theory and harmony notes

7/27/2019 Theory and Harmony Notes

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Week 1:Review of Theory Fundamentals

Introduction

By the end of the session, a successful student will be able to:

• Know treble clef and bass clef notation, write and recognise all key signatures,construct major and minor scales.

• Recognise major and minor scales by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.



Student Task / Reading

Complete the exercises and ensure all key signatures are known.



Week 1 - Exercises

Write out the following scales:

E major

Eb major

F# major

G harmonic minor

G# harmonic minor

C melodic minor



Week 2:Rhythm notation and time signatures

Introduction


• Recap / review of last week’s content / exercises.

• Know all commonly used rhythm notation symbols and apply notation conventions.Understand all forms of commonly used time signatures.

• Transcribe a rhythm in common time using 8th

note subdivisions.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Quick review of major and minor scales – writing and recognising them aurally. Aural test to

ensure familiarity.

Look at rhythmic divisions of notes:

Semibreve (whole note) = 4 beats

Minim (half note) = 2 beats

Crotchet (quarter note) = 1 beat

Quaver (eighth note) = ½ beat

Semiquaver (sixteenth note) = ¼ beat

Adding a dot after a note adds half as much again to it’s value:

Rests are used to fill in the ‘gaps’ between the notes to make each bar the correct length:

If we need to include notes that are longer than 4 beats or that cross a bar line then we use atie. We use a tie to create a note whose duration cannot be written by a simple note. For example, if you need to have a note that is 5 beats long then this can be written by having asemibreve in one bar which is tied over to a crotchet in the next bar.

For example:



Practice writing rhythms in common time – as played by the teacher


Recap scales and keys from last week to ensure familiarity. Transcribe simple rhythms asplayed by the teacher. Starting off with 1 bar and gradually getting longer and more complex.



Week 3:Intervals

Introduction



• Write and recognise all intervals within the range of one octave (diatonic andchromatic).

• Recognise diatonic intervals within the range of one octave by ear.

• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Recognising intervals is one of the fundamental skills of the musician. All music is made up of harmonic and melodic intervals of varying sizes. Get familiar with both the terminology andthe process used to recognise them.


Practice writing and recognising intervals. Practice recognising diatonic intervals by ear.



Week 3 Exercises

Name the following intervals:

Write the following intervals above the given note:

Ear Training - Do various aural tests (played by the teacher) to practice recognisingdiatonic intervals.



Week 4:Scale spellings

Introduction



• Apply scale spellings to construct minor, blues and pentatonic scales.• Recognise chromatic intervals within the range of one octave by ear.


Revise interval material from last weeks lesson – do a quick test to ensure it is learned.

Instead of using the letter names of the notes in a scale, musicians often use numbers. Thisis called the scale spelling, and is a general spelling for a scale.

Major scale – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Natural Minor – 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8Harmonic Minor – 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 8Melodic Minor – 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 8

Pentatonic Scales

A pentatonic scale contains only five notes. Pentatonic scales are frequently used for creating melodies. They are a purposeful restriction of a parent or master scale

A major pentatonic is constructed by taking the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th notes from a major scale

Formula: R 2 3 5 6 8 Intervals: Root, major 2

nd, major 3

rd, perfect 5

th, major 6

th

C major pentatonic scale

A minor pentatonic is constructed by taking the 1st,3

rd, 4

th, 5

thand 7

thnotes from a natural

minor scale.

Formula: R b3 4 5 b7 8

Intervals: Root, minor 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, minor 7th

C minor pentatonic scale



Blues Scale

The blues scale is a 6 note scale. It uses notes from the major scale but lowers some of them.The notes taken from the major scale are the 1

st, 3

rd, 4

th, 5

thand 7

th, however the 3

rd, 5

thand

7th

notes are all lowered by 1 semitone to create ‘blue’ notes. The b3rd and b7th replace the3

rdand 7

thnotes but the b5th is used in addition to the normal 5

th. The scale spelling for the

blues scale is as follows:

1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 8

The b5 note within a blues scale is sometimes referred to as #4 by some musicians. This isbecause it is traditionally correct to avoid writing two notes on the 5

thdegree of the scale. Flat

5 however is used most of the time.

With all scales you need to able to write the key signature that goes with it. Major keysignatures should be written for Major scales, Major Pentatonic and Blues scales. RelativeMinor key signatures should be used for Natural, Harmonic, Melodic and Minor Pentatonicscales.


Practice using scale spellings to construct scales. Practice recognising chromatic intervals byear.



Week 4 Exercises

Ear Training - Practise recognising all intervals (diatonic and chromatic) up to 1 octave.

Write the following scales:

A major pentatonic

B major pentatonic

E minor pentatonic

F minor pentatonic

E blues

Bb blues



Week 5:Triads and chord spellings. Harmonised major scale

Introduction



• Apply chord spellings to construct major, minor, augmented, diminished triads.Harmonise a major scale to triads.

• Recognise the main triad types in root position by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Triads

Triads are three note chords that are constructed by taking an interval of a third above theroot, and then another third above that.For example, the C major triad consists of the notes C-E-G. C is the root, E is a major thirdabove C, and G is a minor third above E. The C minor triad consists of the notes C-Eb-G. C isagain the root, Eb is a minor third above C, and G is a major third above Eb.

There are two more combinations possible – two minor thirds and two major third intervals.These are diminished triads and augmented triads respectively. All four triads are shown inthe following, together with their chord symbols:

C major triad C minor triad C diminished triad C augmented triad

perfect fifth perfect fifth diminished fifth augmented fifthmajor third minor third minor third major thirdroot root root root

It is often useful to invert triads. There are three positions for triads: root position (shownabove), first inversion and second inversion. Below is the C major triad in all inversions:

root position first inversion second inversion



Major scale triads

The basic harmony played in most styles of music derives from the major scale.Chords from the major scale are made by starting on each note of the scale, and taking everyother note. Taking three notes in total makes a triad. For example, starting from C we obtainC-E-G – the C major triad. Following the same procedure for each note, we obtain the

following triad harmonisation of the C major scale:

The chord numbers are shown along the bottom. This order of the different types of triads isthe same for every major scale. (Note that major/minor/diminished chords are sometimeswritten Cmaj, Dmin/Dm, Bdim etc.) Thus an F triad in the key of C major may sometimes becalled ‘chord IV’ and so on.


