Music Theory Sheet #1 -tre6k- C-(ef Note Names ABCDEFG

Transcription

1 Music Music Theory Sheet #1 -tre6k- C-(ef Note Names notes are named using the first seven letters of the alphabet. A B c D E F G The white notes on a keyboard are named with these letters. ABCDEFG We go forward through the musical alphabet as the notes go higher (moving to the right on the keyboard.) We go backward through the musical alphabet as the notes go lower (moving to the left on the keyboard.) The same seven letters are used over and over again. C 0 E F GAB C 0 E F G BC DEFGABC It is important to get used to the fact the next higher note after G is A, and below A is G. We say the two circled A's are an octave apart because they are 8 notes apart. Notice how the black notes are grouped in 2's and then 3's, all the way up the keyboard, over and over. The white note just to the left of a group of two black notes is always C. The C in the middle of the keyboard is called middle C. C C C C C t MiddleC \, ' <~<" DO THIS: 1) write in the names ofthe other white notes on the avove diagram. 2) the note F is always just to the left 01

2 Music Theory Sheet #2 Flats and Sharps - Part 1 We don't always use just the white notes to play music. On most band instruments, you will soon encounter notes that have the word "flat" as part of their name. Instead of writing the word "flat" we use the flat symbol ~ (It looks a little like the letter "bu.) Flat means "lower than", so the note B~ is the black note immediately to the left of the white note B. B~ B C DO TIDS: Mark the notes C. B. and Bb in two other places on the above keyboard. It is very important to realize that notes that are nats are completely ditterent notes from those with the same name without the flat. This is easy to see on a keyboard (flats are black, regular notes are white) but it is not quite so obvious on band instruments. ~ It is very important that when you learn a note that is a flat, DON'T BE LAZY AND LEAVE OFF THE WORD FIAT WHEN YOU THINK OF THE NAME OF THE NOTE. For example. if you learn the note B~, don't start calling it B. It is very important for your brain to understand that they w:e two different notes, and you can help this process by referring to the notes by their proper names. Another frequently used flat is E~. It is the black note immediately to the left of the white note E. E F e DO THIS: Mark the notes F. E. and Eb in two other places on the above keyboard.

3 Music Theory Sheet #3 Flats and Sharps - Part 2 The black notes on a keyboard do not have their own letters. Instead, their names are based on those of the white notes beside them. We saw in Lesson 2 that B~ is named after the white note B to its right. We can also name a black note after the note on its left. In this case the black note will sound higher, and is called a sharp. The sharp symbol is # (It looks a little like a number sign) The diagram below shows two of the most common sharps, PI and CI. C' F' C F DO THIS: Mark the notes cl and FI in two other places on the above keyboard. It should now be obvious that every black note can have two different names - a sharp name and a flat name. In easy music, the two most common flats are B~ and E~, and the two most common sharps are F' and CI. However, the note in between the white notes G and A is equally likely to be called G' or A~. note to begin to help your brain understand that each black note has two different names. It is a good G' or G A DO THIS: Draw arrows pointing to three other black notes that can have the name GI or Ab.... ~ With the infonnation in these first three lessons, you should be able to name any note on a keyboard, and have an understanding of the note names that will be used with your band instrument.

4 Music Theory Sheet #4 Transposing Instruments and Concert Pitch The notes on the piano are in what is known as Concert Pitch. This is true of all keyboard instruments, and other instruments like the violin. Among band intruments, the flute, oboe, trombone, baritone, tuba, and bassoon are in concert pitch. This simply means that their notes sound the same as piano notes. Many electronic keyboards can be set to transpose. If the transpose funstion is set to +2, all the notes will come out sounding higher. If the transpose function is set to -2, all the notes come out lower. The number refers to half steps or semitones. the distance between two consecutive notes on a keyboard (counting all the white and black notes). I~ C 0 a +2 transposition makes a C sound like a D. a -2 transposition makes a C sound like a Bb. Many band instruments are transposing Instruments. This has developed over centuries and is a finnly established tradition that players of those instruments have to be aware of. Players 0/ transposing instruments need to realize that their notes are not the same as the piano or other concert pitch instrument. If we want them to sound the same notes as concert pitch instruments. we have to transpose their notes to compenstate. This is why some instruments will be asked to play different notes when the director is trying to get everyone to play the "same" note., The trumpet and clarinet are -2 instruments. This means when you playa C on these instruments. it is really the B~ just below that C in concert pitch. Instruments are traditionally named after which concert pitch is produced by their note C. This is why you will see the clarinet and the trumpet referred to as the B~ Clarinet and the B~ Trumpet. The french horn Is a -7 instrument. This means when you playa C on the hom, it is really the F below that C in concert pirch. The french hom is often referred to as the F hom. (Many people think the F stands for "French" but is really refers to the transposition of the instrument.) The alto sax is a 9 instrument. That means w~en you playa C on the also sax, is it really the EJ, below that C in concert pitch. The alto sax is often referred to as the E~ Alto Sax. The tenor sax and bass clarinet are -14 instruments. Their C is really the B~ an octave (which has 12 semi tones or half steps*) and an additional -2 below in concert pitch. They are also B~ instruments, an octave lower than the clarinet and trumpet. The baritone sax is a 21 instrument. Its C is really the E~ an octave (-12) and and additional-9 below. It is also an E~ instrument, an octave lower than the alto sax. DO THIS: I play the ---', When the concert pitch instruments are playing Concert F, I play. (this is one o/the notes in Lesson 1) e (hint for transposing instruments: since you are given the concert pitch note, you have to count up to find your note)... the name octave means 8 notes, but that is based on an 8 note scale with a combination ofwhole steps and halfsteps. There are 12 halfsteps in an octave,

5 Music Theory Sheet #5 The Staff The set of lines used for writing music is called the statt A staff has five lines, numbered from the bottom Between the lines are four spaces Notes can be written on a line. The note in the example is written on the 4th line. note than "on a line" means the line cuts through the note. Notes can be written in a space. The note in the example is written in the 2nd space. o <> The relative positions of notes on the staff show whether they are high or low. Z) will sound higher than o DO THIS: Draw a whole note (like the ones above) in each ofthe positions indicated. 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd 5th 2nd 4th 4th 1st line space line space line space line space line