Chapter 3The Structures of Music

Tonality and

Modality

Key Terms

Tonality

Tonal music

Tonic

Modality

Modes

Major mode

Minor mode

Chromatic scale

Keys

Modulation

Tonality

Musical center of gravity

Feeling of a “home” pitch around which other notes are arranged

A nearly universal phenomenon, found in music around the world

Atonality = the absence of tonality•Creates a wandering, unsettled quality•Used in some more contemporary styles

Tonality

Tonic pitch:•“Home” pitch•First note of a scale•do in the do re mi fa sol la ti do scale•The most stable, fundamental pitch of a scale•The “at rest” note on which tonal melodies

nearly always end

In relation to tonic, other note of a scale may sound:•Close or remote, dissonant or consonant, or as

if they “lead” toward tonic

Tonality

Cadences and tonalityComposers can create tension by moving away from tonic; resolution by returning

In the strongest cadences (authentic):• Melody ends on tonic• Accompanying chord progression ends on the tonic

chord

In weaker cadences (half):• Melody ends on other scale steps, often scale step 2• Chord progression ends on some other chord, often the

one built on scale step 5

Modality

Major and minor scalesMany musical traditions use multiple scales, more than a hundred in some countries

Most Western music uses only two scale types: major mode and minor mode

do re mi fa sol la ti do is a major scale

Minor scale uses same pitches, but with la as tonic, not do

Modality

Major vs. Minor

Major and minor scales use different patterns of whole steps and half steps• Major scale begins with two half steps• Minor scale begins with a whole step and a half step• Major scale ends with a half step• Minor scale ends with a whole step

Scale steps 3, 6, and 7 are a half step lower in minor mode

Major scales tend to sound brighter

Minor scales tend to sound darker (sadder?)

Major vs. Minor

Major vs. Minor

Keys

Major or minor scales can begin on any note on the keyboard•Every key is named for its tonic pitch •Thus we can have the key of F Major (major

scale beginning on F) or the key of C-sharp minor (minor scale beginning on C-sharp)

Scales in any key must follow these rules:•Every letter name must be used once•The correct pattern of whole steps and half

steps must be observed Sharps or flats are used to adjust scale steps

Keys

Since there are twelve notes in the chromatic scale, it is possible to construct twelve major keys and twelve minor keys

Modulation

Major and minor keys create a strong pull toward tonic

Composers can disrupt that pull by modulating, changing to a different key

Modulation not only changes to a new key, it creates a new tonal center!

Modulation can be used to create:•Mystery, excitement, disorientation, variety,

and so on

Tonality Listening

Things to listen for:Tonality or atonality?

Authentic cadence or half cadence?

Major or minor mode?

Does it modulate?