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Chapter Two - Keyboard
Music theory usually is easier to grasp when it is applied to and experienced on a musical instrument. This chapter will relate the musical alphabet and other musical ideas to the keyboard (piano, organ or synthesizer) and guitar fretboard.
For those who have no prior instrumental experience it is suggested that you study the sections on keyboard. Guitarists who have playing experience but little or no theory background will find the section on guitar of interest.
Before a discussion of theory can begin a few definitions must be presented.
the smallest interval in the 12-tone system, used as the basic unit with which to measure the size of other intervals. The abbreviation "H" is used often throughout this book. On other occasions the number 1 is used as an abbreviation for a half step.
A whole step is two half steps in size. The abbreviation "W" is used throughout this book. On other occasions the number 2 is used as an abbreviation for a whole step.
A sharped note is one half-step higher than the natural letter name, this is often (but not always) a black key on the keyboard. Examples; C# is one half-step higher than C, F# is one half-step higher than F.
example: E b
A flatted note is one half-step lower than the natural letter name, this is often (but not always) a black key on the keyboard. Examples; Eb is one half-step lower than E, and Bb is one half-step lower than B.
example: C natural
A natural note is the same as the original letter name. The term is usually used to make clear that a previously sharped or flatted note has been restored to its natural letter name.
The following example shows C-sharp then E-flat followed by C and E (both natural).
- An octave is the distance of 12 half steps. The musical alphabet along with the terms "sharp" and "flat" are used to assign names for all of the notes in one octave range. Additional octaves (using the same names) are added as needed to accommodate the different instrumental and vocal ranges.
Half steps on the Keyboard
The following animated graphic shows all of the consecutive half steps intervals for one octave of the keyboard.
The interval of a half-step occurs between any note (white key or black key) and its immediate adjacent neighbor. Most white keys have a black key the interval of one half-step away except for the half-step intervals between B-C and E-F (there is no black key between B and C or between E and F). All black keys have a white key the interval of one half-step away.
Whole steps on the Keyboard
Most adjacent white keys (C-D, D-E, F-G, G-A, and A-B) are the interval of a whole-step away. Most adjacent black keys (C#-D#, F#-G#, and G#-A#) are the interval of a whole-step away. Other whole-step combinations include B-C#, E-F#, Bb-C, and Eb-F.
The following animation shows a series of whole steps, first from the note C then from the note C#.
The previous chapter on Pitch has introduced the 7 letter names used in music notation and discussion. The system of music used throughout most of western culture is based on a 12 tone per octave system. The letter names explain 7 of the 12 tones, but what about the other 5 tones of the system? These remaining tones have a letter name followed by the symbol "#" ("sharp") or the symbol "b" ("flat"). Any letter name can be followed by symbol "#" or "b". With 7 different letter names and three versions of each letter name (each having a "sharp" name and "flat" name as well as its original "natural" name) there would appear to be 21 different tones (3 x 7 = 21)! Several of the 21 different names have the same sound and in fact there are only 12 different tones per octave in this system. All of the 12 tones have more than one name to describe that sound. The context of the music will determine which name is most appropriate. This is common in music and is known as "enharmonics" (two different names that sound the same). It is because of enharmonics and the arrangement of the letter names within the pitch system that we have a 12 tone system instead of 21 tone system.
The Keyboard is considered the best instrument on which to demonstrate music theory concepts. All musicians can benefit from the study of the keyboard. The first task is memorizing the letter names of the white keys on the keyboard. Notice the pattern of the black keys (2 black keys, 3 black keys, 2 black keys, 3 black keys, etc.). A landmark white key note lies to the immediate left of the group of 2 black keys. Those white keys are called "C".
Another landmark white key lies to the immediate left of the group of 3 black keys. Those white keys are called "F"
The other letter names of the musical alphabet are assigned to the remaining white keys as shown below.
(from left to right C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A and B)
Using the treble clef, the letter names are C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A and B.
Using the bass clef, the letter names are also C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G,A and B. These notes are two octaves lower than the notes shown above in Treble Clef.
The pattern is repeated up and down the full range of the keyboard.
Although the black keys have a different look about them, one must understand that they are notes just the same as the white keys and are used to create music just as the white keys are used. They are arranged in such a way as to help keyboard players literally "feel" their way around the musical alphabet. The black keys are the notes that have the "sharp" and "flat" names.
First the notes that have "sharp" names.
B# C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C# D# E# F# G# A# B#
The black keys are used for 5 of the 7 "sharp" note names and these 5 are the most commonly used of the sharp notes. Two less frequently used sharps are also available: B# and E#. These notes are enharmonic to C and F respectively (that is , they are white keys!). Since a sharp raises any note one half-step and it has previously been noted that the interval between B-C and E-F is a half-step, it is logical that B# and E# would sound the same as C and F respectively . This is the first of many enharmonic situations that illustrates how 12 tones can accommodate 21 different names.
The notes with "flat" names are shown below.
Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Bb
The black keys are used for 5 of the 7 "flat" note names and these 5 are the most commonly used of the flat notes. Two less frequently used flats are also available: Cb and Fb. These notes are the enharmonic equivalents to B and E respectively (Cb and Fb are white keys). Notice that all of the black keys have both a "sharp" name and a "flat" name. These enharmonic duplicates complete the explanation of the 12 tone (with 21 names) system.
(Of interest only to the Left Brained)
12 tones = 7 letter names + 5 sharp names
(2 sharp names are enharmonics of natural letter names and not counted as different tones)
(all of the flat names are enharmonics and not counted as different tones)
21 names = the above 12 names + 2 sharp names not counted above + 7 flat names
Actually, it is even more involved because there are rare instances when a double sharp is used, leading to even more names for the same 12 sounds! We will see the double sharps in action later on in the context of the Harmonic and Melodic minor scales.
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