UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Music Notation: Scales and Key Signatures

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Agenda Theory and Conventions Basic Structure Scales Key Signatures and Notation Sharps and Flats Patterns

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Theory and Conventions The piano has 88 keys - 52 white and 36 black Each key plays a note of a certain pitch Groups of eight adjacent notes form an Octave Structured ordered sequences of notes are called Scales Depending on the scale - the black notes are referred to as Sharp (#) or Flat (b) when used in the given scale The simplest scale is C Major which only uses the white notes on the keyboard i.e. has no sharps or flats Other scales use black notes to provide the correct musical structure, e.g the scale of F Major has one flat - Bb The resulting scale structure us called the Chromatic Scale

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Octaves An octave consists of all the notes from the first note to the next same note on the keyboard - above is the octave from C to C Playing these notes in sequence represents the Scale of C Major C D E F G A B C

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Scale Structures Notes in a scale ‘sound right’ perceptually when the notes follow a certain sequence of pitch. For any given note, the next physically adjacent note may be either a tone or semitone away in musical distance. In modern music the sequence of tones and semitones must have the following pattern to ‘sound right’ for a given scale. This note-to-note distance is called an Interval Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semitone tone semitone tone semitone Key of C Major

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Scale Structures for other keys Only the key of C Major achieves the required structure by using only the white notes, all other keys must use one or more black notes to achieve the correct sequence - Tone Tone Semitone Tone Tone Tone Semitone between adjacent notes within a given scale. The key of F Major requires a black note to be played below the fourth note (B) in the sequence (B b ) to maintain the correct sequence. tone semitone tone semitone Key of F Major b

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Scale Structures for other keys The key of G Major above requires a black note above the usual seventh note (F) in the sequence ‘F sharp’ (F # ) to maintain the correct sequence. tone semitone tone semitone # The scale of A Major has three sharps C #, F # and G # # # #

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Key Signatures The above octave notes sequence represents the Scale of A Major and any piece written or played in this scale is said to be in the Key of A Major. The scale of A Major with Key Signature C #, F # and G # Rather than write a sharp or flat symbol ahead of each note that has to be modified for a given scale all symbols are placed in the first bar on the stave note values which are affected - this is called the Key Signature # # # # # #

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Modifying Notes within Key Signatures # # # If a note has to be played without being sharpened or flattened then a symbol will be placed ahead of the note indicating the note to be played in its natural form. This will last for the bar in which the symbol occurs unless otherwise modified. This G played natural This G played sharp #

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Music Notation 4 4 b b b  Staves, Clefs, Bars, Notes, Rests, Time Signatures and Key Signatures

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Further Notes and Modifications Triplets - three notes to a beat 3 3 Tied notes played as one note

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Essential Reading Read the following to support and extend your understanding: C D E F A B C G

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production A b or G # G b or F # B b or A # E b or D # D b or C # Sharps and Flats Whether a note is played sharp or flat depends on the key of the piece

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Pattern of twelve notes repeated across the keyboard C - B including sharps / flats 88 Keys

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Write out the notes on your staves. For each note and rest, label the note or rest value, pitch, and identify the keyboard position 4 4 # #

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production For each note identify the keyboard position

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production Essential Reading Read the following to support and extend your understanding: Charlton: pages Intervals, Scales and Key Signatures