PITCH, RHYTHM, AND HARMONY
A single, isolated musical sound has four properties: pitch, duration, volume, and timbre.
PITCH
Pitch, Frequency, and Octaves
Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound. A Chihuahua has a higher pitched bark than a St. Bernard; a kitten’s meow is a higher pitch than a tomcat’s yowl. A tuba is pitched lower than a piccolo. When musicians speak of “a pitch,” they are referring to a single tone whose highness or lowness does not change—that is, a sound that consists of a steadily oscillating sound wave, like A-440. If you pluck the A string on a guitar (A-110), find the exact midpoint and press it firmly to the fret board, and then pluck the now-half- as-long string (either side), you will hear the next-higher A. This is because when you halve the length of the string, it naturally vibrates twice as fast (220 Hz), producing a pitch twice as high. The musical term for the distance between A and the next higher or next lower A is called an octave.
Pitch on a Keyboard
A piano keyboard provides an excellent visual aid for understanding pitch and harmony. High-sounding pitches are to the right, low--sounding pitches are to the left. Therefore, moving from left to right is called moving “up” the keyboard, while moving from right to left is called moving “down.” Middle C is roughly equidistant from either end. The black keys are arranged in alternating groups of two and three. Middle C is located to the left of the group of two black keys closest to the middle of the keyboard. FIGURE 1–1 identifies middle C, A440, A 220, A 110, and the names of the other keys on the keyboard. Note that all the As appear between the upper two of the three black keys on the keyboard. The distance between any two adjacent keys on the keyboard is called a half step, or semitone. A whole step is the distance between every other key (regardless of color, black or white). Both half steps and whole steps are the basic intervals of any scale (a sequence of pitches in ascending or descending order) in Western music. The white keys are usually called the natural keys, spanning seven alphabetical letters, A through G. The symbol that represents a natural note is ♮. (If the natural sign is omitted, musicians still assume the pitch is natural, but sometimes the symbol is included for clarification.) The signs ♯ (sharp) and ♭ (flat) indicate that a given pitch, such as A♮, has been raised or lowered, respectively, by a half step. So, the next note to the right of A on the keyboard is A♯. But, you can also look at that same A ♯ key as being a lower neighbor of the key to its right—in other words, if you move a half step to the left from B♮, the same A♯ key can also be called B♭, since it is half a step (one key) below the B.
Pitch is the highness or lowness of a sound. A Chihuahua has a higher pitched bark than a St. Bernard; a kitten’s meow is a higher pitch than a tomcat’s yowl. A tuba is pitched lower than a piccolo. When musicians speak of “a pitch,” they are referring to a single tone whose highness or lowness does not change—that is, a sound that consists of a steadily oscillating sound wave, like A-440. If you pluck the A string on a guitar (A-110), find the exact midpoint and press it firmly to the fret board, and then pluck the now-half- as-long string (either side), you will hear the next-higher A. This is because when you halve the length of the string, it naturally vibrates twice as fast (220 Hz), producing a pitch twice as high. The musical term for the distance between A and the next higher or next lower A is called an octave.
Pitch on a Keyboard
A piano keyboard provides an excellent visual aid for understanding pitch and harmony. High-sounding pitches are to the right, low--sounding pitches are to the left. Therefore, moving from left to right is called moving “up” the keyboard, while moving from right to left is called moving “down.” Middle C is roughly equidistant from either end. The black keys are arranged in alternating groups of two and three. Middle C is located to the left of the group of two black keys closest to the middle of the keyboard. FIGURE 1–1 identifies middle C, A440, A 220, A 110, and the names of the other keys on the keyboard. Note that all the As appear between the upper two of the three black keys on the keyboard. The distance between any two adjacent keys on the keyboard is called a half step, or semitone. A whole step is the distance between every other key (regardless of color, black or white). Both half steps and whole steps are the basic intervals of any scale (a sequence of pitches in ascending or descending order) in Western music. The white keys are usually called the natural keys, spanning seven alphabetical letters, A through G. The symbol that represents a natural note is ♮. (If the natural sign is omitted, musicians still assume the pitch is natural, but sometimes the symbol is included for clarification.) The signs ♯ (sharp) and ♭ (flat) indicate that a given pitch, such as A♮, has been raised or lowered, respectively, by a half step. So, the next note to the right of A on the keyboard is A♯. But, you can also look at that same A ♯ key as being a lower neighbor of the key to its right—in other words, if you move a half step to the left from B♮, the same A♯ key can also be called B♭, since it is half a step (one key) below the B.