Practice applying chord spellings to construct triads. Practice harmonising a major scale totriads. Practice recognising the main triad types in root position by ear.



Week 5 Exercises

Ear Training – Practise recognising the 4 main triads aurally

Write the following triads

G dim Bb min A maj E aug B maj Db min

Recognise the following triads:

Write the following harmonised scales to three note chords (include chord symbols):

D major

Ab major



Week 6:Seventh chords. Harmonised major scale to sevenths.

Introduction



• Apply chord spellings to construct the main 7th

chord types: major 7, minor 7,dominant 7 and half-diminished. Harmonise a major scale to 7

thchords.

• Recognise the main 7th

chords played in root position by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Revise triads from previous lesson.

Seventh chords

There are four main seventh chords we will focus on today:

MAJOR 7th

CHORD

A major 7 chord is constructed by taking the 1st, 3

rd, 5

thand 7

thnotes from the major scale

The symbols for a major 7

th

are: Maj7, M7 or ̂ 7.

DOMINANT 7th

To create a dominant 7 chord lower the seventh of a major 7 chord by a semitone.

The symbol for a dominant 7th

is just the number ‘7’ on it’s own.

MINOR 7th

To create a minor 7 chord lower the third and the seventh of a major 7 chord by a semitone.

The symbol for a minor 7th

are: min7, m7 or -7.



HALF DIMINISHED

To create a half diminished 7th

(m7b5) chord lower the third, fifth and seventh of a major 7th

chord by a semitone.

The symbol for a half diminished chord is either: ø or m7(b5).

Chord spellings

Major 7th

= 1, 3, 5, 7Dom 7

th= 1, 3, 5, b7

Min 7th

= 1, b3, 5, b7Half Dim = 1, b3, b5, b7

Harmonised scale

Now follow the same procedure as for harmonised scale to triads, but this time construct four-note (seventh) chords. Here is the C major scale harmonised in seventh chords:

There are four different seventh chord types that arise from harmonising a major scale in thisway: the major seventh chord (written C∆, Cmaj7 or CM7), minor seventh chord (D-7, Dmin7or Dm7), dominant seventh chord (G7) and half-diminished chord (Bø, Bmin7b5 or Bm7b5).


Practice applying chord spellings to construct 7th

chords. Practice harmonising a major scaleto 7

thchords. Practice recognising the main 7

thchords by ear.



Week 6 Exercises

Ear Training - Recognise the seventh chords by ear:

Construct the following 7th

chords:

Bbm7 G^7 Dø F7 E7

Identify the follow ing 7th

chords:

Write the following harmonised scales to four note chords:

D major

Ab major



Week 7:Cadences. II – V – I progressions

Introduction



• Identify the 4 principle cadences. Identify a major II-V-I progression.• Recognise the 4 principle cadences by ear. Transcribe a simple diatonic chord

sequences using triads.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Chords do not exist as isolated sounds but relate to each other in established progressions.There are four principle cadences: perfect, imperfect, plagal and interrupted cadences.

The Perfect Cadence (also called authentic cadence) is the ‘full stop’ of music and involveschord V moving to chord I (also in minor keys). It creates an air of finality and will confirm thetonal centre or key in which it appears.

In most cases the chords appear in root position with the bass note moving from the dominantto the tonic.The melodic line will most often move from either the supertonic or the leading note to thetonic.

In minor key music you will sometimes find a major chord (known as a tierce de picardie) atthe final cadence. This custom derives from Renaissance music where to conclude on aminor chord was considered weak. The final cadence was either major or the 3

rdwas omitted

altogether.

The Imperfect Cadence (also called half cadence) is a temporary resting place in the music,pausing on chord V. The imperfect cadence sounds less final than a perfect cadence. Thechord V can be preceded by chords I, ii, IV or any other chord.

The Plagal Cadence is given by chord IV moving to chord I. This cadence occurs frequentlyin hymns (often thought of as “Amen”) and gospel music.

The Interrupted Cadence is a V chord moving to any chord except I. Typically the followingchord is chord VI or chord IV. This cadence sounds incomplete, creating a feeling of suspension.

Here are examples of the four principle cadences:


Practice identifying the cadences and II-V-I progressions. Practice transcribing chordsequences by ear.



Week 7 Exercises

Ear Training - Practise recognising cadences by ear. Also revise, chords and scalestoo.

Transcribe simple diatonic chord sequences as played by the teacher:

1.

2.

3.

4.



Week 8:More seventh chords.

Introduction



• Apply chord spellings to more 7th

chord types: min-maj, aug 7, maj 6, min 6, dim 7,aug maj 7.

• Recognise the extra 7th

chord types by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Recap of cadences from last week.

More 7th

chords:

Major 7th

= 1, 3, 5, 7Dom 7

th= 1, 3, 5, b7

Min 7th

= 1, b3, 5, b7Half Dim = 1, b3, b5, b7

Minor major 7th

= 1, b3, 5, 7 Aug 7

th= 1, 3, #5, b7

Major 6th

= 1, 3, 5, 6Minor 6

th= 1, b3, 5, 6

Dim 7th

= 1, b3, b5, bb7 Aug maj 7

th= 1, 3, #5, 7


Practice applying chord spellings to extra 7th

chords. Practice harmonising the harmonicminor scale and identifying the minor II-V-I. Practice recognising the extra 7

thchords by ear.



