Ch. 4: Organization Of MUSICAL SOUNDS Flashcards
How Melody & Harmony FUNCTION together to construct a musical system:
PITCHES- are named using the first 7 letters of alphabet (A-G) —they start over again when you reach an OCTAVE
WESTERN MUSIC = Divided into 12 equal semitones or HALF STEPS
—they build different kind of scales
What is the CHROMATIC SCALE?
*12 HALF STEPS, making up the octave
(TIP: all western music, no matter how intricate, is MADE UP of the SAME 12 PITCHES & their duplications in “higher” & “lower” octaves
What does a SHARP do?
*RAISES a note by a half step
What does a FLAT do?
*it LOWERS a note a half step
The distance between C and D on a piano is 2 HALF STEPS or *ONE____________
WHOLE STEP
What is a MAJOR SCALE?
(Most familiar sequence of pitches)
***created by a specific pattern of Whole(W) and Half(H) steps
*2 poles of traditional harmony: TONIC, point of ultimate rest; & DOMINANT, active harmony
(Tonic going to dominant and returning to tonic)
—scales steps: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 —C MAJOR scale: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C —intervals: (W-W-H-W-W-W-H)
What is a MINOR SCALE?
Way different than major.
***has a lowered, or flatter, 3rd note (PIECES SOUND sadder, darker than major key)
(In the scale of C minor, there is an E-Flat rather than (E-natural of Major Scale)
— the interval C to E-Flat is smaller than the interval C to E.
—scales steps: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 —C MINOR scale: C-D-E(flat)-F-G-A(flat)-B(flat)-C —intervals: (W-H-W-W-H-W-W)
What is considered: Music in major or minor jet focusing on the 7 NOTES(whole and half steps) of respective scale?
DIATONIC SCALE
What is made up of ALL 12 HALF STEPS?
CHROMATIC SCALE
OTHER SCALE TYPES:
- PENTATONIC= 5-note scale (folk-like melody)
- MICROTONES= “off-key”
*INFLECTION= making a brief microtonal DIP or RISE from “original pitch”
(Blue note in JAZZ)
The 3-note chord, or TRIAD, built on first scale step is called?
Tonic or I Chord (point of rest) -home rest
This is counterposed AGAINST other chords, which are ACTIVE….
REST CHORD
These chords seek to be completed, or RESOLVED, in the rest chord…
ACTIVE CHORD —providing a forward direction and goal
This 5th scale step (sol), forms the chief ACTIVE CHORD, brings a feeling of RESTLESSNESS & seeks to resolve to “tonic”
—DOMINANT (V)
This is built on the 4th scale step (fa) is known as?
—SUBDOMINANT (IV)