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Intervals
The distance between any two pitches is called an interval. Remember that the distance between any two adjacent keys on the piano is a half-step (or semitone); that is the smallest interval that is normally used in Western music. Any larger distance between two piano keys can be measured by the number of half steps it spans. However, other terms for intervals are derived from the alphabetical letter names of the two pitches. For that reason, although the interval from C to E spans four half steps, it is called a “Major third” (M3) because of the three letter names between the lower and upper pitches (C to D to E). Any interval can be performed so it is harmonic (the two pitches occur simultaneously) or melodic, with the two pitches occurring in succession. Melodic intervals are either ascending (the lower pitch occurs first) or descending. A few intervals that exceed an octave are the major and minor ninth and the major and minor tenth. They can be thought of as an octave plus a m2 (spanning 13 half steps),M2 (14), m3 (15), and M3 (16 half steps).
The distance between any two pitches is called an interval. Remember that the distance between any two adjacent keys on the piano is a half-step (or semitone); that is the smallest interval that is normally used in Western music. Any larger distance between two piano keys can be measured by the number of half steps it spans. However, other terms for intervals are derived from the alphabetical letter names of the two pitches. For that reason, although the interval from C to E spans four half steps, it is called a “Major third” (M3) because of the three letter names between the lower and upper pitches (C to D to E). Any interval can be performed so it is harmonic (the two pitches occur simultaneously) or melodic, with the two pitches occurring in succession. Melodic intervals are either ascending (the lower pitch occurs first) or descending. A few intervals that exceed an octave are the major and minor ninth and the major and minor tenth. They can be thought of as an octave plus a m2 (spanning 13 half steps),M2 (14), m3 (15), and M3 (16 half steps).
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Minor Scales and Blues Inflections
The next most common scale is the minor scale. There are three slightly different varieties: natural (or pure) minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. FIGURE 1–2 (above) shows each of the three, beginning on A. (Like the major scale, each scale has its own pattern of whole and half steps.) All minor scales feature a lowered third scale degree, meaning the interval from the tonic to the third pitch of the scale is a minor third, not a major third (the interval that occurs in the major scale). Note that the half steps of the natural minor scale are located between ˆ 2 and ˆ 3, and ˆ 5 and ˆ 6. The major scale’s upward pull from ˆ 7 to ˆ 8 is not present in the natural minor. Try playing the scale through. It can just as easily fall back down to ˆ 6, then ˆ 5 , as it can rise to ˆ 8. To create that pull, many pieces of music use the harmonic minor mode, which is created by raising the seventh scale degree one half step (by adding a sharp or natural). Melodic minor, shown with intervals marked in FIGURE 1–2, is the final option. Both the sixth and seventh scale degrees are raised a half step as the scale ascends, and then they are restored to their normal “natural minor” pitches as the scale descends. The alterations here encourage a sense of upward motion to the higher tonic and a pull downward to the fifth scale degree. Because C natural minor and E♭ major use the same seven pitches— just different tonics—they are called the relative major and minor to each other. (These relative scales are shown in FIGURE 1–3 below.)
The next most common scale is the minor scale. There are three slightly different varieties: natural (or pure) minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. FIGURE 1–2 (above) shows each of the three, beginning on A. (Like the major scale, each scale has its own pattern of whole and half steps.) All minor scales feature a lowered third scale degree, meaning the interval from the tonic to the third pitch of the scale is a minor third, not a major third (the interval that occurs in the major scale). Note that the half steps of the natural minor scale are located between ˆ 2 and ˆ 3, and ˆ 5 and ˆ 6. The major scale’s upward pull from ˆ 7 to ˆ 8 is not present in the natural minor. Try playing the scale through. It can just as easily fall back down to ˆ 6, then ˆ 5 , as it can rise to ˆ 8. To create that pull, many pieces of music use the harmonic minor mode, which is created by raising the seventh scale degree one half step (by adding a sharp or natural). Melodic minor, shown with intervals marked in FIGURE 1–2, is the final option. Both the sixth and seventh scale degrees are raised a half step as the scale ascends, and then they are restored to their normal “natural minor” pitches as the scale descends. The alterations here encourage a sense of upward motion to the higher tonic and a pull downward to the fifth scale degree. Because C natural minor and E♭ major use the same seven pitches— just different tonics—they are called the relative major and minor to each other. (These relative scales are shown in FIGURE 1–3 below.)