Week 8 Exercises

Write the following chords on a stave:

1. D aug 7

th

2. F minor major 7th

3. E major 6th

4. B minor 6th

5. C dim 7th

6. A aug maj 7th

7. B aug 7th

8. Eb major 6th

9. D half dim

10. Ab Dim 7th

Ear Training – Practise recognis ing these chords aurallyRevise cadences and scales



Week 9:Review

Introduction



• Practice all material covered in term one ready for the formative exam in week 10.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

How to get the most from this lecture

To get the most from this lecture you need to revise from your notes made throughout theterm.

Lecture content

Revise all elements from term in preparation for assessment.

Exercises

Ear Training – Practise recogn ising 7ths, cadences, intervals and scalesPractise rhythmic transcriptionPractice transcription of diatonic chord sequences

Exercise 4

Complete the theory exercises from the whiteboard covering all elements from week 10formative assessment.


Practice all material covered in term one ready for the formative exam in week 10.



Week 11:Recap formative assessment

Introduction


• Identify weak areas from the formative assessment that need further work.

Go through formative paper and give correct answers. Go over any material that needs work.Respond to questions from students.

Discussion

What were the weak areas from the term one formative exam?

StudentTask / Reading

For next week: Practice and consolidate all weak areas from term one formative exam.



Week 12:Harmonised harmonic and melodic minor scale.

Introduction



• Harmonise the harmonic and melodic minor to triads and 7th

chords.• Recognise triad inversions by ear.


Here is the C harmonic minor scale harmonised to 4-note (seventh) chords:

The minor-major seventh chord and the major seventh augmented chord are also both foundin the harmonised harmonic minor scale.

Harmonised melodic minor scale to 7th

chords:

There are three inversions possible when dealing with triads. Root position, first inversion andsecond inversion.

Root position = 1, 3, 51

stinversion = 3, 5, 1

2nd

inversion = 5, 1, 3

There are numerous techniques for recognising triads in their different inversions.


For next week: Practice harmonising the melodic minor scale to triads and 7ths. Practicerecognising triad inversions by ear.



Week 12 Exercises

Ear training – Practise recognising the triads in their th ree inversions

Write the following harmonised scales to 4 note chords (include chord symbols):

B harmonic minor

G harmonic minor

C melodic minor



Week 13:Secondary Dominants

Introduction



• Recognise and understand the use of secondary dominants in chord progressions.• Transcribe a simple diatonic melody by ear.



To get the most from this lecture you need to practice this material in your own time. Makesure you revisit the material you learn in the lesson before you come back to the next lesson.

This will help you to remember the important elements.

Lecture content

The following is a common chord progression in the key of C major:

C D7 G7 C

If we analyse this progression we see that the chord D7 is not in the key of C major. Thisprogression is an example of the use of secondary dominants. In diatonic harmony, the dom7

thchord is the strongest clue pointing to the key centre, because it is a V chord in major keys

and almost always in minor keys too. Chord V feels like it wants to go to chord I, as in aperfect cadence. In the above progression, the G7 chord that precedes the C major chordindicates the key of C major. Does the D7 chord represent a change of key or is thereanother explanation?

When you listen to the progression it is obvious that the tone centre is C major, with the D7sounding like a variation on the diatonic IIm7 chord. The change of the D-7 chord to D7makes this sound more like it wants to go to the G chord, but does not signal the presence of a new key. This is called a secondary dominant.

Look at the following chord progression (again in the key of C major):

C A7 Dm G7 C

In this example the A7 is the secondary dominant. When you listen to the progression it isagain obvious that the tone centre is C major, with the A7 sounding like a variation on thediatonic VIm7 chord. The A7 chord increases the sense of anticipation that D minor is aboutto arrive.

Although the secondary dominant seems to break the rule that dom 7th

chords function as Vchords, the rule still applies. A secondary dominant chord still functions as a V chord but it isthe V of a chord other than I. In the first example, D7 is the V7 of V. This analysis shows thatC is still considered to be the tonic, G7 is the primary dominant of the key of C, and thefunction of D7 is to present the G7 chord in a more dramatic way than would be accomplishedby the diatonic Dm chord. The D7 chord will be analysed as:V7/V (spoken as “five seven of five”, or more commonly “five of five”)

This makes it’s role in the progression clear. The first progression above would therefore beanalysed as:



I V7/V V7 I

In the second example above, A7 is the V7 of IIm. This again shows that C is still consideredto be the tonic chord. The A7 chord is analysed as:

V7/II (spoken as “five seven of two”)

The second progression above would therefore be analysed as:

I V7/II IIm7 V7 I

This description explains better it’s function in the progression. However, since A is still the 6th

degree of the key of C it is often written in chord charts as VI7.

Secondary dominants can occur in both major and minor keys. The overall rule is:

Any diatonic chord may be preceded by it’s secondary dominant except the VIIº chord inmajor and the IIº chord in minor.

The exclusion of these diminished chords is due to the fact that these chords are based on adiminished triad, which is considered too dissonant to function even temporarily as a point of resolution. There are a limited number of secondary dominants.

To differentiate between dom 7

th

chords that resolve to their intended chords and those thatdon’t, dom 7ths are recognised in two different ways. The first type are called functioningdominant chords. The 2

ndtype are called non-functioning chords. These are dom 7

thchords

that do not resolve – they create a sense of anticipation for a resolution that is not carried out,such as V7/VI going to IV, etc.


For next week: Practice analysing chord progressions that use secondary dominants.Practice transcribing simple diatonic melodies aurally.



Week 13 Exercises

Ear Training - Transcribe simple diatonic melodies by ear as played by the teacher:

Write the Roman Numerals for the chord sequences below bearing in mind secondarydominant chords (in each case, the first chord is the tonic chord).

