MT1 - Elements of Pitch

A specific pattern of small steps (half steps) and larger one (whole steps) encompassing an octave

Major scale

The distance from a key on the piano to the very next key, white or black (using white keys on the piano, there are two half steps in each octave)

Half step

Skips the very next key and goes instead to the following one

Whole step

Four-note patterns

Tetrachords

A symbol that raises or lowers a pitch by a half or whole step

Accidental

To identify the first degree of a scale

Key

A pattern of sharps or flats that appears at the beginning of a staff and indicates that certain notes are to be consistently raised or lowered

Key signature

Notes that have the same pitch but that are spelled differently, like E and F♭

Enharmonic (enharmonically equivalent)

To write or play music in some key other than the original

Transpose

A diagram like the face of a clock to help memorize key signatures

Circle of fifths

A seven-note musical scale consisting of a whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole step pattern

Natural minor scale

A musical scale that starts from the natural minor scale, has its seventh degree raised by a half step (A, B, C, D, E, F, G♯)

Harmonic minor scale

An ascending form and a descending form, ascending form is up by the 3rd, and descending from is the same as the natural minor scale (down by the 7,6, and 3)

Melodic minor scale

Pattern of w-h-w-w

Minor pentachord

Share the same key signature

Relative keys

A major key and a minor key that share the same tonic (starting note)

Parallel keys

The measurement of the distance in pitch between two notes

Interval

Notes are performed at the same time

Harmonic interval

When the notes are played successively

Melodic interval

Two or more musical parts perform the same note at the same time, either in the same octave

Unison

The internal between two notes of the same name, where the higher note has a frequency double that of the lower note

Octave

The distance between two notes that are one octave or less

Simple intervals

Larger intervals

Compound intervals

Used only in connection with unisons, 4ths, 5ths, 8ves

Perfect

Used only in connection with 2nds, 3rds, 6ths, 7ths, and their compounds

(Modified) Major/minor

A perfect or a major interval is made a half step larger without changing the numerical name

Augmented

A perfect or a minor interval is made a half step smaller without changing ints numerical name

Diminished

Used for the +4 or its enharmonic equivalent; a dissonant, unstable interval spanning three whole steps, equivalent to half an octave

Tritone

Descending intervals, especially large ones, often easier to spell and identify through use

Interval inversion

Pleasing to the ear and not pleasing to the ear,

Consonant/Dissonant

The lowest note played or notated

Bass

Highness or lowness of a sound (particular pitches named by using the musical alphabet, consisting of letters A through G)

Pitch

Space from any C up to the next B (numbered with the lowest C on piano)

Octave register

An arrangement of five lines and four spaces (pitches are notated on the staff)

Staff

Short horizontal lines extending the music staff to notate pitches above or below its five liens and four spaces

Ledger lines

Determine exactly what pitch is represented by each line or space

Clefs

two staves joined by a brace, with a table clef on the top staff and a bass clef on the bottom

Grand staff