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Category: Basic Music Theory Lessons 1
Free beginner music theory and notation lessons from the start, kept simple
Many musicians are put off learning music theory, either because they believe it will destroy their creativity or because they’ve had some traditional music theory lessons and found them confusing or irrelevant.
My goal is to empower musicians with the tools to control their musical environment: to introduce enough basic musical language to be able to discuss and understand the basic principles which underpin the vast majority of Western music, and how to use these principles effectively in playing and creating music, regardless of genre or style.
Who is this course for?
This is a course for people with little or no music theory background, both complete beginners in music and players who have learned by ear. It is also suitable for students who have studied traditional music theory courses and want to gain some more understanding.
Creative musicians especially will benefit from the insights of this course, as the principles behind music theory are the tools for controlling the direction and scope of your musical creation, be it composition or improvisation.
This course is primarily written for adults and older children.
What grade does this course teach?
I haven’t exactly followed the grade system of any country or school. The information is the same but sometimes it is presented in a different order, making it hard to draw a comparison.
Not every single musical term covered in the grade system is covered here. In traditional theory courses there is an abundence of terminology, some of which is quite cumbersome and potentially distracts from understanding. I do, however, use all the key musical terms taught in such courses.
The focus of my course is to demonstrate how the concepts and underlying principles of music theory affect the music we play and create, and to help to understand these principles, rather than teaching them as a set of rules. Nonetheless, the information itself is the same as in any traditional music theory course.
Is this a course or a reference?
This is a structured course in basic music theory. Beginners should start with the first lesson and do the lessons in their numerical sequence.
Each lesson is clearly defined and easy to follow, with detailed explanations as well as bullet points, examples (many as mini-movies) and illustrations. There are even a few exercises at the end of most lessons, which I highly recommend.
I play by ear. Is this course relevant to me?
I strongly encourage musicians who play by ear to gain the many benefits of the language of music, such as note names, basic music notation etc. However, all musicians, no matter how they learn, should become acquainted with scales, keys and chords, particularly when working with other musicians in regular ensembles such as bands.
I have written those lessons which cover these major topics, as well as lessons on musicianship (such as basic timing), with players who learn by ear kept in mind.
Major points are demonstrated by audio and illustrations with text notation as well as mini-movies of notation with audio. Explanations and exercises cover both written and practical bases to learning.
Is this a complete course?
At the time of writing, this course is a work in progress. I regularly add new posts.
Please like and share these lessons and feel free to make comments or ask questions. This is a project driven by passion: it generates no income (unless someone buys my pocket music theory reference, The Tiny Music Theory Book). A little encouragement would help inspire me to keep going.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
In a hurry? You can scroll down to the summary here.
This lesson should really be called Relative Modes because the following applies equally to other traditional Western diatonic modes such as Dorian or Myxolydian. All these modes are relatives; they are all siblings.
A key is made up of a root note and a mode (such as major or minor).
A scale is an ordered list of the notes of a key.
A mode is the pattern of intervals from one note to the next in a scale.
A key signature is an ordered list of the notes of a key which are sharps or flats. Those not listed in a key signature are naturals.
Keys/scales are named after their root note and mode.
Let’s start by looking at the naturals, A to G – a key signature of 0 sharps or flats. We already know that we can play a major scale by starting on C (C major). We can also play a minor scale by starting on A (A minor). These are the original major and minor modes.
Both these scales, C major and A minor, use the same notes; the naturals, and have the same key signature (0 sharps/flats). The same is true for any key signature.
For any key signature there is one major and one minor key. We call these relative major and minor, because they share the same notes (the same key signature).
Here we can see C major and A minor.
The Relationship Between Relative Major And Minor
The relationship between them can be seen by their root notes.
If you start with A minor, it’s relative major, C major, is the 3rd scale note up from the root note.
If you start with C major, its relative minor, A minor, is the 3rd scale note down from the root note (or, as in the above graphic, the octave of the root note, which of course is the same).
Note: When counting scale notes, we count the starting note as the first note. For example, the 3rd note up from A is C. We count A B C.
If you already have a key signature for the major it’s really easy to count scale notes to find the relative minor. From the major’s root note just count down to the 3rd letter: the key signature takes care of the sign.
If you know the key signature of the major scale, it’s easy to find its relative minor.
In the graphic of C major and A minor, we can also see that the root notes of the relative major and minor scales are 3 semitones apart. If we don’t know the key signature, such as when reading chord charts, it’s important to count semitones as well as letters.
How To Find The Relative Minor
From a major key to its relative minor, count down to the 3rd letter.
If we don’t know the key signature, count the number of semitones between the two notes.
If you count 3 semitones, you have the right answer.
If you count 4 semitones, sharpen the note (if it’s a natural, add a sharp sign).
Example 1: What is the relative minor of Ab major?
The 3rd letter down from Ab (including A itself) is F (count A G F)
Ab is 3 semitones below F, which is the right amount.
The relative minor of Ab major is F minor.
Example 2: What is the relative minor of A major?
The 3rd letter down from A (including A itself) is F (count A G F)
F is 4 semitones below A, so we have to sharpen it to make it 3 semitones below A = F#
The relative minor of A major is F# minor.
How To Find The Relative Major
From a minor key to its relative major, count up to the 3rd letter.
If we don’t know the key signature, count the number of semitones between the two notes.
If you count 3 semitones, you have the right answer.
If you count 4 semitones, flatten the note (if it’s a natural, add a flat sign).
Example 1: What is the relative major of E minor?
The 3rd letter up from E (including E itself) is G (count E F G)
G is 3 semitones above E, which is the right amount.
The relative major of E minor is G major.
Example 2: What is the relative major of Eb minor?
The 3rd letter up from Eb (including E itself) is G (count E F G)
G is 4 semitones above Eb, so we have to flatten it to make it 3 semitones above Eb = Gb
The relative major of Eb minor is Gb major.
We call the interval between the root notes of the relative major and minor a minor 3rd. Don’t worry, we’ll look at interval names properly later in this course- I only mentioned it in case you’ve heard of it. In a nutshell, when we count intervals we include the fist and last notes, hence we call from A to C a 3rd. A minor 3rd is only 3 semitones, not 4.
Note: When counting the interval between two notes as letters, always include the first and last letter.
Once you know the relative major, you can use your memory of the cycle of 5ths for major scales to find the key signature.