Gmaj7 Cmaj7 A7 D7 Gmaj7

Fmaj7 Gm7 G7 C7 Fmaj7

Dmaj7 B7 E7 A7 Dmaj7



Week 14:Compound intervals & Extended Chords

Introduction



• Write and recognise compound intervals (diatonic and chromatic).• Construct and name extended chords.

• Recognise compound intervals by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

In traditional terminology, intervals within the octave are called simple intervals. Whenintervals extend beyond the octave, they are called compound intervals because they are builtfrom an octave plus a simple interval:

Octave simple interval Compound IntervalOctave + second = ninth

+ third = tenth+ fourth = eleventh+ fifth = twelfth+ sixth = thirteenth+ seventh = fourteenth

The quality of each compound interval is the same as the quality of the simple interval towhich it is related – e.g. and octave plus a major second equals a major ninth, etc.

Extended Chords

Another term commonly used to descr ibe compound intervals is extended intervals, or simply extensions, as these intervals extend beyond the octave. Extensions can also beadded to the structure of a seventh chord to produce extended chords. Because two of the extensions-the tenth and the twelfth-are duplications of the third and the fifth that arealready part of the basic chord structure, only the addition of the three remainingextensions, the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth, actually result in extended chords.

Extended chords, taking their names from the extensions themselves, are called either ninthchords, eleventh chords, or thirteenth chords. We will look separately at how eachindividual extended chord is built, but all extended chords have certain things in common:

Extended cho rds are named by th e largest unaltered interval present.For example, if the chord contains a ninth and a thirteenth, it is called a thirteenth chord, with

the presence of the smaller interval being assumed. Adding extens ions to a chord w il l not alt er t hat chord's basic harmon ic func tion . For example, both D7 and D13 are V chords in the key of G; the presence of the thirteenthdoes not change the function, even though the chord sounds fuller and more dissonant.Extended chor ds h ave the same qualities as the seventh chords on whi ch they arebased. For instance, a major seventh chord with an added ninth is called a major ninthchord, a dominant chord with an added thirteenth is called a dominant thirteenth chord, etc.Extended chords may be seen as different shades of the same color.

Building Extended Chords

Extended chords are built following exactly the same principles as for 3 and 4 note chords.The names of the chords always follow the order: root note, chord type, largest unalteredextended interval, altered extensions.



Ninth Chords

Ninth chords are constructed by adding the interval of a ninth to an existing seventhchord, regardless of its quality. Where the ninth is a major ninth, such an addition producesmajor ninth chords (from major seventh chords), minor ninth chords (from minor seventhchords), dominant ninth chords (from dominant seventh chords) and minor nine flat five chords

(from minor seventh flat five, or half-diminished chords). The chord symbols for these are, for example, C∆9, C-9, C9, C-9(b5).

Where the ninth is altered (i.e. not a major ninth), this is reflected in the chord symbol. In thiscase, the chord symbol is written as the seventh chord, with either (b9) for a minor ninth, or (#9) for a raised ninth.

The following shows the C major scale, harmonised to ninth chords, with corresponding chordsymbols given:

Note how two of these chords sound quite dissonant, due to the presence of ‘avoid notes’.

Eleventh Chords

Eleventh chords are created by adding an eleventh interval to an existing ninth chord. Again,where the eleventh is altered, this is reflected in the chord symbol by adding (b11) for a minor eleventh, or (#11) for an augmented eleventh.The following shows the G major scale harmonised to eleventh chords:

Again, note how some of these chords sound dissonant due to the avoid notes – in particular,the major eleven chord and the dominant eleventh chord. This dissonance is not present inthe Lydian mode, the ∆9(#11) chor d.

In summary, chords with major 3rds and #11, as well as chords with minor 3rds and natural11 do not sound dissonant.

Thirteenth chords

Complete 13th

chords are built by adding the interval of a major thirteenth to an existing 11th

chord, taking into account the rules stated above regarding altered thirteenths. It is veryimportant to note, however, that extended chords are usually voiced with fewer notes thanthose that are theoretically possible. The most common note to leave out of a 13

thchord is the

11th. If a 13

thchord does contain an 11

th, and the 11

this altered, the alteration must be written

into the name of the chord. E.g. C13 (#11).

The following shows the D major scale harmonised to thirteenth chords, with chord symbolsgiven.



It’s worth pointing out that the construction of extended chords as above is a theoretical rather than practical construction. This construction tells us which notes are in each extended chord.However, in practice it is unlikely that extended chords will be voiced as they are above, andnot all the notes of the chord will necessarily be played.


Practice writing and recognising compound intervals. Practice recognising compoundintervals by ear.

Week 14 Exercises

Ear Training - Practice recognising in tervals – simple and compound:

Write the following extended chords:

Identify the following extended chords:



Week 15:Modes

Introduction



• Write and recognise all seven of the major scale modes.• Recognise each of the modes, played in sequence, by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.


To get the most from this lecture you need to practice this material in your own time. Makesure you revisit the material you learn in the lesson before you come back to the next lesson.This will help you to remember the important elements.

Lecture content

Major scales contain seven different notes

Modes of the major scale are created when all of the notes in a major scale are played in

order starting from any note in that scale. E.g. Starting a C major scale on D and finishing it

on D

This gives us seven different scales with a unique interval structure, all related to the original

major scale, which is referred to the parent or master scale.

The seven modes of the major scale are named as follows:

1. IONIAN (Major Scale)

2. DORIAN

3. PHRYGIAN

4. LYDIAN

5. MIXOLYDIAN

6. AEOLIAN (Natural Minor Scale)

7. LOCRIAN



These are the modes of the C major scale:

C Ionian

D Dorian

E Phrygian

F Lydian

G Mixolydian

A Aeolian

B Locrian

There are various methods for learning how to recognise the modes aurally.


Practice writing and recognising the major scale modes. Practice recognising the modes byear.



