Chapter one: Pitch & Pitch Class
Introduction to Key Letter Names
Musical notes are named with the first seven letters of the alphabet - A. B, C, D, E, F, G - repeated endlessly. Each letter name reappears every eight position: eight below C is another C for example. Notes eight letter names apart make an octave. They sound similar, a principle known as octave equivalence. Octave-related notes belong to the same pitch class and have the same letter name. For example, the pitch class D represents every D in every octave. However, a pitch sounds similar in one particular octave.
The Piano Keyboard
Keyboard skills allow you to play simple accompaniments. demonstrate musical ideas, and harmonize melodies. The white keys of the keyboard correspond to the seven letters of the musical alphabet. To the very left of any group of two black keys is pitch class C; to the left of any three black keys is pitch class F. Middle C is often used as a reference point; it's the closest to the middle of the piano keyboard. How exactly does the keyboard work? The black key above, or to the right of) any white key gets the white keys note name plus a sharp (♯). However, the black key below (or to the left of) any white key gets the white keys note name plus a flat (♭).
*Important side note: No black key appears between white keys E and F or between B and C.
The picture below shows you that each group of three black keys is F♯, G♯, and A♯, but each group of two black keys is C♯, and D♯. The group of three black keys can also be called G♭, A♭, and B♭, and the group of two black keys can be called D♭ and E♭. This means that every black key has two possible names - one with a sharp and one with a flat. The two names are known as enharmonic.
*Important side note: No black key appears between white keys E and F or between B and C.
The picture below shows you that each group of three black keys is F♯, G♯, and A♯, but each group of two black keys is C♯, and D♯. The group of three black keys can also be called G♭, A♭, and B♭, and the group of two black keys can be called D♭ and E♭. This means that every black key has two possible names - one with a sharp and one with a flat. The two names are known as enharmonic.
The flat and sharp symbols are known as accidentals. Another common accidental is known as a natural (♮) which cancels a sharp or a flat. It returns its pitch to its "natural" state and white-key location on the keyboard.
Enharmonic pitches, with the same sound but different names like B♭ = A♯, belong to the same pitch class.
The distance between any two notes is known as an interval. Two intervals that serve as bacic building blocks of music are half steps and whole steps.
*Important side note: A half step is the interval between any pitch and the next closest pitch on the keyboard. The combination of two half steps forms a whole step; which always has one note in between its two notes.
Quick and easy tips:
1) The distance between any two notes is an interval. Two important intervals are half and whole steps.
2) Half steps span keys of different colors: white to black or black to white.
- Exceptions are E-F and B-C, known as the white key half steps.
3) Whole steps span keys the sae color: white to white or black to black.
- Exceptions are E♭-F, E-F♯, B♭-C, and B-C♯,.
4) Double check the spelling of any half or whole step that includes E, F, B, or C.
A double sharp (𝄪) raises a pitch two half steps (one whole step) above its letter name. A double flat (♭♭) lowers a pitch two half steps below its letter name. So for example, the pitches G♭♭ and F are enharmonic, as well as A𝄪 and B.
Enharmonic pitches, with the same sound but different names like B♭ = A♯, belong to the same pitch class.
The distance between any two notes is known as an interval. Two intervals that serve as bacic building blocks of music are half steps and whole steps.
*Important side note: A half step is the interval between any pitch and the next closest pitch on the keyboard. The combination of two half steps forms a whole step; which always has one note in between its two notes.
Quick and easy tips:
1) The distance between any two notes is an interval. Two important intervals are half and whole steps.
2) Half steps span keys of different colors: white to black or black to white.
- Exceptions are E-F and B-C, known as the white key half steps.
3) Whole steps span keys the sae color: white to white or black to black.
- Exceptions are E♭-F, E-F♯, B♭-C, and B-C♯,.
4) Double check the spelling of any half or whole step that includes E, F, B, or C.
A double sharp (𝄪) raises a pitch two half steps (one whole step) above its letter name. A double flat (♭♭) lowers a pitch two half steps below its letter name. So for example, the pitches G♭♭ and F are enharmonic, as well as A𝄪 and B.