Patterns
C major is the original major. All other major scales have the same pattern of intervals from note to note, the same mode, as C major, so whatever we can observe with C major is true for all major scales or keys. The same can be said for A minor: whatever we can observe with A minor is true for all minor scales/keys.
This is good news! Unlike the scientific method, where every instance needs to be proven, with scales we can treat any one example as universal. So much easier, and so much easier to remember. If you forget the relationship between relative major and minor, just look at the keys you know best, C major and A minor.
Know Your Key Signatures
Classical students learn the key signatures of all major and minor keys by rote, usually at primary school age, and often gradually, over the same period of time as they learn to play in these keys.
However, there are a couple of other options which we’ll look at below. I would like to add, though, that it’s definitely worth learning at least the most commonly used keys for your instrument and genre.
The Cycle Of Fifths And Relative Minor/Major
In 12. Key Signatures: Major Keys And The Cycle/Circle Of Fifths we discovered the relationships between major keys and the order of key signatures. We also looked at using a mnemonic to remember the order of major keys and their key signatures.
Potentially we could learn another mnemonic that starts on A instead of C for the minors but we don’t need to. If we know the major key of a key signature, we can find its relative minor by counting down to the 3rd note.
How To Find The Minor Key Of A Key Signature
As we saw with our earlier example, the key signature of three flats,
Remember (or look at) the cycle of fifths to find the major key for that key signature.
Then simply count down to the 3rd scale note to find its relative minor.
If you know the key signature of the major scale, it’s easy to find its relative minor.
How To Find The Key Signature Of A Minor Key
You can also use this in reverse. To find the key signature of a minor scale, count 3 semitones up to the 3rd letter to find its relative major, then use the cycle of fifths to remember/look up the key signature.
First, find the relative major by counting up to the 3rd letter.
Check that the interval is 3 semitones. If it’s 4 semitones, flatten the note (if it’s a natural, add a flat sign).
Now use the cycle of 5ths for major scales, either from memory or by looking below, to find the key signature.
Example: What is the key signature of G minor?
Count up to the 3rd letter = B
Count semitones =4
If 4 semitones, flatten the note = Bb. The relative major of G minor is Bb major.
Look up the relative major in the cycle of fifths (try to do this by memory): Bb major has two flats, Bb and Eb.
The relative minor, G minor, also has two flats, Bb and Eb.
Try These…
Exercise 1:
Name the major and minor keys that have the following key signatures.
Use your memory of the Cycle of fifths or see the graphic below below to find the major key, then find its relative minor by counting down to the third note. Be sure to look at the key signature to see whether that note is a sharp, flat or natural.
Exercise 2:
Now try it the other way round. Name the key signature of the following minor keys.
B minor, C# minor, Bb minor, C minor
Answers at the end of this post.
if you’ve forgotten the cycle of fifths for major keys, here it is…
The Cycle of Fifths For Major Keys
The Cycle Of Fifths For Majors And Minors
For those who just want the ultimate shortcut and have their phone on hand, have a look at The Cycle (circle) Of Fifths which shows the cycle of fifths for both major and minor keys in the same image.
How To Tell Whether A Piece Is Major Or Minor
When you see a notated part, the key signature itself doesn’t tell you whether the piece is in the major or minor key of that key signature. It is expected that the player will be able to tell, once they look at the notes.
What a player looks for is the root note. The root note is the obvious difference between relative major and minor. Once we know both the key signature and the root note, as we play, we can listen to the notes from the perspective of the intended tonality and interpret the music correctly.
So how can we tell which note is the root note?
Looking For The Root Note
In a typical piece, the root note will be evident in the first bar and again in the last bar. By evident, I mean that the note will stand out in relation to the surrounding notes. It may be the longest or strongest note, the note most repeated, or just the note that the neighbouring notes lead towards it.
This is a very broad statement and is mostly, but not always, true. It applies to music which is familiar to the ear: music which we might describe as “musical”, “melodic” or “understandable” when we listen to it.
Note: For more detail on how to find the root note of a written part, please have a look at How Can We Tell Which Key We’re In? This post includes some short examples of what to look for.
It may seem daunting to find the root note out of 7 possible notes but it’s not as bad as all that. The vast majority of music is based on the major or minor modes (and variations of the minor, but more on that in a later post) so for most genres we only need to look for one of two possible notes, not 7. Most of the other modes are more typically used in early music or folk music and publishers of these genres often specify the mode as text, in which case we don’t need to look any further…
Once we know which two notes to look for, we can have a look at the first and last bars of the music to find which one is more prominent.
Summary
To find the relative major of a minor key, count up to the 3rd note in the key signature.
To find the relative minor of a major key, count down to the 3rd note in the key signature.
When counting, don’t forget to include the note you start on in your count.
If you don’t have a key signature, such as when reading chord charts, make sure that the two root notes are also 3 semitones apart (not 4 semitones). This may require you to use a flat or sharp sign.
To find the key signature of a minor key, find its relative major as above and use the cycle of 5ths for major scales to find the key signature.
If you found this post helpful, please feel welcome to like, share or leave a comment. If you have any questions, leave them as a comment and I’ll respond as soon as I can. To stay up to date wth new posts, please subscribe.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
Notes and rests
Music is mostly made up of notes and rests.
A musical note has 5 properties:
Pitch: how high or low a note sounds.
Note length (duration): how long a note sounds for.
Dynamics: how loud or quiet a note is.
Articulation: how the note is expressed, such as an accent (the start of the note is emphasised), staccato (the note is cut off quickly) or legato (the note is played evenly for its full length).
Timbre: the tone colour or texture of a note (warm, bright, honky etc.). Timbre is usually an overall characteristic of an instrument, although players have some control over how to vary it. To a degree, notes can be made to sound warm or bright depending on how they’re played.
Dynamics, articulation and control of timbre all contribute to the expression of a note.
Other effects, such as glissando (sliding pitch), vibrato (wavering pitch) and tremolo (rapidly repeating note) are considered to be effects which are applied to notes. Apart from vibrato, which is considered a form of expression akin to timbre control, they fall under the general category of ornamentation.
A rest is like a silent note: a deliberate, timed silence between notes that forms part of the music.
Music Notation
All these qualities can be indicated in music notation.