Week 15 Exercises

Ear Training – Practise recognising the modes aurally. First Ionion, Lyd ian andMixolydian, then Dorian and Aeolian and finally Phrygian and Locr ian.

Write the following modes:

Construct the following modes:

1. A Dorian

2. Bb Lydian

3. G Phrygian

4. A Mixolydian

5. D# Locrian

6. B Aeolian

7. F Lydian

8. C Dorian

9. Gb Ionian

10. F#

Locrian



Week 16:Modes in practice

Introduction



• Analyse a selection of songs that make use of minor modes such as Dorian & Aeolian.

• Recognise the major scale modes, played out of sequence, by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Each mode of the major scale fits with a specific chord typeThe formula of the mode tells us which chord type the mode fits withThis relates directly to the harmonised major scale

NO. MODE FORMULA CHORD TYPE SYMBOL1. Ionian R 2 3 4 5 6 7 major 7 ^

2. Dorian R 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 minor 7 m7

3. Phrygian R b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 minor 7 m7

4. LydianR 2 3

#4 5 6 7

major 7 ^

5. Mixolydian R 2 3 4 5 6 b7 dominant 7 7

6. Aeolian R 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 minor 7 m7

7. Locrian R b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 half-diminished Ø

This shows us which modes fit with which chord types

Major 7 = Ionian, LydianMinor 7 = Dorian, Aeolian, PhrygianDominant 7 = MixolydianHalf-Diminished = Locrian

In some compositions one of the major scale modes other than Ionian may act as the ‘home’chord, or else may be used extensively throughout the piece. This is the case in what isknown as ‘modal jazz’, which developed from the 1950s with composers such as Miles Davisand John Coltrane.

Dorian Mode

Perhaps the most famous jazz album of all time, Miles Davis’ “Kind Of Blue”, was recordedwith the modal concept in mind. One tune from this album is “So What”, which usesexclusively Dorian harmony. The form is very simple – it has an AABA structure, wheresection A consists entirely of D Dorian, and section B consists entirely of Eb Dorian.



Phrygian Mode

The Phrygian mode is characteristic of Spanish music. This chord was used extensively onMiles Davis and Gil Evans’ album “Sketches Of Spain”. The following shows a typicalcadence in Spanish music – an E Phrygian chord resolving to an E major chord.

Lydian Mode

Lydian chords are commonly used today as tonic chords, and are often thought of assounding very modern. However, George Gershwin used a Lydian chord at the start of thebridge in “Someone To Watch Over Me”, and there is even a Lydian chord in “HappyBirthday”! Below is an example of a piece that extensively uses Lydian mode – WyntonMarsalis’ “Sunflowers”:

Mixolydian Mode

The simplest example of music that is uses Mixolydian mode is the 12-bar blues. Sus chordsare also based in Mixolydian mode, and there are two famous jazz recordings from the 1960sthat extensively used sus chords: Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” and John Coltrane’s“Naima”. “Maiden Voyage” consists entirely of sus chords. The vamp for this tune is shownbelow.



Aeolian Mode

Aeolian harmony is used a lot in Rock and Pop music – an example of a piece that is based in Aeolian mode is Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine”. An example of a modal jazz piece that uses Aeolian mode is the bridge to Miles Davis’ “Milestones”:


Practice analysing the modes that are used in songs from the lead sheet. Practicerecognising the major scale modes by ear.



Week 16 Exercises

Ear Training – Practise recognising the modes aurally

Write out the modes that would fit with the following chords

1. A^

2. Dm7

3. Bb7

4. GØ

5. Bbm7



Week 17:Modes from the minor scales

Introduction



• Construct the modes of melodic minor and harmonic minor from the scale spellings.• Recognise a selection of the modes from the minor scales by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.


To get the most from this lecture you need to practice this material in your own time. Makesure you revisit the material you learn in the lesson before you come back to the next lesson.This will help you to remember the important elements.

Lecture content

In last weeks lesson we built scales from each of the degrees of a major scale in order to findthe major scale modes. We can do a similar thing from the degrees of minor scales:

Harmonic minor

Degree Name Notes Notes in C

I Harmonic minor

II Locrian #6

III Ionian Augmented

IV Romanian

V PhrygianDominant(Spanish)

VI Lydian #2

VII Ultralocrian



Melodic Minor

Degree Name Notes Notes in C

I Jazz Minor

II Dorian b9

III Lydian Augmented

IV LydianDominant

V Mixolydian b6

VI Semilocrian

VII Superlocrian


Practice writing and recognising the modes from the minor scales. Practice recognising a

selection of the minor scale modes by ear.

Week 17 Exercises

Ear Training - Practice recognising the major modes and selected minor modes:

(Lydian dominant, Phrygian dominant, superlocrian, harmonic and melodic minor)



Week 18:Review / Mock exam

Introduction



• Practice all material covered in term two ready for the exam in week 19.

Complete the mock assessment paper and mark it yourself.


For next week: Practice all material covered in term two ready for the exam in week 19



Week 21:Review term 2 assessment & new chord lis t

Introduction


• Identify any issues arising from the term 2 assessment.• Identify a selection of extended chord structures by ear.


Review the term 2 assessment and answer any questions arising.

Go through the chord list below – these are the chords that are tested for this term.

CHORD NAME SYMBOL FORMULA

Major 7 C^ R 3 5 7

Major 9 C^9 R 3 5 7 9

Major 7 #11 C^7(#11) R 3 5 7 #11

Major 9 #11 C^9(#11) R 3 5 7 9 #11

CHORD NAME SYMBOL FORMULA

Minor 7 Cm7 R b3 5 b7

Minor 9 Cm9 R b3 5 b7 9

Minor 11 Cm11 R b3 5 b7 9 11

Minor Major 7 Cm^ R b3 5 7

Dominant 7 C7 R 3 5 b7

Dominant 9 C9 R 3 5 b7 9

Dominant 11 (no 3rd

) C11 R 5 b7 9 11

Dominant 13 (no 11th) C13 R 3 5 b7 9 13

Dominant 7 #9 C7(#9) R 3 5 b7 #9

Dominant 7 b9 C7(b9) R 3 5 b7 b9

Dominant 7 #11 C7(#11) R 3 5 b7 #11

Dominant 7 #5 C7(#5) or C+7 R 3 #5 b7

Half-diminished CØ or Cm7(b5) R b3 b5 b7

Diminished 7 Cº7 R b3 b5 bb7



Week 21 Exercises

Ear Training - Recognise the listed chords by ear:


For next week: Get as familiar as possible with the chord list.