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Their relationship is still relative even when the natural minor is altered to make the harmonic or melodic minor scales. In contrast, major and minor scales that begin and end on the same tonic pitch are called parallel. Relative major and minor scales are perceived as being more closely related to each other than parallel scales since they use the same collection of pitches. A scale with blues inflections combines elements of both major and minor scales. In a blues scale, scale degrees 3 and 7 can be either lowered, as in a minor scale, or normal as in a major scale, or somewhere in between, using a pitch “between the keys” of the piano. Often the pitch is part of a small slide—for example, from b3 to 3. Less commonly, the 5th scale degree is lowered in a comparable manner. In the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction,” the high point of the chorus is the repetition of the phrase “I can’t get no,” and right at the highest note (“get”), Mick Jagger sings a b3 against a major chord. Surrounded by the b7s in both the melody and the famous guitar riff, the blues flavor of “Satisfaction “is undeniable.
Melody Defined with an Example Using Scale and Degrees
A melody is a series of successive pitches perceived by the ear to form a coherent whole. Only one pitch occurs at a time in a melody; if two pitches occur together, you have either harmony or counterpoint. Most melodies use the seven notes of a single scale. The song “Happy Birthday” which is in the major mode, uses the scale and degrees shown in the box.
It follows the same scale degrees whether you use the C major, F major, E♭ major, A major, or any of the fifteen major scales. You can transpose the melody Happy Birthday to any major key by beginning the same pattern of intervals on a different note, and it will remain the same melody.
A melody is a series of successive pitches perceived by the ear to form a coherent whole. Only one pitch occurs at a time in a melody; if two pitches occur together, you have either harmony or counterpoint. Most melodies use the seven notes of a single scale. The song “Happy Birthday” which is in the major mode, uses the scale and degrees shown in the box.
It follows the same scale degrees whether you use the C major, F major, E♭ major, A major, or any of the fifteen major scales. You can transpose the melody Happy Birthday to any major key by beginning the same pattern of intervals on a different note, and it will remain the same melody.
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Contour
All melodies have a contour, or profile. A conjunct melody moves smoothly, in stepwise motion, that is, in mostly half steps and whole steps. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” is a familiar tune using conjunct motion. Apart from “merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,” all the intervals are whole steps and half steps. A disjunct melody, on the other hand, contains proportionally more leaps (intervals larger than a major second). “The Star Spangled Banner,” for instance, uses far more leaps than steps, so it is disjunct. There is even a melodic leap of a major tenth (equivalent to sixteen half steps) between “gleam-ing” and “... and the rockets’ red glare.” Another way to describe a melody’s contour is by direction. Melodies may ascend, descend, or move in a wavelike manner. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” ascends to the first “merrily,” then mainly descends to the end. A very common contour for melodies is that of an arch, ascending at the beginning, reaching a climactic high point, and descending toward the end. Contour is normally described in general terms. Exact intervals and pitches are named when more precision is needed.
All melodies have a contour, or profile. A conjunct melody moves smoothly, in stepwise motion, that is, in mostly half steps and whole steps. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” is a familiar tune using conjunct motion. Apart from “merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,” all the intervals are whole steps and half steps. A disjunct melody, on the other hand, contains proportionally more leaps (intervals larger than a major second). “The Star Spangled Banner,” for instance, uses far more leaps than steps, so it is disjunct. There is even a melodic leap of a major tenth (equivalent to sixteen half steps) between “gleam-ing” and “... and the rockets’ red glare.” Another way to describe a melody’s contour is by direction. Melodies may ascend, descend, or move in a wavelike manner. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” ascends to the first “merrily,” then mainly descends to the end. A very common contour for melodies is that of an arch, ascending at the beginning, reaching a climactic high point, and descending toward the end. Contour is normally described in general terms. Exact intervals and pitches are named when more precision is needed.
Rhythm
Rhythm is the way music is organized in time.
Beat is the steady pulse that underlies most music. Sometimes the beat is audible, sometimes not, but it is present, like the silent or ticking second-hand on a mechanical clock.