Although notation can indicate a great deal of musical information, there is always room for interpretation by the player. Many nuances of performance can only be indicated in a general way: in order to add authenticity to the performance, it is expected that a player has some understanding of what’s appropriate to the genre and style of the music.
By far the most significant qualities of a musical note are pitch and duration.
Notes can be played one after the other, in succession, as in a melody. Notes and rests played in succession also have a rhythm. Several notes can also be played together, producing harmony, such as a chord.
A melody is a series of notes (and rests) in succession. Typically a melody starts in a key, visits various neighbouring keys then comes home.
Harmony is the combining of notes which sound at the same time. The most recognisable use of harmony is in chords, often used to accompany a melody.
Rhythm is the the effect of how notes and rests progress over time. The more obvious rhythms are short and repetitive. Both melodies and chords can have a rhythm. In many ensembles, the underlying rhythm is highlighted by percussion/drums.
Apart from a few small edits, this post in its entirety is taken from my pocket guide to basic music theory, The Tiny Music Theory Book, available exclusively from this site.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
Now that the keys are in key signature order,we can make one more observation:
The order that the keys come in (the order of the root notes of the keys) is the same as the order that the sharps or flats come in, just starting on a different note than the root note, as shown here by the red arrows.
For sharps keys, the next key is the 5th letter above the current key.
For flats keys, the pattern is reversed. The next key is the 4th letter above the current key, which is the same as saying it’s the 5th letter below the current key. We call this sequence the Cycle of 5ths (see below).
Sharps Keys
The sharps keys start with G major (one sharp) and go up 5 letters at a time. The sharps themselves start with F#, the 7th note of G major.
The latest sharp of a key signature is the 7th note of the scale or one letter below the root note.
Flats Keys
The flats keys start with F major (one flat) and go down 5 letters at a time.
The flats themselves start with Bb, the 4th note of F major.
The latest flat of a key signature is the 4th note of the scale, the 4th letter counting up from the root note.
Why Are Some Notes Missing?
Notice also that some note names aren’t on this list. The list of keys above only goes up to 7 sharps or 7 flats. It could go further, but scales in those keys would have more sharps or flats than notes! We would need to use double sharps or double flats in order to preserve the note naming rule (see 10. How To Find The Notes Of A Scale).
Most notes have two possible names. If the root note isn’t on the list, simply re-spell the note (re-name it with the alternative note name) and it will be there. With the alternate spelling, the same sounding key uses only a few single sharps or flats instead of doubles and is much easier to read. For this reason, keys with more than 7 sharps or flats are seldom used.
For example, G# major has 8 sharps including F double-sharp. The note G# can also be called Ab. Because it’s the root note there is no special reason to use a particular name as long as we have the right pitch. G# can be re-spelled to Ab. Ab major only has 4 flats; Bb, Eb, Ab and Db.
The Cycle (Circle) Of 5ths – The Ultimate Shortcut
The cycle of fifths (aka circle of fifths) is the ultimate shortcut for finding keys and key signatures. It’s just the list of keys we’ve already looked at above, but in condensed form.
Since keys and key signatures follow the same pattern, we don’t need to write them out separately. Here’s how it works:
This is a very long line… We can shorten it a bit by putting the sharps and flats sections on top of each other. The sharps list reads from left to right, the flats list from right to left (see arrows). The green dotted line represents where the sharps and flats themselves start.
To find the key signature of a scale:
Find the root note. For example, D major is in the sharps row, Db major is in the flats row. F major is in the flats row, F# major is in the sharps row.
If you can’t find the root note, its key signature has more than 7 sharps or flats. These are seldom used. Re-spell the name and look again.
The number above (or below) the root note is the number of sharps or flats in the key signature.
From the start of the row, follow the direction of the arrow until you cross the green dotted line. The first note after that line (the first letter with a sharp or flat) is always the first sharp or flat in the key signature.
Continue reading the following sharps or flats up to the number that’s written above (or below) the root note.
On each stave of the piece, write the sharps or flats after the clef, in the order that you found them. Be sure to write them at the standard octave for key signatures, as listed in the previous post, 11. Introduction To Keys and Key Signatures: Major Keys.
Examples
E major
E major
E major is in the sharps row and has 4 sharps.
Reading from left to right, the first sharp is always F#.
Continue counting sharps until there are 4: F#, C#, G#, D#.
Ab major
Ab major
Ab major is in the flats row and has 4 flats.
Reading from right to left, the first flat is always Bb.
continue counting flats until there are 4: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db.
The first sharp is always F# and the first flat is always Bb. If you remember BCEF, you already know this…
So far we’ve only looked at major keys. For minor keys we could use a similar list as the one above but the sequence would start on A, the minor with no sharps or flats, rather than C. The pattern would be the same but all the numbers would be different.
There is an easier way to do minor keys. We’ll visit that in the next lesson, so for now we’ll just stay with the major keys.
Try These…
Here are a few keys for you to look up in the cycle of 5ths, using either the line version or the circle version below. Find some paper and a pencil and write down the name of each key with the key signature next to it, with the sharps or flats in the correct order. Answers at the end of this post.
G major
B major
Gb major
Bb major
What’s a 5th?
We haven’t formally looked at interval names yet, that’s for a future post. Essentially, we count the interval (pitch difference) between notes in letters, including the first and last letters of the interval.
From a note to itself, such as C to the same C, is one letter. This interval is called a 1st.
From C to D is 2 letters is a 2nd, from C to E is a 3rd, etc. all the way up to an octave, from C to the next C above (or below) it, the 8th note. Octave means 8th, hence the name “octave”. A 5th is 5 letters, such as from C to G.
Real interval names go a bit further than that but in essence, interval names are based on counting letters.
The cycle of 5ths is so named because the interval from one note to the next in the cycle is a 5th. Reading from left to right, for sharps keys, the cycle goes up in 5ths, while reading from right to left, for flats keys, it goes down in 5ths.
The Circle Game
Many people say Circle of 5ths rather than Cycle of 5ths. This is because, instead of showing the pattern across a page, potentially trailing off each margin forever, it can be shown as a circle. The circle is the most popular way of representing the Cycle of 5ths. It works just the same as the line version we used, with left-to-right (sharps) being clockwise and right-to-left (flats), anticlockwise.
Here’s the circle representation of the cycle of 5ths for major keys.