Week 22:Transposition

Introduction


• Recap / review last week’s content / exercises.• Apply various methods of transposition to transpose chord sequences and written

music.• Transpose melody and chords for playback by different instruments

• Transcribe melody by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

In this lesson you will be asked to demonstrate your skills in transposing melodies and chordprogressions. There are a couple of methods you can use. They will both give you the sameresult.

Chord Numbers

First identify the key of the original chord progression and work out the chord numbers for each chord. Using the chord numbers then work out the chords in the new key.

For example: Transpose the following to the key of Bb major:

A Bm7 E7 A

First work out the key – A major – we know this because of the E7. A dominant 7th chord isusually the fifth of the key. We can see the last two chords make a perfect (V – I) cadence.

The fact that Bm7 (chord II) is minor confirms this. Chords 2, 3 and 6 are normally minor.Now write in the chord numbers:

I IIm7 V7 I A Bm7 E7 A

To transpose to Bb major work out the I, IIm7 and V7 in Bb major. The chord quality remainsthe same. E.g.Bb Cm7 F7 Bb

Intervals

Another way to transpose the chord progression is to change the root note of each chord bythe interval requested. Again, work out the old key, and then work out the interval to the newkey. IN the A – Bb case it is up a semitone or a minor2nd.

Move all the chords up the same distance.

Sometimes it is necessary to arrange a melody to a different key.

Take a look at this melody:

It is in G-major. We know this because there is one sharp in the key signature, and there areno D-sharps to indicate a leading tone to E-minor.If we were to transpose this to F major, it would look like this:



There are several ways to transpose melodies, and it is recommended that you become

familiar with all of them, and use one method to check against the other. The following threemethods will assume that you have been given the original key, and the key that you will betransposing the melody to. Let's use these methods to transpose our melody from G-major toF-major.The first step to using any of the following three methods is to place the clef, time signature,and the new key signature on a staff.

METHOD 1. Transposing by Scale degree When transposing a melody into a new key, the scale degrees, or technical names, willremain the same. In other words, if the melody begins on the tonic in the original key, it willbegin on the tonic of the new key. If it ends on the submediant in the original key, it will endon the submediant of the new key, and so on. In the first example above, the melody beginson the tonic of the original key, G-major. Therefore, the new melody will begin on the tonic of

the new key, F-major.You can then go through the entire G-major version of the excerpt, determine the technicalname (scale degree) of each note, and write the same degree in the new F-major version.

METHOD 2. Transposing by Harmonic Interval You know that the original key is G-major and the new key is F-major. Now determine theinterval between those two notes:

From your knowledge of intervals, you know that the 'F' is a major 2nd lower than the 'G'.Therefore all the notes in the new melody will be a major second (whole tone) lower than theoriginal G-major melody:

METHOD 3. Transposing by stave distance

Take the original melody and determine the distance between the first note in the original keyand the first note in the new key. Look at the relationship between the two notes on the staveand make that relationship common throughout the piece.In reality, you will probably use a combination of all three methods at different times and alsoto check on against the other.

Common Transposing Instruments

• Clarinet is usually a Bb instrument. The most common clarinet sounds one wholestep lower than written, so parts for it must be written one whole step higher thanconcert pitch. Like French horns, clarinets used to come in several different keys, andclarinets in A (with parts that are written a minor third higher) and other keys can stillbe found.

• Alto and Baritone Saxophone are Eb instruments. Parts for alto saxophone aretransposed up a major sixth. Parts for bari sax are transposed up an octave plus amajor sixth.

• Tenor and Soprano Saxophone are Bb instruments. Parts for soprano sax are writtena step higher than they sound, and parts for tenor sax are transposed up an octaveplus a whole step (a major ninth).

• English Horn is an F instrument. Parts for English horn are transposed up a perfectfifth.

• Trumpet and Cornet can be in B flat or C, depending on the individual instrument. Bflat is the more common key for cornet. If you are writing for a particular player, youmay want to find out if a C or B flat part is expected.

•

French horn parts are usually written in F these days, up a perfect fifth. However,because of the instrument's history, older orchestral parts may be in any conceivabletransposition, and may even change transpositions in the middle of a piece. Becauseof this, some horn players learn to transpose at sight.

• Alto flute is in G, written a fourth higher than it sounds.



• Tubas and euphoniums may also be transposing instruments. Some tuba andeuphonium parts are written as bass clef C parts (sometimes even when theinstrument played is nominally not a "C instrument". But in British-style brass bands,BBb and Eb tubas (called basses) are written in treble clef. The BBb is written twooctaves and a major second higher than it sounds, and the Eb an octave and a major sixth higher than it sounds. in France (and in the case of parts printed in France), you

find Bb euphoniums (calles basses or petites basses) written for in bass clef transposing by a major second, and bass tubas (called contrebasses) in Bb writtenfor in bass clef transposing by a major ninth. If you are writing for a particular group or player, you may want to check to see what kind of instrument is available and whattransposition the player is comfortable with.

Some transposing instruments do not change key, but play an octave higher or lower thanwritten.

• Guitar parts are written one octave higher than they sound.• Men's voices, when given a melody written in treble clef, will usually sing it one

octave lower than written.• String Bass parts are written one octave higher than they sound.

