AP Music Theory esthampton Beach High School Summer 2017 Review Sheet and Exercises elcome to AP Music Theory! Our 2017-18 class is relatively small (only 8 students at this time), but you come from a variety of backgrounds. Some have had Music Theory I, some study at outside schools, some have take private lessons, and others have had little or no formal music theory. ith that in mind, we need to review some basic concepts so that we can get the year off to a good start. This review packet will cover the following topics: Music Symbols Note Identification Key Signatures Intervals The Circle of Fifths Major Scales Minor Scales Also included in this packet is a list of vocabulary for the course as well as a reference sheet. The material in those two sheets will be covered throughout the year, but you may want to look them over and see if you already know some of the content. The first section of the packet is review and reference material, and the second part is exercises that you need to complete. The completed packet is due the first day of school when you will take a written assessment to see where you need more work. Enjoy your summer, relax, recharge and have fun, but pace yourself and don t wait until the last day to complete the material or you ll spend your vacation feeling guilty that you haven t done it. See you in September! Mr. MacDougall
Part 1 Review and Reference Material
Basic Music Symbols Parts of a Note Beam The purpose of the clef sign is the same as the labels used on scientific graphs - they are reference points! The original G clef (treble clef) actually LOOKED like a G and indicated where that pitch was on the staff. Over the years the G clef symbol evolved into what we see today. Evolution of the G Clef
The same thing is true for the F clef (bass clef). It originally looked like an F but evolved into the modern symbol which looks nothing like an F. Evolution of the F Clef Finally we come to the C clef which is moveable. Depending on where the middle of the clef is placed on the staff, it is either a tenor or an alto clef. Evolution of the C Clef Regardless of where it s placed, it points to middle C. Middle C is one ledger line below the G clef, or one ledger line above the F clef. Middle C on the Alto Clef Ledger Line Middle C on the Tenor Clef Middle C above the F clef and below the G clef Middle C
Note and Rest Value Comparison hole Half Quarter Eighth Sixteenth Note Rest Order of Sharps and Flats Sharps and flats appear in a specific order in key signatures and their relationship is a mirror image of the other. Order that sharps appear F C G D A E B Order that flats appear The pattern of sharps and flats on the G and F clefs is very specific.
Use the following steps to determine the Major key when there is a sharp key signature: ith a sharp key signature, go to the last sharp on the right, go up one letter name, check to see if that note is sharp. That s the Major key name. In this example, we have C# Major. Use the following steps to determine the Major key when there is a flat key signature: ith a flat key signature, go to the next to the last flat and that is the Major key name. In this example, we have Cb Major. The only two Major keys that this doesn t work is with C Major and F Major. These have to be memorized. C Major F Major
Basic Intervals hen determining intervals, begin with the lower note and count up the basic note names (not including sharps and flats) to the upper note. The lower note, upper note, and all note names in between are included to determine the basic interval. C - 3 B - 2 A - 1 In this example, when you count the lower, upper, and all notes between, (A, B, C) the basic interval is a third. Specific Intervals To determine the specific interval, you not only have to count the number of basic note names between pitches, but you also must see if the upper note fits into a Major scale built on the lower note. e already determined that this is a third, but now we must determine exactly what kind of third we have. In the key of A Major, the upper note, C, would normally be a sharp. Since the upper note in this example is natural, it is a half step lower than major, therefore, this is a minor 3rd. In the following example, the count from bottom to top (G, A, B, C, D) is a fifth. Since a D is natural in the key of G Major, this interval is called a Perfect 5th. Circle of Fifths The circle of fifths is the progression that naturally happens as you go up a perfect fifth from one Major key to another. As you move up a perfect fifth from one key to another, you add a sharp to the key signature or lose a flat.
Circle of Fifths I I If you begin at the key of Cb Major and go clockwise, a perfect fifth above is Gb Major. A perfect 5th above Gb Major is Db Major and so on. Notice that in some portions of the circle there are two keys. Those are enharmonics - two notes with the same pitch, but different names (i.e. C# and Db, F# and Gb, B and Cb).
Major Scales A major scale has half steps and whole steps arranged in a specific order. In the diagram below, whole steps are indicated by a, and half steps are indicated by H. H H If you start on any note and follow the whole step and half step pattern as shown above, you will come up with a different major scale. C D E F G A B C H H If you begin a scale on a C on piano keyboard and play just the white keys, you will play a C Major scale. All of the steps are half steps except where there are no black keys between white keys. Minor Scales If instead of beginning on a C and remaining on the white keys, you begin a scale on an A, you will now be playing an a natural minor scale. You re playing the exact same notes as in a major scale, just in a different order and the whole steps and half steps in different places. A B C D E F G A H H
Here are are the whole and half steps in an a natural minor scale as seen notated on a staff. a Natural minor H H Other Types of Minor Scales As we saw above, if you begin on an a on a piano keyboard and play the white keys up one octave, you will hear a natural minor scale. There are two other kinds of minor scales that we need to know - the Harmonic Minor Scale and the Melodic Minor Scale. A harmonic minor scale is a natural minor scale with a raised seventh scale degree. Here we have a natural minor scale. By raising the seventh scale degree of a natural minor scale one half step you now have a Harmonic Minor Scale. Harmonic Minor Scale By raising the sixth AND seventh scale degree of an ASCENDING natural minor scale, you now have a Melodic Minor Scale. Melodic Minor Scale
Part 2 Exercises
Review Exercises 1. Label the parts of the staff on the diagram below. 2. Label the parts of the notes below. 3. Identify the following clefs as either F, G, or C.
4. rite the note names below each note. 5. rite the following F clef notes on the SAME pitch (correct octave) on the blank G clef. 6. rite the following G clef notes on the SAME pitch (correct octave) on the blank C clef.
7. Identify the following Major key signatures. 8. rite the following key signatures using the proper order of sharps or flats. D Eb A C F Bb E G D Ab G Db Bb E Ab D Eb F A Cb
9. Using the following example, practice writing G clefs. 10. Using the following example, practice writing F clefs.
11. Construct the following Major scales on the G clef. Include the appropriate key signature. F D Bb B Eb G A
12. Construct the following Major scales on the F clef. Include the appropriate key signature. F D Ab E Db B G
13. Use the blank templates to complete the Circle of Fifths in both the G and F clefs. Make multiple copies for practice purposes. Major Circle of Fifths - G Clef
Major Circle of Fifths - F Clef
14. Given a natural minor scale, add accidentals to make them the indicated harmonic or melodic minor scale. Make this e natural minor scale an e melodic minor scale. Make this c natural minor scale a c harmonic minor scale. Make this f natural minor scale an f melodic minor scale. Make this b natural minor scale a b harmonic minor scale.