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Tempo
The speed of the beat is called the tempo. Occasionally, the beat slows or pauses. TABLE 1−2 shows different tempos and their traditional Italian names. The Italian terms predate the invention of exact timekeeping, so they originally indicated mood or other expressive qualities as related to tempo. For example, Allegro means “cheerful, “and so the music should be executed in a lively, or slightly “fast” manner. The numbers at the left indicate the approximate number of beats per minute. Substantial variations exist in the beats- per-minute. Tempo can slow down (ritardando) or speed up (accelerando), and it can do either gradually (poco apoco) or suddenly (subito). When there is no steady tempo—which is the same as no discernable beat—music is said to be unmetered. The fourth movement of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme (Listening Example 8 includes portions of movement 1) is an excellent example of unmetered music. If there is a perceived beat, but it speeds up and slows down for expressive effect, it is called rubato. The opening of “In A Silent Way” (Listening Example 13) demonstrates a rubato tempo.
The speed of the beat is called the tempo. Occasionally, the beat slows or pauses. TABLE 1−2 shows different tempos and their traditional Italian names. The Italian terms predate the invention of exact timekeeping, so they originally indicated mood or other expressive qualities as related to tempo. For example, Allegro means “cheerful, “and so the music should be executed in a lively, or slightly “fast” manner. The numbers at the left indicate the approximate number of beats per minute. Substantial variations exist in the beats- per-minute. Tempo can slow down (ritardando) or speed up (accelerando), and it can do either gradually (poco apoco) or suddenly (subito). When there is no steady tempo—which is the same as no discernable beat—music is said to be unmetered. The fourth movement of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme (Listening Example 8 includes portions of movement 1) is an excellent example of unmetered music. If there is a perceived beat, but it speeds up and slows down for expressive effect, it is called rubato. The opening of “In A Silent Way” (Listening Example 13) demonstrates a rubato tempo.
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Meter: Duple, Triple, and Quadruple
All beats are of equal length, but not all beats are of equal importance. Normally, beats are grouped into measures (or more informally, bars), which are separated by bar lines. The first beat of any measure is usually the strongest, so it is customarily called the downbeat or strong beat. Meter describes the pattern of emphasis superimposed on groups of beats. In general terms, meters are duple, triple, quadruple, or irregular (also called asymmetrical). Music with groups of two beats (alternating as STRONG- weak-STRONG-weak, etc.) is in duple meter. Triple meter has a three-beat pattern with a STRONG-weak-weak- STRONG-weak-weak (etc.) pulsation. Two excellent examples of triple meter are Bob Dylan’s “The Times They are A-Changin’” and John Coltrane’s jazz version of “My Favorite Things.” Most common is quadruple meter, in which there are groups of four beats, with 1 being the strongest beat, 3 being the second strongest beat, and 2 and 4 being weak beats. However, it is often difficult to distinguish duple from quadruple by ear, so quadruple is sometimes treated as a “duple” meter by listeners and the opposite is also true—duple meter is sometimes treated as quadruple meter. “Aquarius” (Listening Example 7), from the musical Hair is an example of duple meter.
All beats are of equal length, but not all beats are of equal importance. Normally, beats are grouped into measures (or more informally, bars), which are separated by bar lines. The first beat of any measure is usually the strongest, so it is customarily called the downbeat or strong beat. Meter describes the pattern of emphasis superimposed on groups of beats. In general terms, meters are duple, triple, quadruple, or irregular (also called asymmetrical). Music with groups of two beats (alternating as STRONG- weak-STRONG-weak, etc.) is in duple meter. Triple meter has a three-beat pattern with a STRONG-weak-weak- STRONG-weak-weak (etc.) pulsation. Two excellent examples of triple meter are Bob Dylan’s “The Times They are A-Changin’” and John Coltrane’s jazz version of “My Favorite Things.” Most common is quadruple meter, in which there are groups of four beats, with 1 being the strongest beat, 3 being the second strongest beat, and 2 and 4 being weak beats. However, it is often difficult to distinguish duple from quadruple by ear, so quadruple is sometimes treated as a “duple” meter by listeners and the opposite is also true—duple meter is sometimes treated as quadruple meter. “Aquarius” (Listening Example 7), from the musical Hair is an example of duple meter.
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FIGURE 1–4 (above) shows two measures from the chorus of the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” with the quadruple beats numbered. Most popular music of the1960s is in quadruple meter, including examples such as The Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction,” and “Stop! In The Name Of Love” (Listening Example 10) by Diana Ross and the Supremes. Irregular (or asymmetrical) meters are other groupings that cannot be divided into steady pulsations of two, three, or four beats. The most common irregular meters are five-beat or seven beat measures. For an example of five beats per measure, listen to “Take Five” by Paul Desmond and Dave Brubeck. The song “Happy Birthday,” with its groupings of three beats, is in triple meter as is shown in FIGURE 1–5 (below). The first word falls before the downbeat. This is called a “pickup” or anacrusis. Another illustration of triple meter occurs in “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”; this song begins on the downbeat.