The circle of 5ths is often shown without the extra sharps/flat: after all, these just follow the same sequence as the root notes. Instead, the key signature is displayed next to each key, as below. This is great as an image on your device but not as clear for committing to memory.
For jotting down quickly on paper from memory, I find the line version easier, but if you have the image to look at, the circle version with key signatures is great. The circle also has the added benefit of being able to show minor keys on the same image. We’ll come back to minor keys in the next post but if you want to have a look, visit The Cycle (circle) Of Fifths.
Know Your Key Signatures
Much of what we’ll learn in the rest of this course is dependent on knowledge of key signatures and the cycle of 5ths. Keys and key signatures are essential concepts in the language of music.
Furthermore, the cycle of 5ths is more than just a list of keys. It also represents the musical relationships between chords within an overall key, possibly the most important topic of all (but that’s for a future post).
TIP: It’s worth learning all the keys and their key signatures, or at least the common keys for your instrument or genre. Start with the major keys. Later I’ll show you a schortcut for minors.
I’m not a fan of unnecessary rules but any language has a basic vocabulary and syntax. Music is no different. Just as we need to learn the symbols for note pitch and duration, the “key” to musical success in almost any genre is to become familiar with keys and key signatures.
A Mnemonic Can Help
In primary schools, the Cycle of 5ths is taught as a mnemonic. Mine was a boring one, Go Down And Enter By Fifths, with a C at each end. I’m sure you can come up with your own… A mnemonic is a good idea because keys are the times tables of music and should be deeply embedded in your mind.
Keys are the times tables of music.
This post is one of a growing series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here.
Please feel welcome to like, comment or to share this post. If you have any questions, pleased leave them as a comment and I will respond as soon as I can. If you enjoy my posts and would like to be kept up to date, please subscribe.
Much of the material in this post, including the custom diagrams, is taken from Music Theory De-mystified, my upcoming music theory reference.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
This post and the next two cover two important musical concepts. If you need to read them more than once, please do so. If you have any questions, please post them as a comment. I’ll be happy to answer them.
Scales And Keys: What’s The Difference?
A scale is a list of a series of consecutive notes adding up to an octave, based on and named after its first note, the root note, and its mode (e.g. major or minor).
A key is the musical use of the notes of a scale. A piece is said to be in a key, (e.g. C major), when it is largely made up of the notes of the scale (e.g. of C major) and we can hear the tonality of the mode (e.g.major). For more detail, please visit How Can We Tell Which Key We’re In?
I prefer to think of this in reverse priority:
A key is music, a scale is a list of notes that music is made from.
A key is the cake, the scale is the ingredient list.
A scale is the notes of a key, listed in consecutive pitch order.
Keys and scales have the same name, except if you’re writing or playing a scale you say the word “scale” in the description:
“This piece is in C major” means “this piece is in the key of C major”.
Else you would say “play the scale of C major” or “play the C major scale”.
In other words, when talking about actual music we say “key”, not “scale”.
Practical Tip: To easily play in a key you need to be familiar with its scale.
A Scale Has A Key
Since a scale is also a basic melody, a scale itself is in a key. For example, the scale of C major is in the key of C major.
Unless we’re actually playing scales, we talk in terms of keys rather than scales.
Key Signatures
Apart from C major and A minor, other major or minor keys require some notes that are sharps or flats. So far, we’ve written them in before each note. That’s no big deal if it’s just a scale but in a piece, some of those notes might be used many times. It’s hard work when writing and the music ends up looking cluttered.
Melody in A major without key signature
A key signature uses the space on the stave just after the clef, before the time signature or any notes, to store the sharps or flats of that key for the whole length of the stave. Now they don’t need to be written next to the notes. The music looks cleaner and it’s quicker to write.
Melody in A major with key signature
A key signature is a list of the sharps or flats used in a key.
The note naming rule states that each letter is only used for one note in the scale (7 scale notes, 7 letters), so the scale notes which are NOT in the key signature are naturals.
For example, the key signature of D major is 2 sharps, F# and C#. All the other letters are naturals.
Note: unlike time signatures, key signatures are written at the start of every stave.
The notes of a key can be played at any octave. If that note is a sharp or flat, it’s symbol is written next to the note; at the same octave as the note. In a key signature, however, a sharp or flat is only ever written at one particular octave and it applies to all octaves. It simply tells us that, for a given key, that note is a sharp or flat.
A key signature is a shortcut for writing out a scale. If we start on the root note and play the notes of the key signature, we’re playing the scale for that key.
It’s important to check the key signature, else you may play some wrong notes!
Here are two scales that look the same apart from the key signature. Carefully read the notes as you listen. In these two scales, every note is different because of the key signature!
The Order Of Sharps and Flats
The sharps or flats in the key signature are always written in the same order, regardless of the order in which the notes are played in the scale, and always in the octave shown below.
For sharps, the order is F# C# G# D# A# E# B#. F# is always the first sharp. Each sharp is the 5th letter above the previous sharp.
For flats, it’s the reverse, Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb Fb. Bb is always the first flat. Each flat is the 5th letter below (or the 4th letter above) the previous flat.
Don’t worry if you can’t remember all this, we’ll come back to it later…
Let’s look at A major, for example. In the scale, C# comes before F#, but in the key signature, F# appears before C#.
One big advantage to having a set order is that a player only needs to glance at the key signature to know which notes are sharps or flats. If you know the order, you only need to see how many there are.
Here’s the key signature order on the stave in the treble and bass clefs:
Note the octave where the symbols are written. For example, F# is written in the high octave rather than the low octave.
Why This Order?
Let’s say we worked out every major (or minor etc.) scale by counting semitones. If we looked at them all we would notice three things:
There are no scales with both sharps and flats.
The number of sharps/flats is unique. For example, there is only one major scale with 3 sharps.
Sharps and flats are cumulative. Once a sharp (or flat) is used in one scale, all the scales with more sharps (or flats) include that one.
We can reshuffle our list of scales in increasing key signature order. Here’s what the list of major scales looks like. To save space I have listed their key signatures rather than the whole scale:
Note: In the next post we’ll look at key signatures for minor keys as well as some shortcuts for learning key signatures.