• Piccolo parts are written one octave lower than they sound.

• Contrabassoon parts are written one octave higher than they sound.• Handbell and handchime parts are written one octave lower than they sound.


For next week: Practice transposition exercises. Practice transcribing melody and chords.



Week 22 Exercises

1. Transpose the following melody:

Change to D major

Change to Bb major

Change to F major

Exercise 2Transpose the following melody:

Change to E minor

Change to B minor

Exercise 3

Transpose the following melody for the instruments named below:

1. Trumpet2. Alto Sax3. French Horn



Week 23:Score writing for a band

Introduction


• Recap / review of last week’s content / exercises.• Apply notational conventions for common band instruments: guitar, bass, keyboards

and drums.• Notate a basic score for a band line up from a lead sheet.

• Transcribe melody and chords by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Writing For A Small Band

Example; ‘That’s What Friends Are For’ (Burt Bacharach/Carole Sager)

The MD part has additional cues, in the example here the keyboard player is the MD,although this is not always the case.

Keyboards/MD

The keyboard part may contain other cues, so that the keyboard player can MD the band if necessary, and cover any additional parts in a smaller band situation. Chord symbols shouldalways be provided, in case the player is a poor reader, and as a general guide. Usuallywritten on two staves this can often be reduced to just one with any particular lines, perhapsstring or brass, plus chords. Rhythm notes can be written with chords, especially in jazz andbig band charts. Piano (acoustic, Rhodes, Wurlitzer) is generally the default sound, usuallyplayed on a dedicated, weighted keyboard. Additional sounds such as brass, strings, organ,and clavinet can be added with a second keyboard/synth.

Intro: Electric piano playing a specific chord part with additional pad. In smaller bandsituations where there is no harmonica player you could write the harmonica part for thekeyboard player. This may mean dispensing with the pad sound unless it can be layered withthe piano.

A: Chords plus soft pad. This could be simplified to chords and rhythm indications, but herethe chords need more specific voicings.

B: Chords with a soft pad.

E: Chords with a specific string line.

G: Outro like the intro is quite soft, so chords only.

Guitar

Guitarists like chord symbols, and the top note of the chord will help to simplify reading morespecific voicings. Often a chord symbol with notated rhythm will suffice. If you write lines, or solos, which are notoriously difficult to read on guitar, write the chords in. If it is not necessaryfor the guitarist to perform the same solo, just write in the first bar or so as a stylistic guide.Guitar on this song is not a featured instrument.

Intro: Tacet

A: Guitarists understand such directions as ‘light country’ ‘rock’ ‘funky’ etc.. They will havebasic sounds readily available at the flick of a footswitch such as ‘rock sound’



‘clean’. These indications will help the player decide on the correct approach. The verse inthis example starts with guitar playing light ‘chips’ using a ‘clean sound’.

B: Rhythm indications with chords with specific licks written in.

E: Increasing in volume through the repeated choruses.

There are many different guitar techniques, and corresponding ways of writing them.

Drums

The most important uses of a drum part are for general arrangement, intro, verse, chorus,stops, starts and any hits. The first few bars should have enough information for the basicstylistic groove, and every drummer will play it his/her own particular way. Drummers like tosee the words ‘play 7’ after the first bar has been notated. For all instruments start a new lineat the beginning of a new section wherever possible, and do not overwrite. Drummers knowmore about how a groove should be played than I do, and also how to play a fill, unless it isspecific. As a general rule, underwrite the part and rely on the drummer’s knowledge.

Intro: Tacet

A: Very little in the first verse, keeping time with the foot on the hi hat.

B: Simple part with side stick. It would also be possible to give a basic style and allow theplayer to deal with the details. But as this song builds in a subtle way I have written out partsin the first two bars of each new section.

D: Playing ride cymbal, snare on the head, and sixteenth notes in the bass drum help thesong to build.

E: Fills not written out in full, but left to the player’s discretion.

Bass

Chord charts are often acceptable, but here I have transcribed the original part to retain thefeel of the arrangement. Chord symbols are very helpful, although in this case the part is fairlysimple. Again, do not write in complicated fills (use the word ‘fill’), and if the rhythm is acomplicated but repetitive, use ‘sim’ with a chord chart.

When writing a score there are lots of symbols and conventions to learn and many means tothe same end. The best way to learn is to study other players parts and practice writing asmuch as possible.




For next week: Continue working on score writing. Continue practicing transcribing melodyand chords.



Week 23 Exercises

Ear Training – Full transcript ion - Transcribe the melodies with chords as played by theteacher:



Week 24:Harmonisation of a lead sheet

Introduction

By the end of the session, a successful student will beable to:

• Recap / review of last week’s content / exercises.• Harmonise a lead sheet using root and guide tones

• Review chords for aural and full transcription• Summarise today’s lesson content.



Week 24 Exercises

Ear Training – Review Chord li st and full transcript ion

Harmonise the following melody using root and guide tones, four notes including the melody.Make sure the melody is your highest note and the root your lowest note. Harmony notesshould show good voice leading but remain evenly spaced to avoid gaps in the harmony.Try to avoid putting harmony notes too close to the melody note – generally no closer than athird, and no lower than E below middle C.



Week 25:Score writing for a band

Introduction


• Recap / review of last week’s content / exercises.• Complete the score for a band line up from a lead sheet.

• Practice all material covered in the Aural section of the term.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Week 25 Exercises

Ear Training – Full transcr iption and chord list

Ar range the lead sheet below fo r the l ine up given on the score:

The line up in this example is comprised of six instruments:

DrumsBass guitar Guitar KeyboardTrumpetTenor Sax

The drum kit is used to provide rhythm and is crucial in helping to create the style of themusic.

The Bass guitar is used to underpin the harmony. It acts as a bridge between the drums andthe harmony

The guitar can play chords and/or melody. The sound of the guitar also helps to define thestyle.