Rhythmic Notation
A variety of symbols indicate how long a note should last. An oval note, called a whole note, is the longest symbol used today. A line called a stem can be added to that oval, and that oval-plus-stem symbol indicates a time value that is half as long as the whole note, or a half note. When the oval, or note head, is solid black (with a stem), that indicates a quarter note: a note that is half as long as a half note (and one-fourth the duration of a whole note). When a flag is added to the stem, the quarter note is halved in duration, so that is called an eighth note. Additional flags can beaded, each subdividing the value of the note by half again: sixteenth notes, thirty-second notes, and so forth. The relationships of the most common note symbols are shown in FIGURE 1–6. (Notice that multiple flagged notes have an alternate notation, called beams; these are sometimes easier for a musician to read quickly, since it is customary to “beam” together a beat’s worth of notes.) Another device used in rhythmic notation is the dot. A dot adds half the original value to a note—so a dot following a half note would represent a quarter note, and thus the total duration of a dotted half note should be a half note plus a quarter note. Also, notes of the same pitch can be connected with a curved line called a tie; it “ties” their values together, so that the note lasts as long as their combined values. The note value symbols in the top half of FIGURE 1–6 indicate how long musical sounds should last—but musicians can also be told how long not to make sound. These symbols for silence are called rests, and they follow a similar hierarchy as the note values; the lower half of FIGURE 1–6 illustrates the standard rest symbols (and their equivalent note symbols), and how each rest should be placed on a staff. (The placement is especially important for whole rests and half rests; they look identical otherwise.)
A variety of symbols indicate how long a note should last. An oval note, called a whole note, is the longest symbol used today. A line called a stem can be added to that oval, and that oval-plus-stem symbol indicates a time value that is half as long as the whole note, or a half note. When the oval, or note head, is solid black (with a stem), that indicates a quarter note: a note that is half as long as a half note (and one-fourth the duration of a whole note). When a flag is added to the stem, the quarter note is halved in duration, so that is called an eighth note. Additional flags can beaded, each subdividing the value of the note by half again: sixteenth notes, thirty-second notes, and so forth. The relationships of the most common note symbols are shown in FIGURE 1–6. (Notice that multiple flagged notes have an alternate notation, called beams; these are sometimes easier for a musician to read quickly, since it is customary to “beam” together a beat’s worth of notes.) Another device used in rhythmic notation is the dot. A dot adds half the original value to a note—so a dot following a half note would represent a quarter note, and thus the total duration of a dotted half note should be a half note plus a quarter note. Also, notes of the same pitch can be connected with a curved line called a tie; it “ties” their values together, so that the note lasts as long as their combined values. The note value symbols in the top half of FIGURE 1–6 indicate how long musical sounds should last—but musicians can also be told how long not to make sound. These symbols for silence are called rests, and they follow a similar hierarchy as the note values; the lower half of FIGURE 1–6 illustrates the standard rest symbols (and their equivalent note symbols), and how each rest should be placed on a staff. (The placement is especially important for whole rests and half rests; they look identical otherwise.)
Syncopation
Rhythm is syncopated when accented or emphasized notes fall on weak beats or in between beats. The rhythms in “Happy Birthday” are regular and coincide with the beat, so it is not considered syncopated. The rhythms in “Aquarius” (Listening Example 7), however, do not coincide with the beat. Many important notes fall just before the beat, such as the word “stars,” the first syllable of “dawning,” and the last syllable of “Aquarius.” Syncopation is a prized rhythmic component of ragtime and jazz, as heard in The Beatles’ “When I’m 64” and Louis Armstrong’s recording of “Hello, Dolly!”.
Rhythm is syncopated when accented or emphasized notes fall on weak beats or in between beats. The rhythms in “Happy Birthday” are regular and coincide with the beat, so it is not considered syncopated. The rhythms in “Aquarius” (Listening Example 7), however, do not coincide with the beat. Many important notes fall just before the beat, such as the word “stars,” the first syllable of “dawning,” and the last syllable of “Aquarius.” Syncopation is a prized rhythmic component of ragtime and jazz, as heard in The Beatles’ “When I’m 64” and Louis Armstrong’s recording of “Hello, Dolly!”.
