Notes and Scales

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:08:44 GMT

 Properties

Key Value
Identifier home
Name Notes and Scales
Type Base Topic
Creation timestamp Wed, 12 Jun 2024 07:08:44 GMT
Modification timestamp Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:28:32 GMT

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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Notes
Fri, 26 Jul 2024 11:04:53 GMT
Practice

Practice applying the major scale formula: choose a note to be a "root" and use the "Whole Whole Half Whole Whole Whole Half" spacing between keys to find the major scale. Do this with all of the notes in the (major) scale.

As you use the notes, practice getting familiar with their letter names, as well as what number degree they are within the major scale (the root is always 1).


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