3. Double Sharps & Flats, Minor and Enharmonic Scales Flashcards
What does each Major Key have?
A relative minor key.
What does an accidental in front of a note do?
Raises or lowers the pitch of a note.
To what notes do accidentals apply?
Only to the notes on that specific line or in that specific space in that specific measure.
What cancels an accidental?
A natural accidental or a bar line.
What does a double sharp sign do?
Raises a sharp one chromatic semitone (half step) and raises a natural note one chromatic whole tone (whole step or two half steps). Equivalent to 2 sharps)
What does a sharp sign do?
Raises a natural note one chromatic semitone (half step)
What does a natural sign do?
Cancels an accidental and is always a white key.
What does a flat sign do?
Lowers a natural note one chromatic semitone (half step)
What does a double flat sign do?
Lowers a flat one chromatic semitone (half step) and lowers a natural note one chromatic whole tone (whole step or two half steps). Equivalent to 2 flats)
What is the symbol for a double sharp?
Similar to a small x with diamonds on the ends
What is the symbol for a double flat?
Two flat symbols
What is a chromatic whole step?
A whole step with the same letter name - C to Cx
What is a chromatic half step?
A half step with the same letter name - C to C#
What is a diatonic whole step?
A whole step with a different letter name - C to D
What is a diatonic half step?
A half step with different letter names - C to Bb
When does an Interval use a double flat?
When a Major interval with the top note as a flat becomes a minor interval by lowering the top note one chromatic semitone. A flat is lowered to a double flat.
What are the guidelines to naming an interval?
The bottom note of the interval names the Major key. Determine the Major interval first. Lower the top note one chromatic semitone (half step) to change a Major interval into a minor interval. If the top note is a flat, lower it to a double flat.
How are accidentals written for harmonic intervals of a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 when both notes have accidentals?
The accidental is written closest to the top note and further away from the bottom note.
How are accidentals written for harmonic intervals of a 7 or 8 when both notes have accidentals?
The accidentals are written lined up vertically (above each other).
What is acceptable when writing a harmonic interval and there is no room for correct placement of accidentals?
It is acceptable to place the accidental further away from the top note.
What does a Major key and its relative minor key have in common?
The same Key Signature.
Where and how are Major keys written on the Circle of Fifths?
On the outside in upper case letters.
Where and how are minor keys written on the Circle of Fifths?
On the inside of the circle in lower case letters.
What letter (Major key) is the landmark and starting position for adding the relative minor keys to the Circle of Fifths?
The first letter of the alphabet “A” on the flat and sharp sides.
What is the first minor key added to the Circle of Fifths?
f minor on the flat side.
A) What is the minor key sentence starting on the flat side of the Circle of Fifths?
B) What is the minor key sentence starting on the sharp side of the Circle of Fifths?
A) “father charles goes down and ends battle”
B) using sharps - “father charles goes down and” - change to flats - “and ends battle”
What is the distance between a Major key and its relative minor key?
3 semitones (3 letter names)
How many and what minor scales contain a double sharp?
Six. The harmonic and melodic minor scales of g sharp minor, a sharp minor and d sharp minor.
What creates a harmonic minor scale?
Raising the 7th note one chromatic semitone ascending and descending.
What creates a melodic minor scale?
Raising the 6th and 7th notes one chromatic semitone ascending and lowering the 6th and 7th notes one chromatic semitone descending.
What happens to a sharp when it is raised one chromatic semitone (half step)?
It becomes a double sharp.
How may minor scales be written?
Using accidentals or a Key Signature and with or without a centre bar line.
If a minor scale is written using a centre bar line, what happens to the accidentals?
They are cancelled by the centre bar line and have to be written in the ascending and descending scales.
If a minor scale is written without a centre bar line, what happens to the accidentals?
The accidentals are written in the ascending scale; only the accidentals for the lowered 6th and 7th are repeated in the descending scale.
What does a double sharp lowered one chromatic semitone become?
A sharp.
What is the same between tonic major and tonic minor (harmonic or melodic) scales?
They both have the same Tonic (first) note.
What is different between tonic major and tonic (harmonic or melodic) minor keys?
They are not related keys. They do not use the same Key Signature. The tonic minor key will have the same Key Signature as its relative Major Key.
What is the relative minor of C Major?
a minor
What is the relative minor of G Major?
e minor
What is the relative minor of D Major?
b minor
What is the relative minor of A Major?
f# minor
What is the relative minor of E Major?
c# minor
What is the relative minor of B Major?
g# minor
What is the relative minor of F# Major?
d# minor
What is the relative minor of C# Major?
a# minor
What is the relative minor of Cb Major?
ab minor