ufcexr-20-1multimedia sound production music notation: scales and key signatures

UFCEXR-20-1Multimedia Sound Production

Multimedia Sound Production

Music Notation: Scales and Key Signatures


Agenda

Theory and Conventions Basic Structure Scales Key Signatures and Notation Sharps and Flats Patterns


Theory and Conventions

The piano has 88 keys - 52 white and 36 black Each key plays a note of a certain pitch Groups of eight adjacent notes form an Octave Structured ordered sequences of notes are called Scales Depending on the scale - the black notes are referred to as

Sharp (#) or Flat (b) when used in the given scale The simplest scale is C Major which only uses the white notes

on the keyboard i.e. has no sharps or flats Other scales use black notes to provide the correct musical

structure, e.g the scale of F Major has one flat - Bb The resulting scale structure us called the Chromatic Scale


Octaves

An octave consists of all the notes from the first noteto the next same note on the keyboard - above is the octave from C to C

Playing these notes in sequence represents the Scale of C Major

C D E F G A B C


Scale Structures

Notes in a scale ‘sound right’ perceptually when the notes follow a certain

sequence of pitch. For any given note, the next physically adjacent note

may be either a tone or semitone away in musical distance.

In modern music the sequence of tones and semitones must have the following

pattern to ‘sound right’ for a given scale. This note-to-note distance

is called an Interval

tone

tone semitonetone

tonetone semitone

Key of C Major


Scale Structures for other keys

Only the key of C Major achieves the required structure by using only the

white notes, all other keys must use one or more black notes to achieve

the correct sequence - Tone Tone Semitone Tone Tone Tone Semitone

between adjacent notes within a given scale.

The key of F Major requires a black note to be played below thefourth note (B) in the sequence (B) to maintain the correct sequence.

tone

tone

semitonetone

tone tone semitone

Key of F Major

b


Scale Structures for other keys

The key of G Major above requires a black note above the usual seventh note (F) in the sequence ‘F sharp’ (F) to maintain the correct sequence.

tone tone

semitone tone

tone

tone

semitone

#

The scale of A Major has three sharps C, F and G

##

#


Key Signatures

The above octave notes sequence represents the Scale of A Major and any piece written or played in this scale is said to be in the Key of A Major.

The scale of A Major with Key Signature C, F and G

Rather than write a sharp or flat symbol ahead of each note that has to be modified for a given scale all symbols are placed in the first bar on the stave note values which are affected - this is called the Key Signature

##

#

##

#


Modifying Notes within Key Signatures

If a note has to be played without being sharpened or flattened then a symbol will be placed ahead of the note indicating the note to be played in its natural form. This will last for the bar in which the symbol occurs unless otherwise modified.

This G played natural

This G played sharp


Music Notation

44

Staves, Clefs, Bars, Notes, Rests, Time Signatures and Key Signatures


Further Notes and Modifications

Triplets - three notes to a beat

33

Tied notes played as one note


Essential ReadingRead the following to support and extend your understanding:

C

D

E

F

A

B

C

G


A or G

G or F

B or AE or D

D or C

Sharps and Flats

Whether a note is played sharp or flat depends on the key of the piece


Pattern of twelve notes repeated across the keyboard

1

2

3

4

5

6

C - B including

sharps / flats

88 Keys


Write out the notes on your staves. For each note and rest, label

the note or rest value, pitch, and identify the keyboard position

44


For each note identify the keyboard position


Essential ReadingRead the following to support and extend your understanding:

Charlton: pages 232 -307 Intervals, Scales and Key Signatures

ufcexr-20-1multimedia sound production music notation: scales and key signatures

Documents

scale sound

scale of f major

given scale

note f

key of g major

black notes

note b

simplest scale