The Keyboard is used to play chords and melody. In small band situations, it is also used toplay string and brass parts as well as piano, elec piano and organ.

The Trumpet in Bb can only play single notes and is good for playing melody or counter melody.

The Tenor sax is also a single note instrument and is used in ways similar to a trumpet.



Week 26:Chord substitutions

Introduction


• Recap / review of last week’s content / exercises.• Apply chord families and turnaround substitution to reharmonise a chord sequence.

Analyse the harmony used in songs.• Transcribe a melody of increasing complexity by ear.


Chord Substitutions

Substituting one chord for another in a song, changes the sound of the melody against theharmony. Chord substitutions can be used to create more dissonance and ‘pull’ against themelody. They can change the mood of a piece making it darker or lighter than the originalsequence. They can be used to change key, make a progression sound smoother and canchange the harmony from a traditional to a more modern sound.

1. Changing the qualityThis means changing the type of chord, keeping the same root note.Look at the following standard II – V – I progression in the key of Bb major,The I^7 chord can be substituted for another type of seventh:

Other possible choices might be Bbm7 or Bbm^72. Changing to a similar chord

This means substituting a chord that has notes in common with the original chord.Harmonising the major scale to sevenths, shows that chords a third apart have three notes incommon with each other. These also go by the name of ‘chord families’.

Chord I can be substituted for chords III and VI

Chord IV can be substituted for chords II and VIChord V can be substituted for chords III and VII

3. Putting a chord V before a I chord

4. Putting a II chord before a V chord

5. Putting a V chord before a V chord (secondary dominants)

Remember the melody note must work with the new chord.



Tritone Substitution

Another type of chord substitution that is used in popular music, especially jazz influencedstyles, is commonly called tritone (or flat five) substitution. This occurs when a functioningdominant 7

thchord is replaced by the dominant 7

thwith its root a diminished (flat) 5

thinterval

away. As in diatonic substitution, the result is a change in the bass line and voice leading

without a change in the overall chord function. All dominant 7

th

chords contain a tritonebetween the 3rd

and the 7th. Tritone substitution is possible because the two dominant 7

th

chords share the same tritone interval.The tritone is a dissonant interval, and this dissonance at the heart of the dominant 7

thchord

is what gives the chord the feeling of wanting to resolve to the consonant major or minor tonicchord. In flat five substitution, the substitute chord contains the same tritone as the originaldominant 7

thchord, meaning that it can resolve to the same tonic even though it is built on an

entirely different root.

Look at the following chords

G7 and Db7What is the 3

rdand 7

thnote of G7?

What is the 3

rd

and 7

th

note of Db7?

Although the roles of the notes are reversed, the 3rd

and 7ths (the two most important notes)

form the same tritone interval and thus have the same harmonic effect.

Look at the following resolutions to the tonic chords:

Now compare this:

The most obvious result of a flat five substitution is a chromatic descending bass line rather than a bass line descending in 4ths or 5ths.

The substitute chord is analysed as bII7 (flat two seven). This process is usually only appliedto functioning dominant 7

thchords.

The above chord progressions show that the functioning dominant chord G7 can besubstituted by a Db7 through tritone substitution. Similarly, a functioning Db7 chord can besubstituted by a G7 chord by the same process. Therefore we may view G7 and Db7 as apair of dominant chords that can substitute for each other through tritone substitution. Thereason is because they share the same notes for the 3

rdand the 7

th.

In total there are 12 dominant chords (as there are 12 notes in the octave. All of thesedominant chords will pair up in the same way as G7 and Db7 – the rule being that dominantchords will pair up when they share the same notes for the 3

rdand the 7

th. There is always an

enharmonic difference in the spelling of these notes between the two chords, but that is

unimportant in the application of tritone substitution. Secondary Dominant Application



Flat five substitution may also be applied to functioning secondary dominant chords as well asV7 in minor keys. Like secondary dominants, flat five substitutions are analysed according totheir function. In the key of C major for example the progression of Gb7 – F∆7 is analysed asbII7/IV – IV∆7 (flat two seven of four to four major seven).

Rules:

Flat five substitution usually applies to functioning dominant 7th

chords onlyFlat five substitution results in a chromatic descending bass line.They are analysed according to their relationship to the chord of resolution, either the tonic of the key or the temporary resolution of a secondary dominant.

To the ear, tritone substitution is a subtle change in the direction of the bass line, not adramatic change in harmony. This means that a bass player can play a descendingchromatic bass line while the guitarist plays the original progression (or vice versa).

This kind of chord substitution is used in Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “One Note Samba”:


Start to do revision on all elements covered.

Week 26 Exercises

Ear training – Go through various aural exercises including Full transcription, thechord list and more complex rhythms.

Complete the following table of ‘tritone pairs’ of dominant chords:

G7 Db7C7 A7E7D7Bb7



Week 27:Re-harmonising a lead sheet

Introduction


• Recap / review of last week’s content / exercises.• Reharmonise a lead sheet using a selection of concepts covered in the course.

• Recognise a chord progression of increasing complexity by ear.• Summarise today’s lesson content.

Talk about re-harmonising lead sheets. Re-emphasise substitution material from previousweeks.

Week 27 ExercisesEar Training – Practise all material ready for assessment

Re-harmonise this lead sheet from week 26. Use the various substitutions that we havelearned about in previous weeks.


Prepare for the Assessment. Go through all term 3 material.Items you will be tested on include:

Aural

Recognising the list of chordsTranscribing a more complex rhythmTranscribing a melody with chords

Theory

Harmonising a lead sheetRe-harmonising using substitutionsScoring a lead sheet for a small band.



Week 28:Review / Mock exam

Introduction



• Practice all material covered in term three ready for the assessment paper in week29.

Complete the mock assessment paper and mark it yourself.


For next week: Practice all material covered in term three ready for the exam in week 30

theory and harmony notes

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