Download - Pathways to Harmony
G DeBenedettiwww.gmajormusictheory.org
&#Pathways to HarmonyChapter 4: Half and whole steps,
major scales and the circle of fifths
4.1 Half steps and whole steps
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• A half step is the closest possible distance between two notes. There are no notes on the keyboard between notes which are separated by a half step.
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• A half step is the closest possible distance between two notes. There are no notes on the keyboard between notes which are separated by a half step.
• A whole step is a distance between two notes such that there is one and only one note on the keyboard between those two notes.
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• A half step is the closest possible distance between two notes. There are no notes on the keyboard between notes which are separated by a half step.
• A whole step is a distance between two notes such that there is one and only one note on the keyboard between those two notes
• So a whole step is the same distance as two half steps.
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Distinguishing half and whole steps aurally
• PLAY some examples of half steps:
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Distinguishing half and whole steps aurally
• PLAY some examples of half steps:• Now PLAY some whole steps:
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Distinguishing half and whole steps aurally
• PLAY some examples of half steps:• Now PLAY some whole steps:• GET a piece of paper
– NUMBER the paper from 1 to 5
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Distinguishing half and whole steps aurally
• PLAY some examples of half steps:• Now PLAY some whole steps:• GET a piece of paper
– NUMBER the paper from 1 to 5– PLAY this series of five half and whole steps: – And WRITE DOWN, for each pair of notes, H
if you hear a half step, and W if you hear a whole step.
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Your answers should be:
1. H
2. W
3. W
4. H
5. W
Where H = half step and W = whole step
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Half and whole steps in "real" music
• PLAY some excerpts which end with half steps– Ascending half step in Handel's "Hallelujah" Chorus
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Half and whole steps in "real" music
• PLAY some excerpts which end with half steps– Ascending half step in Handel's "Hallelujah" Chorus– Descending half step in Beethoven's "Pathetique"
Sonata
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Half and whole steps in "real" music
• PLAY some excerpts which end with half steps– Ascending half step in Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus– Descending half step in Beethoven's "Pathetique"
Sonata
• PLAY some excerpts which end with whole steps– Ascending whole step in Pachabel's "Canon in D"
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Half and whole steps in "real" music
• PLAY some excerpts which end with half steps– Ascending half step in Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus– Descending half step in Beethoven's "Pathetique"
Sonata
• PLAY some excerpts which end with whole steps– Ascending whole step in Pachabel's "Canon in D"– Descending whole step in Bach's "Air" in D
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Distinguishing half and whole steps in "real" music
• USE the same piece of paper from the previous half and whole step quiz, or GET a new piece– NUMBER from 1 to 5 again
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Distinguishing half and whole steps in "real" music
• USE the same piece of paper from the previous half and whole step quiz, or GET a new piece– NUMBER from 1 to 5 again– PLAY these five excerpts:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
– And WRITE DOWN whether each one ends with a half or whole step
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Your answers should be:
1. W
2. W
3. H
4. H
5. W
Where H = half step and W = whole step
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• The staff does not show half step and whole step relationships. See the illustration above.
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• The staff does not show half step and whole step relationships. See the illustration above.
• To find half steps and whole steps on the staff, always refer to the keyboard.
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• The staff does not show half step and whole step relationships. See the illustration above.
• To find half steps and whole steps on the staff, always refer to the keyboard.
– One note in between on the keyboard means whole step
– No notes in between on the keyboard means half step
WH
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• In written music, remember that a sharp or flat applies not only to the note next to it; but also to all the following notes of the same letter name in that measure.
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• In written music, remember that a sharp or flat applies not only to the note next to it; but also to all the following notes of the same letter name in that measure.
• PLAY the above phrase
• Notice that all the F's are played as F#'s, even the last one which has no sharp next to it.
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Your turn• DOWNDLOAD Chapter Four OR Expanded Chapter Four
of Pathways to Harmony from this website http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Fundamentals/workbooks.html
• DO worksheets to 4.1 to 4.3 from Chapter Four OR worksheets 4Ex.1 to 4Ex.5 from Expanded Chapter Four