Reading PItches from a Score
A staff (plural form is staves) is for specific pitches to be notated by placing them on the lines or spaces. To identify notes on the lines and spaces, yo need a clef, the symbol that appears to the far left of every staff. What does the clef tell you? It tells which line or space represents which pitch. The treble clef is used for higher notes and is also known as the G-clef; it's shape representing a cursive capital G, and the end of its central curving line rests on the staff line G.
To write notes lower or higher than the staff, we add short lines known as ledger lines below or above it.
*Improtant side note: When you write pitches on the staff, place the accidental before (left) of the note head, main (oval shaped) part of the note. When you say or write the letter names, the accidental goes after the letter name (right).
Bass clef (F-clef), are what lower notes are designated for. This clef resembles a cursive capital F, and its two dots surround the line that represents F.
A C-clef is a movable clef; its shape identifies middle C by the point on the staff at which two curved lines join together in the middle. The alot and tenor clefs are the most common. Below is a picture of the above clefs we have learned so far:
A staff (plural form is staves) is for specific pitches to be notated by placing them on the lines or spaces. To identify notes on the lines and spaces, yo need a clef, the symbol that appears to the far left of every staff. What does the clef tell you? It tells which line or space represents which pitch. The treble clef is used for higher notes and is also known as the G-clef; it's shape representing a cursive capital G, and the end of its central curving line rests on the staff line G.
To write notes lower or higher than the staff, we add short lines known as ledger lines below or above it.
*Important side note: When you write pitches on the staff, place the accidental before (left) of the note head, main (oval shaped) part of the note. When you say or write the letter names, the accidental goes after the letter name (right).
Bass clef (F-clef), are what lower notes are designated for. This clef resembles a cursive capital F, and its two dots surround the line that represents F.
A C-clef is a movable clef; its shape identifies middle C by the point on the staff at which two curved lines join together in the middle. The a lot and tenor clefs are the most common. Below is a picture of the above clefs we have learned so far:
To write notes lower or higher than the staff, we add short lines known as ledger lines below or above it.
*Improtant side note: When you write pitches on the staff, place the accidental before (left) of the note head, main (oval shaped) part of the note. When you say or write the letter names, the accidental goes after the letter name (right).
Bass clef (F-clef), are what lower notes are designated for. This clef resembles a cursive capital F, and its two dots surround the line that represents F.
A C-clef is a movable clef; its shape identifies middle C by the point on the staff at which two curved lines join together in the middle. The alot and tenor clefs are the most common. Below is a picture of the above clefs we have learned so far:
A staff (plural form is staves) is for specific pitches to be notated by placing them on the lines or spaces. To identify notes on the lines and spaces, yo need a clef, the symbol that appears to the far left of every staff. What does the clef tell you? It tells which line or space represents which pitch. The treble clef is used for higher notes and is also known as the G-clef; it's shape representing a cursive capital G, and the end of its central curving line rests on the staff line G.
To write notes lower or higher than the staff, we add short lines known as ledger lines below or above it.
*Important side note: When you write pitches on the staff, place the accidental before (left) of the note head, main (oval shaped) part of the note. When you say or write the letter names, the accidental goes after the letter name (right).
Bass clef (F-clef), are what lower notes are designated for. This clef resembles a cursive capital F, and its two dots surround the line that represents F.
A C-clef is a movable clef; its shape identifies middle C by the point on the staff at which two curved lines join together in the middle. The a lot and tenor clefs are the most common. Below is a picture of the above clefs we have learned so far:
Why do we read different clefs? Musicicans read different clefs because each one corresponds to the range of pitches needed for a certain instrument or voice type. The higher instruments, like the flute and violin for example, read treble clef. The lower instruments, like the cello and bass, read bass clef, while viola uses the alto clef.
A grand staff is two staves - one in treble clef and one in bass clef, connected by a curly brace. Shaded pitches are known as ledger lines, which can be written above, below, or between staves.
A grand staff is two staves - one in treble clef and one in bass clef, connected by a curly brace. Shaded pitches are known as ledger lines, which can be written above, below, or between staves.
Dynamic Markings
Dynamic tells a performer how soft or loud to play; it also helps determine the mood of the piece. Below is an example of a few dynamic markings: