Monday, September 24, 2012

 Review: Perfect and major intervals  Review: Minor intervals  Introduce: Augmented & diminished intervals  Aural Skills: Identifying intervals  Introduce: Solfège & Transposition  ET9  Homework: L37 & L38  Homework: Print out Noteflight composition (#2) as it is currently (dynamics, articulation markings, etc.)

 An interval is the distance between two pitches.  The interval is counted from the lower note to the higher note, with the lower note counted as 1 (count every line and space going up the staff).  Intervals are names by the number of the upper note (2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th, 5 th, 6 th, 7 th ) with two exceptions:  The interval that is between notes that are identical is called a UNISON (unis.) (or a prime).

 An interval of an 8 th is called an octave (8va).  Melodic intervals are sounded separately.  Harmonic intervals are sounded together.  Even numbered intervals (2 nd, 4 th, 6 th, 8va) are written from line to space or space to line.  Odd numbered intervals (unis., 3 rd, 5 th, 7 th ) are written from line to line or space to space.  Two note combinations are also known as dyads.

 Perfect Intervals:  Unison  4 th  5 th  Octave  Major Intervals:  2 nd  3 rd  6 th  7 th

 When the tonic and the upper note of an interval are from the same major scale, it is called a diatonic interval.  All diatonic intervals in the major scale are either perfect (P) or major (M).  This is true for ALL major scales.  P1 = perfect unison  P8 = perfect octave  P1, M2, M3, P4, P5, M6, M7, P8

 When the interval between the two notes of a major interval (2 nd, 3 rd, 6 th, or 7 th ) is decreased by a HALF step, it becomes a minor interval.  A small letter “m” is used to signify a minor interval.  Only major intervals can be made into minor intervals; perfect intervals cannot.

 Augmented = to be made larger  When a perfect or major interval is made larger by a HALF step, it becomes an augmented interval.  To raise a sharp note by a half step, use a double sharp.

 Diminished = to be made smaller  With the exception of a perfect unison, any perfect or minor interval that is made smaller by a HALF step becomes a diminished interval.  To lower a flat note by a half step, use a double flat.  Since lowering either note of a perfect unison would actually increase its size, the perfect unison cannot be diminished; only augmented.

 Perfect: Unison (unis.), 4 th, 5 th, octave (8va)  Major: 2 nd, 3 rd, 6 th, 7 th  Minor: 2 nd, 3 rd, 6 th, 7 th  Augmented: unis., 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th, 5 th, 6 th, 7 th, 8va  Diminished: 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th, 5 th, 6 th, 7 th, 8va

 When the tonic and the upper note of an interval are NOT from the same major scale, it is called a chromatic interval.  Minor, augmented, and diminished intervals are always chromatic intervals in all major keys.  Chromatic intervals are the “opposite” of diatonic intervals.

 Solfège is a system of note reading that assigns a different syllable to each scale degree in a major scale.  1 = Do  2 = Re  3 = Mi  4 = Fa  5 = Sol  6 = La  7 = Ti  8 = Do

 MOVEABLE DO = the syllables apply to the same scale degrees, regardless of what key you are in.  When a melody is rewritten into another key with the exact same sequence of notes and intervals, it is called TRANSPOSITION. This raises or lowers the notes to make a melody easier to sing or play, or so it can be played by an instrument in a different key.

 The easiest way to transpose is by interval.  In the eleventh century, the music theorist, Guido of Arezzo, developed a six–note ascending scale that went: ut, re, mi, fa, sol, and la. A seventh note, “si” was added shortly after. The names were taken from the first verse of the Latin hymn, Ut queant laxis,where the syllables fall on their corresponding scale degree.  Ut queant laxis resonāre fibris Mira gestorum famuli tuorum, Solve polluti labii reatum, Sancte Iohannes.