Fundamentals of music theory.

"Theory derives from the Ancient Greek word theoria (θεωρία), meaning "to look at". Thus Music Theory is making music visible."

Similar to the geometry of the color circle, music can be arranged cyclically and put into relationships forming patterns. These patterns are known as scales, chords and progressions. They are used to make intentional music.

music terminology

scales

Mapping frequencies.

Western music theory generally divides an octave into a series of twelve notes, called the chromatic scale.

A  A♯/B♭ B C C♯/D♭ D D♯/E♭ E F F♯/G♭ G G♯/A♭

The chromatic scale consists of 12 notes in total: 7 natural notes and 5 enharmonic notes.

Natural notes are A B C D E F G

Enharmonic notes are natural notes highered or lowered by a half step: A♯/B♭ C♯/D♭ D♯/E♭ F♯/G♭ G♯/A♭.

A♯ is pronounced A Sharp.
B♭ is pronounced B Flat.
They are the same note.

Interval Exception: the BC-EF-Rule

A special rule is the BC-EF-Rule: there are no enharmonic notes between B and C and E and F.

The chromatic scale underlining the BC-EF rule.

Scale Formulas

Scales are found using patterns of whole and half steps.

W = Whole Step
H = Half Step

Major Scale

W W H W W W H

The most commonly used Western music scale. Also called Ionian mode.

The A, C and G Major scales.

Natural Minor Scale

W H W W H W W

Also called Aeolian mode.

The A, C and G Natural Minor scales.

Diminished Scale

W H W H W H W H

A whole step / half step pattern.

The A, C and G Diminished scales.

circle of fifths

Offsetting scales by seven halfsteps.

To describe musical relationships between the pitches of the chromatic scale, they can be organised in a circle of perfect fifths, or seven half steps.

The A major scale perfect fifth.

It also describes the relationship that different scales have to one another and often showns the major, minor and diminished scales.

The circle of fifth is constituted by the 12 major scales with perfect fifth offsets.

chords

A chord is a harmonic set of three or more notes heard as if sounding simultaneously. The most frequent chords are called triads, so called because they consist of three distinct notes: the root note, the third and the fifth.

Major and minor A, C and G triads.

guitar

Guitar fundamentals.

The guitar consists of the body, the neck and the head.

Intonation - Bundrein

The pitch accuracy of all possible notes on the fretboard. Check by playing an open string and then playing the note on the 12th fret of the same string. The note should be an octave - the double frequency of the open pitch.

incoming(2) | review 2023 | cmus