MT1 - Tonal Harmony

Notes

Chords

Triads (3-note chords built on consecutive 3rds)

Major trains, minor triads, diminished trains, augmented triads and perfect fifth

What are the different triads?

Seventh chords

4-note chords built on consecutive 3rds

Something built using intervals of a third

Tertian 

Scales

A series of pitches that ascent and descent in a fixed interval pattern

Major scale 

A diatonic scale - a 7 note scale that uses each letter once and only once: ABCDEFG

Minor scale 

A diatonic scale - three forms of minor: natural, harmonic, melodic 

Tonal Center 

Note for which the scale is named. Guiding pitch - the most stable pitch in the key 

Interval

The distance between two pitches

Chromatic scale

Shows all available pitches within the octave

• contains all 12 different pitches plus the octave as the 13th note

Half Step

The INTERVAL between each adjacent pitch in the chromatic scale

Octave

Interval between a given pitch and the note with the same letter name immediately above or below

Chromatic half step (interval)

A half step where both pitches have the same letter name

Diatonic half step (interval)

A half step where both pitches have different letter names

Whole steps (interval)

A combination of two adjacent/consecutive half steps 

Enharmonic

Two pitches are notated differently, but sound the same

8 notes, the same starting/ending note, every other note name once, an interval pattern of TTSTTTS, sharp, flat, or natural notes but no double sharps or double flats

Every Major Scale has…

Over arrow

Which arrow shows the function or tendency

Under arrow

Which arrow shows a strong pull and diatonic half step

Diatonic scales

7-note scales with the octave serving as the 8th pitch (once and only one except when reaching the octave (ABCDEFG) 

• We use key signatures to list necessary accidentals at the beginning of the piece and on every subsequent staff

• Accidentals in a key signature apply to all pitches in all octaves, not cancelled out by the bar line 

Key Signatures: List of accidentals within the key….

Numerical value (size)

Measures the distance vertically on the staff

• Number of note names encompassed (ABCDEFG)

ALWAYS start by identifying the numerical value

What should you do when identifying intervals?

Group 1: 1, 4, 5, 8,

Can be Perfect, cannot be major or minor (up from tonic in a major scale will always be Perfect)

Group 2: 2, 3, 6, 7,

Can be major or minor, cannot be Perfect (up from tonic in a major scale will always be major)

Dominant

Perfect is the tonic up to the?

Whole step

All major start with a?

Diminished Group 1: 1, 4, 5, 8

A half step smaller than major without changing the numerical value

Augmented Group 1: 1, 4, 5, 8,

A half step larger than major while perserving the numerical value

To restore a leading tone

What is the purpose of harmonic minor? 

6 and 7

in melodic minor, the ascending portion, we raise BOTH?

The natural minor

In melodic minor, the descending portion looks the same as?

Major, Minor, Perfect, Augmented, Diminished 

Different qualities? 

6P and one diminished

In ALL major keys, there are…….diminished is always found in the 7th scale degree

P5’s the accidentals

Two note and bottom note - will always match except when B, B♭, B# is on the bottom of the interval

P4’s, the accidentals

Top note and bottom note will always match when F, F♭, F# is on the bottom of the interval