music theory
Unit 1: Music Fundamentals I: Pitch, Major Scales and Key Signatures
Lesson One: Pitch and Pitch Notation
Pitch: Highness or lowness of sound; also known as tones/notes.
Middle C: Central pitch, on the first ledger line above the bass clef and the first below the treble clef.
Notation: Signs/symbols to represent musical pitches.
Staff: Arrangement of 5 lines and 4 spaces where notes are placed, varies with clef.
Notes:
In spaces: Located between lines.
On lines: Positioned directly on the lines.
Treble Clef: Represents high pitches (above Middle C).
Note names: Spaces - FACE; Lines - EGBDF.
Bass Clef: Represents low pitches (below Middle C).
Note names: Spaces - ACEG; Lines - GBDFA.
Alto Clef: Middle C on the middle line.
Note names: Spaces - GBDF; Lines - FACEG.
Melody: A series of single pitches, often the memorable part of a song.
Clefs: Symbols indicating pitch range (e.g., bass, alto, treble).
Lesson Two: Basic Terms
Alto Staff: Middle C is the middle line.
Bass: Pitches below Middle C.
Octave: Distance between pitches of the same name.
Chord: 2+ pitches played simultaneously (usually 3).
Harmony: Sound resulting from 2+ tones played together.
Consonance: Harmonically pleasing chords.
Dissonance: Harmonically tense chords.
Half Step: Smallest musical interval (e.g., C to C#).
Sharps (#): Raise pitch by half step.
Flats (b): Lower pitch by half step.
Naturals (♮): Cancels sharps/flats for the measure.
Whole Step: Equivalent to two half steps.
Unit 2: Music Fundamentals II: Minor Scales and Key Signatures
Lesson One: Minor Scales
Relative Minor: Minor scale based on the 6th degree of the major scale.
Natural Minor Scale: Minor scale played in the relative major's key.
Harmonic Minor Scale: Natural minor with raised 7th degree.
Melodic Minor Scale: Natural minor with both 6th and 7th degrees raised while ascending.
Lesson Two: Determining Key Signatures
Key names derived from their relative major scales:
A Minor: No sharps/flats.
E Minor: F#.
B Minor: F#, C#.
F# Minor: F#, C#, G#.
C# Minor: F#, C#, G#, D#.
Unit 3: Music Fundamentals III: Triads and Seventh Chords
Lesson One: Chord Qualities
Chord Qualities:
M (Major): First chord in major.
m (Minor): Second chord.
d (Diminished): Seventh chord in minor.
A (Augmented).
Lesson Two: Diatonic Chords and Roman Numerals
Roman Numerals:
I (Tonic): Major Key, Major Chord.
ii (Supertonic): Major Key, Minor Chord.
iii (Mediant): Major Key, Minor Chord.
IV (Subdominant), V (Dominant), vi (Submediant).
i (Tonic, Minor Key).
Unit 4: Voice Leading and Cadences
Lesson One: Soprano-Bass Counterpoint
Types of Voices: Voice leading rules for counterpoint.
Conclusive: Resolutions of specific bass notes to achieve a finality.
Lesson Two: SATB Voice Leading
Guidelines: Manage voice crossing, spacing, and common tones.
Common Tone Management: Keeping common tones during chord transitions.
Unit 5: Harmony and Voice Leading II: Chord Progressions
Lesson One: Functions of Chords
Tonic: Stability, does not demand progression.
Dominant: Needs to resolve to tonic.
Pre-dominant: Leads to dominant.
Cadences: Essential for marking musical phrases.
Unit 6: Modes and Form
Lesson One: Definition of Modes
Modes Types:
Ionian: Major scale.
Dorian: Natural minor with raised 6.
Phrygian: Lowered 2.
Lydian: Raised 4.
Lesson Two: Phrase Relationships
Phrases: Combine to create periods with distinct cadences.
Form Types: Parallel, contrasting, sequential.
Unit 7: Secondary Function and Variations
Lesson One: Tonicization
Definition: Treatment of non-tonic pitches as temporary tonics.
Secondary Dominants: Resolve to harmony other than tonic.
Lesson Two: Part Writing for Secondary Dominants
Tonicization vs Modulation: Establishing new tonics without changing key.
Unit 8: Repetitions and Variations in Cadences
Lesson Three: Part Writing of Secondary Leading Tone Chords
Identifying and writing: Using chromatic chords, raised notes.
Establishing clarity and function in resolutions.