Please feel welcome to like, comment or to share this post. If you have any questions, pleased leave them as a comment and I will respond as soon as I can. If you enjoy my posts and would like to be kept up to date, please subscribe.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
In a hurry? You can scroll down straight to the summary (but you’ll miss all the fun…)
A scale is the combination of a root note and a mode. It’s even named that way. C major means C is the root note and major (Ionian) is the mode. The same for A minor: A is the root note and minor (Aeolian) is the mode.
In 8. What Is A Scale? we saw that a scale is a selection of (typically 7) notes within an octave, and that our sense of tonality depends on knowing which of these notes is the root note. In a piece that has a clear tonality the notes are organised so that the root note (tonic) is highlighted, especially near the beginning and end.
We also discovered that the reason the root note is so important in allowing us to hear the musical character is because typical Western scales have uneven intervals from note to note. Changing the root note effectively changes the pattern, changing the mode and thus its character.
Scales On Different Root Notes
If you know the character of the mode, you can sing a scale in that mode. As long as it’s within your range, you can sing that scale starting on any note (without even knowing what that note is!). As long as you don’t change the mode it will sound the same, just higher or lower.
The same is true for writing music. You can write a scale on any note. Here’s how it works:
Let’s look at the the major mode, which naturally starts on C. C major is made up of only the naturals.
We can pick any other note as the root note and build a major scale on that. All we need to do is make sure we stick to the major mode, the pattern of intervals from note to note that matches C major, or else we’ll change its character.
Let’s say we want D major. If we just started on D and used the same notes we would have a different pattern of intervals – a different mode – a different character.
It would sound like this:
This scale has quite a different character to C major.
Instead, we use the same pattern of intervals as C major, write D as the root note and then, working from left to right, count the number of semitones from each note to the next to work out the other notes. This will involve using one or more sharps or flats.
The 2nd note should be 2 semitones higher. 2 semitones above D is E.
The 3rd note is 2 semitones higher than E. F is 1 semitone higher than E and G is 3 semitones higher so we want the note in between. This could either be called F# (F+1) or Gb (G-1). What should we call it? We’ll come back to that shortly. We can put in both for now.
The 4th note is just 1 semitone further which is plain old G, and so on until the 7th note, 2 semitones above the 6th note, B. Again we have 2 options, C# or Db, and again we’ll write in both for now.
And, of course, the 8th note, 1 semitone above the 7th, should be exactly the same as the first, as it is the octave.
OK, time to look at what we’ve got… If we choose Gb for the 3rd note we have Gb AND G but no F, whereas if we call the 3rd note F# we have one F and one G. The same goes for the 7th note: Db uses the same name as the root note but a different sign, whereas C# allows one C and one D.
Now that we’ve worked out the notes in D major, let’s have a listen.
Now compare it to C major. The character should be the same, even though one scale is a little higher than the other…
The Note Naming Rule
For scales, there is one simple rule: the next note in a scale should have the next letter in its name.
Each note in a scale must have its own letter.
There’s a good reason for this: there are 7 note names, 7 notes in a scale and 7 pitch positions per octave on a stave.
Music notation is very visual. We can see the notes climb and descend as the melody itself climbs and descends. As we can see from the two versions of D major below, if two different notes in a scale share the same note name there are two different pitches sharing the same place on the stave and needing constant accidentals (sharps/flats/naturals) to show which is which. There is also one unused position, leaving a gap in the visual that we don’t hear.
Below is D major as notes on a stave showing both sets of note naming options. Try to read the notes while you listen. Which one is more visual (and less cluttered)?
Note: We can make a scale look even less cluttered by using a key signature. We’ll look at key signatures in the next lesson.
How to find the notes of a scale
Now that we know how to work out what notes we need to write a major scale starting on D instead of C, we can do so for any mode and any root note.
As the most common modes are major and minor, let’s find the notes for some other major and minor scales.
Choose a mode, e.g. major or minor.
Write the note that you want to build the scale on as the 1st note (root note).
Working from left to right, count how many semitones to the next note. Where there are two names for the same note, choose the name using the letter after the previous note.
(safety check: if you’ve added it up right, the 8th note’s name should be exactly the same as the first).
TIP: Learn the patterns that make up the major and minor modes (I think of them as phone numbers).
Major .2.2.1.2.2.2.1.
Minor .2.1.2.2.1.2.2.
Example: D minor
Have a go…
Here’s the answer…
OK, this one’s minor and has a flat. Pure fluke! There is no connection between being major or minor and having sharps or flats.
Try These…
Grab some paper and a pencil and try a few more… Bb major, A major, C minor, F# minor.
Answers at the bottom of this post. Here’s what a blank major and minor look like:
Practical Tip
Pick a major or minor scale that’s easy to play on your instrument, find its notes and doodle around with those notes. Just in one octave will do for a start, then try 2 octaves worth – it’s more fun. As long as you highlight the root note every now and again, for instance by making it long or strong, you should be able to feel the tonality of the mode you’ve chosen, or at least keep coming back to it if the music goes elsewhere. For a bit more on how to highlight the root note, visit How Can We Tell What Key We’re In?
Summary
A scale is a combination of a root note and a mode.
The root note is the first note of the mode.
A mode is a set of (usually 1 and 2 semitone) intervals from note to note adding up to an octave. The most common modes are major and minor. Of these, only C major and A minor have no sharps or flats.
Due to the irregular pattern of intervals from note to note, each mode has a unique musical character.
To make a scale on a different root note, choose the mode with the character that you want, e.g. major or minor, and write in the note you want to be the root note.
To find names for the other notes, start with the root note and count 1 or 2 semitones to the next note, according to the mode. Write the 2nd note in, count semitones to the 3rd note and so on, all the way to the octave.
Each note of a scale should have its own letter. Work from left to right, using the next letter each time, as you go.
This post is one of a growing series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here.
Please feel welcome to like, comment or to share this post. If you have any questions, pleased leave them as a comment and I will respond as soon as I can. If you enjoy my posts and would like to be kept up to date, please subscribe.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
What Is A Rest?
A rest is a silent note. Imagine that you have to make room for an important, loud note played on another instrument.
Every note value has an equivalent symbol for a rest. Rests are named after the note values they replace. A rest that lasts for a crotchet (quarter note) is called a crotchet rest (or quarter note rest).
Here are the note values from 5. Note Values 1 with their matching rest values. As previously suggested, don’t worry about really short notes and rests to start with.