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Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm, also called cross-rhythm, occurs when two conflicting rhythmic patterns are present simultaneously. Polyrhythms are common in jazz, and John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” includes numerous instances of polyrhythm.
Polyrhythm, also called cross-rhythm, occurs when two conflicting rhythmic patterns are present simultaneously. Polyrhythms are common in jazz, and John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” includes numerous instances of polyrhythm.
Rhythm: Summary
The important distinction to keep in mind is that rhythm is a collection of varying durations, and it is always audible. Beat refers to a regular underlying pulse that is not always audible but is always felt or imagined, and meter is the grouping of beats and the associated patterns of strong and weak beats.
The important distinction to keep in mind is that rhythm is a collection of varying durations, and it is always audible. Beat refers to a regular underlying pulse that is not always audible but is always felt or imagined, and meter is the grouping of beats and the associated patterns of strong and weak beats.
HARMONY
Harmony occurs whenever two or more tones are sounding simultaneously.
Harmony occurs whenever two or more tones are sounding simultaneously.
Common-Practice Tonality
Common-practice tonality (also called common practice harmony) is the system of organizing pitch and harmony that we find intuitive today in Western cultures. It was developed in Europe beginning in the Middle Ages and was codified by about 1750. Since then, layers of complexity have been added, vigorous challenges have been made by various composers, and knowledge of non-Western music traditions has increased dramatically. Despite these changes, conventions of common practice tonality govern nearly all of the music produced or consumed in the Western world.
Common-practice tonality (also called common practice harmony) is the system of organizing pitch and harmony that we find intuitive today in Western cultures. It was developed in Europe beginning in the Middle Ages and was codified by about 1750. Since then, layers of complexity have been added, vigorous challenges have been made by various composers, and knowledge of non-Western music traditions has increased dramatically. Despite these changes, conventions of common practice tonality govern nearly all of the music produced or consumed in the Western world.
Chords
A chord is three or more pitches sounding simultaneously. A book, or a forearm, pressed down on a piano keyboard creates a chord. However, the most common and useful chords do not employ immediately adjacent pitches.
A chord is three or more pitches sounding simultaneously. A book, or a forearm, pressed down on a piano keyboard creates a chord. However, the most common and useful chords do not employ immediately adjacent pitches.
Keys
In music theory, the key is the world of pitch relationships within which a piece or substantial section of music takes place. “Key” in music theory is not to be confused with the piano key that you press to produce a single pitch. In terms of harmony, the “key” of a piece of music is the set of seven notes, or scale, that has been selected for use in that piece. The gravitational center of a key is the tonic pitch, which in turn lends its name to the entire key. A piece of music whose tonic pitch is D is said to be in “the key of D;” similarly, an A major piece consists of the seven pitches of the key (or scale) of A. Whether the key is major, or minor depends upon other scale degrees, namely ˆ 3, ˆ 6, and ˆ 7. Within a key, pitches and harmonies relate to one another in specific ways. Each chord has a different relationship to the tonic.
Unless otherwise specified, “the key of C” means “the key of C major.” (The other options in common-practice tonality are C natural minor, C harmonic minor, and C melodic minor.) Music in the key of C major uses mainly the seven pitches of a C major scale, and their octave transpositions. If other pitches occur, they are called chromatic pitches— and are usually decorative or expressive, but not structural.
In music theory, the key is the world of pitch relationships within which a piece or substantial section of music takes place. “Key” in music theory is not to be confused with the piano key that you press to produce a single pitch. In terms of harmony, the “key” of a piece of music is the set of seven notes, or scale, that has been selected for use in that piece. The gravitational center of a key is the tonic pitch, which in turn lends its name to the entire key. A piece of music whose tonic pitch is D is said to be in “the key of D;” similarly, an A major piece consists of the seven pitches of the key (or scale) of A. Whether the key is major, or minor depends upon other scale degrees, namely ˆ 3, ˆ 6, and ˆ 7. Within a key, pitches and harmonies relate to one another in specific ways. Each chord has a different relationship to the tonic.
Unless otherwise specified, “the key of C” means “the key of C major.” (The other options in common-practice tonality are C natural minor, C harmonic minor, and C melodic minor.) Music in the key of C major uses mainly the seven pitches of a C major scale, and their octave transpositions. If other pitches occur, they are called chromatic pitches— and are usually decorative or expressive, but not structural.
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