Notes and Scales

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:08:44 GMT — Properties

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Miscellaneous

• Layers
  1. Drums
  2. Bass
  3. Chords
  4. Melody

Notes

• Notes
  • Sharps (go up, i.e., the black key immediately to the right of the white key)
  • Flats (go down, i.e., the black key immediately to the left of the white key)
  • Same note can have two names, e.g., F-sharp and G-flat
• The "distance" between notes
  • Half step or semi-tone, e.g., C-C#, E-F, B-C
  • Whole step, e.g., C-D, D-E
• Octaves are the next highest or lowest pitch of the same note. The interval between a note and a note double its frequency is an octave. There are 12 semitones in an octave. These pitches repeat in the same order throughout the range of human hearing.

Scales

• A scale is a pattern of intervals: W W H W W W H. Start with any note on the keyboard and play that pattern (W W H W W W H) and you have a major scale
• Progression:
  • Major scale: W W H W W W H (W: Whole, H: Half)
  • Minor scale: W H W W H W W
• A scale consists of 7 notes
• All major scales have the same "sonic quality"
• Major vs. minor scales
  • Every major scale has a relative minor scale and, vice-versa
    • To find the relative minor scale (of a major scale), locate the major scale's 6th note
      • C-major (the Ionian mode) > A-minor (the Aeolian mode)
• Example chords
  • C Major: C-D-E-F-G-A-B, with C again on top (i.e., the Ionian mode)
  • D Major: D (W) E (W) F# (H) G (W) A (W) B (W) C#, with (H) D again on top
• Create a song of your own using a particular set of notes in a specific key by finding its scale
• Key signature: the set of sharp or flat notes that are required for any given scale
  • E.g., F# is the key signature of the G Major scale and F# C# is the key signature of the D Major scale
  • Any major scale and its relative minor scale share the same key signature
• Types of scales
  • Natural minor
  • Harmonic minor
  • Melodic minor

Modes

Modes are specific types of scales derived from the major (and minor) scale by starting on different degrees of the scale:

1. Ionian Mode:
   • Starts on the 1st degree of the major scale. Equivalent to the major scale itself.
   • Pattern: W-W-H-W-W-W-H (e.g., C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C for C Ionian).
2. Dorian Mode:
   • Starts on the 2nd degree of the major scale.
   • Pattern: W-H-W-W-W-H-W (e.g., D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D for D Dorian).
3. Phrygian Mode:
   • Starts on the 3rd degree of the major scale.
   • Pattern: H-W-W-W-H-W-W (e.g., E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E for E Phrygian).
4. Lydian Mode:
   • Starts on the 4th degree of the major scale.
   • Pattern: W-W-W-H-W-W-H (e.g., F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F for F Lydian).
5. Mixolydian Mode:
   • Starts on the 5th degree of the major scale.
   • Pattern: W-W-H-W-W-H-W (e.g., G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G for G Mixolydian).
6. Aeolian Mode:
   • Starts on the 6th degree of the major scale.
   • Equivalent to the natural minor scale. Pattern: W-H-W-W-H-W-W (e.g., A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A for A Aeolian).
7. Locrian Mode:
   • Starts on the 7th degree of the major scale.
   • Pattern: H-W-W-H-W-W-W (e.g., B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B for B Locrian).

Mnemonic

• I Don't Park Leaving My Alternator Loose: Ionian-Dorian-Phrygian-Lydian-Mixolydian-Aeolian-Locrian

Circle of Fifths

• Uses
  • How to build chords note by note
    • For a major chord, select your root note from the outer circle, then choose the two notes (both inner and outer circle) that are one place clockwise from the root
    • For minor chords, select your root note from the inner circle, then play the corresponding note from the outer circle, and the inner circle note from one place clockwise
  • How to put chords together into progressions
  • Working out the relative keys/changing key
  • Writing melodies

Harmony

Pending

Melody

Pending

Rythm

Pending

Digital Audio Workstations

Digital Audio Workstations

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