chapter 3 music theory

Chromatic half step

The smallest interval in Western music, consisting of two adjacent pitches.

Circle of fifths

A visual representation of the relationships between the 12 tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys.

Diatonic

Referring to the notes of a scale that are within a specific key, excluding any accidentals.

Key signature

A set of sharp or flat symbols placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the key of the music.

Major pentachord

A five-note scale consisting of the first, second, third, fifth, and sixth degrees of a major scale.

Major tetrachord

A four-note scale consisting of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of a major scale.

Scale degree (scale step)

The position of a note within a scale, typically numbered from 1 to 7.

Pitch-class collection

A set of pitches that are considered equivalent regardless of octave, used in music theory to analyze harmonic structures.

Tonic

The first note of a scale, serving as the home base or primary pitch in a key.

Supertonic

The second degree of a scale, one step above the tonic.

Chromatic

Relating to or denoting a scale that includes all twelve pitches of the octave.

Mediant

The third degree of a scale, positioned between the tonic and dominant.

Subdominant

The fourth degree of a scale, located one step below the dominant.

Major

A type of scale characterized by a specific pattern of whole and half steps, typically producing a bright sound.

Dominant

The fifth degree of a scale, often leading back to the tonic.

Major pentatonic

A five-note scale derived from the major scale, omitting the fourth and seventh degrees.

Submediant

The sixth degree of a scale, positioned between the subdominant and the tonic.

Pentatonic

A musical scale with five notes per octave, commonly used in various musical traditions.

Leading tone

The seventh degree of a scale, which leads to the tonic.

Solfège (movable do)

A music education method used to teach pitch and sight singing, where each note of the scale is assigned a syllable.

Solfège syllables

The syllables used in solfège, typically including do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti.

Tendency tone

A note that has a strong tendency to resolve to another note, often the leading tone resolving to the tonic.

Tetrachord

A four-note segment of a scale, often used in the construction of scales.