Note and Rest Values
Just like note values, the length of a rest can be extended by half by placing a dot after it.
Counting Rests
You have to play a rest, just like you play a note.
For example, in 4/4 try counting crotchets and only playing the first and 3rd. It feels like counting minims, except that you cut the note short at a specific moment. Here, that’s the start of beat 2 or 4. You’ll hear a metronome ticking every beat.
You should think of the cutoff point as a deliberate act, as if someone else is playing an important note that needs to be heard. You cut the note off by “playing” the rest, as if you have to squash the note to stop it. Some players tap the beats with a foot while playing; this may help…
The importance of rests is more obvious when they’re on the strong beats rather than the weak beats.
Two Types Of Rests
Broadly speaking, rests fall into either of two categories depending on how they feel when we play them.
Off-beat rests are rests that feel like they just stop the note from being a longer note. They don’t change the overall character of the rhythm. For longer notes, these include rests on weak beats, as in our first example.
On-beat rests feel like they’ve displaced the next note, forcing the note off the beat (or strong beat). Compared to the time signature’s natural rhythm, they make the notes feel “against the grain”. NOTE: This isn’t a value judgement. In fact, on-beat rests often make the music feel more exciting.
NOTE: The following examples and exercises have a double bar with 2 dots at the end. This is the repeat sign and indicates that the piece should be played a second time. For more on repeat signs and other navigation symbols, please visit How To Navigate Music 1: Animated Tour.
Shorter rests have a more obvious effect on the rhythm, so here’s two examples using quavers. They’re also a great warm-up for getting used to counting and playing rests. Try playing and counting along.
The last example, playing off the beat (between the beats) after an on-beat rest, is known as syncopation. We’ll look at syncopation in part 2 of this course.
NOTE: If you find these too hard, visit 3. Beats, Tempo And Timing for some help on how to count and play.
Try These…
Here are a few exercises for reading rests. Try them on your instrument before you listen to them. If you find that hard, play along to them first, then play them by yourself.
NOTE: Many percussion instruments have no control over how long a note sounds. For such instruments, the difference between writing bar 2 of the first example as crotchets followed by crotchet rests or as minims is moot. It would make sense for such parts to we written as longer notes without rests. However, for on-beat rests, the presence of a rest helps players to capture the feeling of playing between the beats rather than on them.
This post is one of a growing series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here.
If you enjoyed reading my post, please give it a like and feel welcome to share it. Any questions, please leave a comment and I’ll answer it as soon as I can. If you’d like to be kept up to date on new posts, please subscribe.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
The term accidental has two similar meanings:
In general terms, an accidental is a symbol that affects the pitch of a note. The main accidentals are sharp, flat and natural.
In a musical context, the term accidental is also used to describe a note that doesn’t belong to the key of the piece; the scale that the piece is based on.
Give Me A Sign…
Symbols for accidentals such as # or b are called signs, not symbols.
A sharp sign acts like a plus sign: it adds 1 semitone to the pitch.
A flat sign acts like a minus sign: it subtracts 1 semitone from the pitch.
A natural sign cancels a previous sharp or flat.
Back in our first lesson we briefly looked at sharps and flats. Here’s a reminder.
For notes on a stave, accidentals are written before the note, immediately to the left of and at the same pitch position as the notehead.
When written as text, accidentals are written after the letter.
Writing a sharp next to a note raises its pitch by one semitone, without changing its name. Sharp = natural plus 1 semitone.
For instance, B# is one semitone higher than B. C is also 1 semitone higher than B. C is a much easier name than B#, so normally you’d call that note C. However, in some circumstances, the name B# is appropriate. We will see some examples of this in the next few posts.
A flat does the opposite to a sharp. Writing a flat next to a note lowers its pitch by a semitone, again without changing its name. Flat = natural minus 1 semitone.
Again, there are occasions where an unlikely name such as Cb is more appropriate than the natural, B.
Here are some more accidentals.
The letter notes are naturals; they aren’t raised or lowered. Normally we don’t need a sign to indicate that. However, if we’ve just used a sharp or flat (e.g. F#) and we want to follow it with the natural (F), we use the natural sign to indicate that the sharp or flat is now cancelled.
Double Trouble
There may not seem any point at this stage, but a note can be raised or lowered by as much as 2 semitones! We do this using the double sharp or double flat signs.
We already had 2 possible names for most notes, now we have even more!
Double sharps and double flats aren’t that common. We don’t randomly name a note as double sharp! It requires a really good reason to use them.
Nonetheless, notes are named according to their function in the music and sometimes their use is appropriate. If you see one, don’t worry – it’s just more of the same, “sharp sharp” or “flat flat”…
Sharpen And Flatten
To sharpen or flatten means to raise or lower a note by 1 semitone while keeping the same note name. For instance, if we change an F to an F# or a Bb to a B, we have sharpened it. You might ask, “why would we change any notes in a scale?”
In real life, we’re talking about musical pieces, not scales. Most music doesn’t just stick with the one scale for the whole piece. Also, notes can be changed temporarily just for effect, such as an ornament.
The note naming rule requires that each note in the scale has its own letter. If a note temporarily replaces a scale note it must use the name of the note it replaces. We use an accidental to make it the right pitch.
For example, if F and G are both scale notes and we want to write the note in between, it’s name depends on whether it replaces F or G in the scale. If it replaces F, it’s sharpened (= F#). If it replaces G, it’s flattened (= Gb).
Some scales have lots of sharps or flats. The note which is sharpened may already be a sharp in the scale. In that case we use a double sharp. Similarly, if we flatten a note that was already a flat it becomes a double flat. Double sharps and double flats, although fairly rare, are no big deal…
To sharpen a note is to raise it by 1 semitone without changing its name. A double flat becomes a flat, a flat becomes a natural, a natural becomes a sharp and a sharp becomes a double sharp.
To flatten a note is to lower it by 1 semitone without changing its name. A double sharp becomes a sharp, a sharp becomes a natural, a natural becomes a flat and a flat becomes a double flat.
Each arrow represents 1 semitone
If you change the note name, you are NOT sharpening or flattening, you’re using a different note!
Try These
Grab a pencil and a piece of paper and try some sharpening and flattening. Actually doing it is the best way to learn…
Sharpen the following notes:
Bb, C, G#
Flatten the following notes:
C#, A, Db
Answers at end of post.
