g debenedetti pathways to harmony chapter 4: half and whole steps, major scales and the circle of...

G DeBenedettiwww.gmajormusictheory.org

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Pathways to Harmony

Chapter 4: Half and whole steps, major scales and the circle of fifths

4.2 The Major Scale

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Some definitions

• A key note is the most important note of a piece of music. Pieces almost always end on the key note.

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Some definitions

• A key note is the most important note of a piece of music. Pieces almost always end on the key note.

• If eight notes of a piece are arranged in order without skipping lines or spaces and if the first note is the key note, then the notes form a scale.

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Some definitions

• A key note is the most important note of a piece of music. Pieces almost always end on the key note.

• If eight notes of a piece are arranged in order without skipping lines or spaces and if the first note is the key note, then the notes form a scale.

• A major scale is eight notes in ascending order which are separated from each other according to this pattern:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 whole whole half whole whole whole half step step step step step step step

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

W

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

WW

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

WHW

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

WHWW

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

WHWWW

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

WHWWWW

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An example: the E-flat major scale

• Scales are named after their first note, or key note.• As you progress through the next slides:

– LISTEN to the notes of an E-flat major scale

– WATCH the above illustration as it moves from note to note

– NOTICE the sequence

W W H W W W H

where W is whole step and H is half step

WHWWWWH

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• Here is an example of a scale used in "real" music, an intermezzo from Mascagni's opera, La Cavalleria Rusticana

• CLICK on the icon of the speaker and • LISTEN for the scale at the end of the excerpt

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Scales must be orderly

• The notes of a scale must be orderly

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Scales must be orderly

• The notes of a scale must be orderly• They must be in alphabetical order and

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Scales must be orderly

• The notes of a scale must be orderly• They must be in alphabetical order and• They must alternate lines and spaces when written

on a staff

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Scales must be orderly

• The notes of a scale must be orderly• They must be in alphabetical order and• They must alternate lines and spaces when written

on a staff• Therefore when writing a scale,

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Scales must be orderly

• The notes of a scale must be orderly• They must be in alphabetical order and• They must alternate lines and spaces when written

on a staff• Therefore when writing a scale,

– FIRST write the notes alternating lines and spaces

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Scales must be orderly

• The notes of a scale must be orderly• They must be in alphabetical order and• They must alternate lines and spaces when written

on a staff• Therefore when writing a scale,

– FIRST write the notes alternating lines and spaces– THEN add sharps or flats for the proper sequence

of half and whole steps

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• In the scale taken from the above minuet, the next-to-the-last note must be an F-sharp, not a G-flat so that:

Minuet from the Notebook of A. M. Bach

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• In the scale taken from the above minuet, the next-to-the-last note must be an F-sharp, not a G-flat so that:– The letter names continue alphabetically and

Minuet from the Notebook of A. M. Bach

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• In the scale taken from the above minuet, the next-to-the-last note must be an F-sharp, not a G-flat so that:– The letter names continue alphabetically and– The notes alternate lines and spaces

Minuet from the Notebook of A. M. Bach

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• In the scale taken from the above minuet, the next-to-the-last note must be an F-sharp, not a G-flat so that:– The letter names continue alphabetically and– The notes alternate lines and spaces

• PLAY this phrase

Minuet from the Notebook of A. M. Bach

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Now it's your turn

• DOWNDLOAD Chapter Four OR Expanded Chapter Four of Pathways to Harmony from this website http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Fundamentals/workbooks.html

• DO worksheets to 4.4 from Chapter Four OR worksheets 4Ex.6 and 4Ex.7 from Expanded Chapter Four