as V 7. We say “ C seven” to identify the chord On occasion the major 7 th of the scale is added. These chords are called “major 7 th chords”. They are written as Cmaj7, Dmaj7, Gmaj7. More tones can be added to a chord beyond 7 th of the scale. These are called “chord extensions”.

Chord Extensions – 9 th, 11, th,13 th A 9 chord is spelled: 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 A C9 chord is spelled: C E G Bb D An 11 chord is spelled: 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 A C11 chord is spelled: 1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11 A C13 chord is spelled: 1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11, 13 Chord extensions can sound “muddy”. To fix that some tones are often left out of the chord. Those chords are call “add chords”

Add Chords If any tone other than the 7 th is included in a chord the result is called an “add chord” A C add9 chord or C +9 is spelled: C E G D A C add11 chord or C +11 is spelled: C E G F ANY of the twelve tones of the chromatic scale may be added to a basic triad The G7 +b5 chord is spelled: G B Db F(natural)

Intra-Modal and Mixed Mode Music The musical scale does not have to start on DO. It can start on any tone of the diatonic scale When a scale begins on a tone other than DO the result is called “a mode of the diatonic scale”. The seven modes of the scale are titled: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydia, Aeolian, and Locrian Each mode has a unique sound and chord selection Music can shift modes and mix modes. One mode can borrow chords from another mode. Hear and learn about the modes

Ionian Mode Tone C D E F G A B Step whole whole half whole whole whole half Solfege do re me fa so la ti Sample 1 of Ionian Mode - Visitors

Aeolian Mode Solfege la ti do re me fa so A-Aeolian A B C D E F G E-Aeolian E F# G A B C D B-Aeolian B C# D E F# G A Step whole half whole whole half whole whole Sample 1 Aeolian Mode Sample 2 Aeolian Mode

That’s it!!!! Hope you enjoyed the class and will find a place in your music for the information!!! Don’t forget to complete the evaluation form!!!