This post is one of a growing series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here.
Please feel welcome to like, comment or to share this post. If you have any questions, pleased leave them as a comment and I will respond as soon as I can. If you enjoy my posts and would like to be kept up to date, please subscribe.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
If you’re looking for the quick answer, scroll down to the summary.
A scale is both a sequence of note pitches you can play by itself as a simple melody (usually for practice) and the basis of a piece of music.
In 1 Note Names, Semitones and Octaves, we saw that there are 12 different musical note pitches within an octave, each 1 semitone apart. We also saw that there are only 7 letters used to name music. On a musical stave there are also only 7 pitch positions per octave, one for each letter.
This is because most music in Western culture is usually made up using only 7 of the 12 notes at a time, the eighth note being the octave (hence the name “octave”). Such a selection of notes is called a scale. The first note of a scale is the reference note for music written in that scale.
Note: It is possible for a scale to have more or less than 7 notes (such as the 5-note pentatonic blues scale) but the vast majority of music in Western culture, both historically and in modern times, is based on 7-note (heptatonic) scales.
How Far Apart Are Scale Notes?
For 7 notes to make up an octave (12 semitones), the notes can’t all be spaced evenly. Most of the notes are 2 semitones apart, but there are two pairs which are only 1 semitone apart. For example, let’s look at the naturals; the notes that have just a letter as their name.
The naturals from A to A with note spacing in semitones
C major
Although the notes are named starting on A, C is the starting point for the most common scale of all, C major. We’ll talk about major and minor shortly, but for now, let’s look at the notes starting on C.
The naturals from C to C with note spacing in semitones
C major is made up of the naturals starting on C. We can see that C to D is 2 semitones, as is D to E, then E to F is only 1 semitone, etc. This is quite easy to see on a piano keyboard, as the named notes are the white keys and the others, the black keys. The interval from one key to the next is 1 semitone, whether between adjacent white keys or between a white key and an adjacent black key. (The staggered layout of a piano’s keys is for practical reasons- so one hand can span an octave).
Note: In scales, the intervals marked as 2 semitones are usually called a “tone” rather than “2 semitones”. Other schools use the terms ”steps” and ”half-steps” for the 2- and 1-semitone intervals between the notes of a scale.
In this blog I will always name intervals by semitones or by their musical interval name. For my reasons, see A Story Of Tones And Semitones.
The Root Note
When we play a scale, we usually emphasise the first and last note, in this case, C, by playing those notes louder, longer or both. Playing a scale in this way helps us feel that the starting/ending note is the home note and that the other notes either lead away from that note or towards it.
The first note of a scale is called the root note or tonic and it is the most important note in a scale. The root note represents home in a musical journey and the start of the pattern of intervals from note to note that defines the scale.
Modes
Let’s play a scale using only the naturals, from C to C and back.
Now let’s play the same notes but starting on a different root note, such as A. We’ll play A to A and back.
Sure, one was slightly higher than the other, but did you notice a difference in character/flavour/mood? Have another listen…
… (I’ll wait)…
This difference in character is even more noticeable in a real piece than just a scale.
Now let’s compare the spacing of the notes.
Notice the difference in the order of the 2’s and 1’s in relation to the root note? It is this pattern that determines the scale’s character.
The pattern of intervals that determine the note spacing of a scale is called a mode. When using just the naturals, each time we start on a different note, the pattern of note spacing is different. There are 7 different naturals, each of which is the root note of a mode. Of the 7 modes produced, six are quite common in various genres and one, the one starting on B, is seldom used (but that’s the subject of another post).
Earlier on, I called the first scale, starting on C, C major. The term major refers to the mode. Major is the most commonly used mode in modern Western music, hence the name. The one on A is called A natural minor or just A minor for short. Minor scales are usually used in a slightly different way to major in that there are two popular variations on the natural minor. We’ll look at how these variations are used in part 2 of this course so for now we’ll use the natural minor as our minor example.
The major and natural minor modes are also known by Greek names based on modes in the renaissance era. Major = Ionian mode. Natural minor = Aeolian mode.
What About Keys?
You’re more likely to hear people talk in terms of keys rather than scales and modes. A key is simply the notes of a scale when they are rearranged to make music.
For instance, any music which is based on the scale of C major is in the key of C major.
The major or minor (or any mode, for that matter) can be made to start on any root note. The major mode on D is called D major. The minor mode on F is called F minor. We’ll look at how this works in coming posts..
Scales and melodies
We can tell the difference between C major and A minor when we play the scale because we’re emphasising the root note – by playing it first, last and longer than the other notes. Furthermore we can hear the progression of ascending or descending notes arrive on the root note. But how can we recognise the mode when the notes are all mixed up in a melody?
It’s all about being able to recognise the root note.
Melodies rely on a range of techniques to highlight the root note including those I’ve just mentioned. A melody isn’t a random selection of notes. The structure of the phrases that make up a melody and the relative length and strength of notes all contribute to our ability to recognise the root note as home. Some of these techniques are mentioned in a little more detail in How Can We Tell Which Key We’re In?
Summary
A scale is a selection of (usually 7) pitches within an octave, which form the basic pitch elements of a piece. The notes can be played at any octave.
The root note or tonic is the first note of the scale and the reference/ home note for music written using that scale.
The interval spacing of the notes of a scale is called a mode. The most common modes are called major and minor.
Each mode imparts a unique character to the music because of its unique combination of 1 and 2 semitone intervals from note to note.
We can hear the character of the mode because the music is written in such a way as to highlight the root note. For some examples, visit How Can We Tell Which Key We’re In?
This post is one of a growing series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here.
Please feel welcome to like, comment or to share this post. If you have any questions, pleased leave them as a comment and I will respond as soon as I can. If you enjoy my posts and would like to be kept up to date, please subscribe.
Much of the content is based on my upcoming music theory reference, Music Theory De-mystified, which is currently planned for release as an e-book by the end of 2023.
This post is one of a 2-part series of free basic music theory lessons on my blog, musictheoryde-mystified.com. You can see the complete list here. Please feel welcome to make a comment or ask a question.
In 3. Beats, Tempo and Timing we saw that music is counted in beats – a bit like counting seconds, except that different pieces are counted faster or slower. How fast we count is indicated by the tempo.
