Lesson 18 - 28th November 2016

We revised time signatures and note values, and particularly looked at demi-semiquavers.


We also looked briefly at triplets. This is where three notes are played in the time of two, as illustrated below:

This link explains triplets quite well.

Lesson 17 - 25th November 2016

Minor Keys

For every Major Key, there is a "relative minor".

It has the same key signature of the Major Key.

It can be found by looking for the 6th note of the major scale (or a minor 3rd down).

eg. The relative minor of G major is E Minor


The relative major is the 3rd note of the minor scale (minor 3rd).

eg. The relative major of F Minor is A Flat major.




Using this method will give you the Natural Minor (otherwise known as the Aeolian Mode). 
There are other Minors (and you will need to know the first two for Grade 5 theory).

Harmonic Minor: Raise the 7th note of the Natural Minor scale

Melodic Minor: Raise the 6th and 7th notes on the way up, on the way down it is the same as the Natural minor.

(Jazz Melodic: Raise the 6th and 7th on the way up and on the way down. (or you can just flatten the 3rd of a Major scale!))

Lesson 16 - Monday 21st November

You should start to work on the second part of Critically Cubed

Task sheet is here.

This should be completed by 2nd December

Reminder: Those of you doing the theory re-test: this will be this Friday (25th November). Make sure you have revised.

Inversions

This link explaings how inversions work.

Remember: a chord’s “inversion” only refers to which note is in the bass - the rest of the chord's voicing/spacing is irrelevant.

Lesson 15 - Friday 18th November 2016

Diatonic Harmony

In any particular key, if we use notes belonging to that key to build chords, then we call in diatonic harmony. If we use notes that don't belong to the key, we call it chromatic harmony.

eg. In C Major, the chord Eminor7 (E, G, B and D) would be diatonic as it only uses notes from C Major, whereas E7 (E, G#, B and D) would be chromatic as it includes a note from outside the key of C.

Primary and Secondary Chords in Major Keys

The Primary Chords are chords I, IV and V and are major
(ie. those built on the 1st, 4th and 5th scale degree in a particular key).

The Secondary Chords are chords ii, iii and vi and are minor

You will need to know at least 1 to 7 in roman numerals:
I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII (upper case)
i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii (lower case)


A triad is a three-note chord in a closed position with the root at the bottom.

Remember: a triad goes line, line, line or space, space, space.

Lesson 14 - Monday 14th November

Here is your other task for this term.

You will need to play scales of C, G and F Major, 2 octaves, Right hand and left hand (not together).

Plus a technical exercises / piece of music. (This will be allocated according to your ability / experience at the keyboard).

Lesson 13 - Friday 11th November

In today's lesson:

Finish the worksheets on Intervals (please leave them in a neat pile at the front of the room at the end of the lesson)

Begin work on this new task. (part 1 only!)

Lesson 12 - Monday 7th November

Intervals:

To work out the numerical interval between two notes:

Counting the bottom note as "1", count up to the top note.

eg. from C to A (C, D, E, F, G, A) is a 6th.

Similarly, on the stave:

Count all lines and spaces.


Important: There are no exceptions to this rule. Sharps, flats, double sharps and double flats make no difference to the number of the interval.



Major, Minor, Perfect, 

Imagine the bottom note of the interval is the first degree of a Major scale.

If the upper note belongs to the scale, it will be:
Major 2nd
Major 3rd
Perfect 4th
Perfect 5th
Major 6th
Major 7th
Perfect 8ve

If you flatten the top note of a major interval it becomes minor.


Diminished, Augmented?

If you sharpen the top note of a major or perfect interval, it becomes augmented.

If you flatten the top note of a minor or perfect interval, it becomes diminished.



Spelling / Enharmonic Equivalent

It is possible for 2 different intervals to sound the same (and be played the same on a keyboard).

eg. From D to G sharp is an augmented 4th
From D to A flat is a diminished 5th

G sharp and A flat are enharmonically equivalent (ie. sound the same and occupy the same space on a keyboards) so these two different intervals sound the same.

The augmented 4th / diminished 5th is also called the tritone for, I hope, obvious reasons.


RESOURCES:
There are excellent online tutorials on numerical intervals, specific intervals and how to write intervals.

You can test how well you recognise written intervals here.

(If you are confident and want to test yourself on more difficult intervals, try this.)

Guitarists and bassists:You may find this useful

Lesson 11 - 4th November 2016

This link illustrates well how key signatures do.

Note:
If a key signature has an F sharp in it, it means that every F, at every octave, will be sharp.

An accidental, (ie. a sharp, flat or natural written next to a note) lasts for the bar (eg. if there is an F sharp, an further Fs in the bar, written at the same octave will be sharpened.)




Here are some exercises to practise writing with and without key signatures.