We also saw that beats are grouped into bars, which act as a larger unit within the piece’s structure. These groups can be any length but are typically a few beats long.
The number of beats in a bar is written at the start of the first stave, in the form of a fraction without the dividing line. This is called the time signature.
A Time Signature Tells Us How to Count
In simple time, the time signature tells us two things. The numerator (the top number) indicates how many beats per bar and the denominator (bottom number) represents the fraction name of the note value used to represent 1 beat.
3 3 beats per bar 4 quarter note (crotchet) = 1 beat
TIP: Read this as “3 x 1/4 note beats per bar”
In the above example of 3/4, there are 3 beats per bar, where the quarter note (crotchet) = 1 beat. We count to 3 for each bar.
Of course the bars can be filled with notes of various lengths. The time signature indicates where the beats are and tells us how to count.
NOTE: A few time signatures, known as compound time, are interpreted differently. We will visit these in Part 2 of this course.
Common Time
The most popular time signature in modern times is 4/4, which is 4 crotchet beats per bar. It is so popular that it has a unique name, common time, and a shortcut symbol, the letter C.
4/4 and C are equally valid symbols – the choice is up to the composer.
X/4
The most frequently used time signatures use the crotchet to represent 1 beat, as in the above examples.
The fraction name for a crotchet is 1/4. For convenience, we can say that all these time signatures are in x/4, where x is the number of beats in the bar.
A time signature can have any number of beats but smaller numbers are more common. For longer time signatures we tend to mentally break them up into smaller groups. For instance, a bar of 7 beats could be thought of as 3+4 (or 4+3, depending on how the music flows, or even 3+2+2 etc.). Sometimes this is indicated in the music with an accent > symbol over the strong beats.
In general, though, bars tend to be fairly short, typically 2 to 4 beats per bar.
Simple Time
Simple time is an overall term encompassing all time signatures that can be read as a simple fraction, where the upper number represents the number of beats in a bar.
Of these, time signatures in x/4 are by far the most common, but the crotchet or 1/4 note isn’t the only note value that can represent 1 beat. Other note values can also be used, such as a quaver (1/8 note) or minim (1/2 note).
Although not covered in this basic course, these other time signatures work the same way as x/4: 4/8 = 4x 1/8 note (quaver) beats per bar and 3/2 = 3x 1/2 note (minim) beats per bar.
Halves and Quarters
In simple time, beats are easily divided into halves and quarters, the default rhythmic framework for many genres and styles. Even the note values themselves are designed to divide into halves and quarters – each symbol is half (or double) the length of the next.
Note values from minim (half note) to semiquaver (sixteenth note)
The notes of an actual melody are usually a mixture of longer and shorter notes. Some of these are on a beat, others might start between beats. The time signature gives us a counting reference so we can interpret the notes correctly. Is a particular note on the beat or not, and on which beat within the bar?
Note: Most pieces have a single time signature throughout. However, some are made up of different sections with contrasting character. Each section can have its own time signature, like miniature pieces within the overall work. (Actually, it’s possible to change the time signature any time, or even change back and forth!)
The Rhythm of a Time Signature
A time signature has a built-in hierarchy of strong and weak points. The most obvious example of this is beat 1. When we count to music, it’s quite natural to emphasise the start of each bar, to help us keep track of where we are as we count. This also makes it easier to “feel” the beats within each bar rather than have to count numbers in your head.
Even when not counting aloud, musicians typically emphasise the first beat of each bar a little in their head as they play, so that it feels like the the start of a group.
Unless the bar is only 2 beats long, there’s room for a secondary emphasis part-way through the bar.
Being bipedal, humans have an affinity for two’s and halves. That’s why simple time is so popular. The most comfortable way to count is in two’s: strong, weak, strong, weak. At a pinch we can count in three’s but unless it’s quite fast, we prefer to feel it as 2+1: strong, weak, strong(ish).
To count in 4 we split it into 2+2, strong, weak, strong, weak. To feel like one group of 4, we make the first emphasis stronger than the second.
Time signatures have strong and weak beats, alternating where possible.
For example, in 4/4, beat 1 is the strongest of all, beat 3 a little less so but still strong, and beats 2 and 4 are weak.
A Beat Is Like a Miniature Bar of 4/4
Dividing up a beat is the same in miniature. The beat itself is the strongest, the 2nd quaver, halfway through, is the next strongest, and the other semiquavers, numbers 2 and 4, are the weakest.
Below, you can see and hear the hierarchy of the most common time signatures using bass guitar and drum kit sounds (the bass plays the strong beats and the snare plays the beats).
The more notes are on top of each other, the stronger the implied emphasis.
This is an exclusive preview of one of my custom illustrations from my upcoming music theory reference, Music Theory De-mystified, which I hope to complete by end 2023.
So What?
The implied rhythm of the time signature acts as a reference accompaniment which allows us to feel where the bars and beats are. Without this we wouldn’t be able to interpret the rhythm of the music correctly.
Have you heard the term “syncopation?” It’s where the rhythm is played with emphasis in unexpected places, typically between the beats rather than on them, or on the weak beats rather than the strong ones. It feels like it’s “against the grain”; like it’s competing with something – often in an exciting way!
We’ll visit this in more detail in a post down the track but the point is that syncopation feels “against the grain” or between the beats BEACAUSE OF the time signature. The implied accents of the beats and strong beats determined by the time signature is the competition.
That’s where the “in-between “ sensation of syncopation comes from; even if there is no instrument emphasising the beats we can still feel the implied rhythm of the time signature. We can feel the music skip between the beats when syncopated or work together with the beats when playing on the beat.
In the following example, the first bar is syncopated and the second bar is on the beat. Without being aware of the time signature, the first bar is hard to interpret until you hear the second bar following the beats. Once we’ve heard the 2nd bar, the rhythm of the first bar is easier to understand.
Now let’s listen with a metronome playing the bars and beats of the time signature.
Hearing the metronome, it’s much easier to work out the rhythm of the first bar.
In summary, think of the time signature as a default accompaniment to a melody. Melodies may or may not have a strong rhythmic quality in themselves but they will almost always be built around the framework of the time signature’s rhythmic hierarchy.
Please feel welcome to like, comment or to share this post. If you have any questions, pleased leave them as a comment and I will respond as soon as I can. If you enjoy my posts and would like to be kept up to date, please subscribe.
