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Music Theory Assessment Guide

The document provides information on music theory concepts including: 1) It defines half steps and whole steps, and describes the pattern of intervals in a major scale. 2) It introduces the concept of scale degrees and describes how they are used to identify notes within a scale. 3) It discusses relative minors and how they share the same notes as their relative major but start on a different root note. 4) It explains how to build triads using the 1st, 3rd, and 5th scale degrees and lists the most common chords in major and minor keys. 5) It defines transposition as changing a song to another key while maintaining the same musical relationships between notes and

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Kent Richardson
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24 views5 pages

Music Theory Assessment Guide

The document provides information on music theory concepts including: 1) It defines half steps and whole steps, and describes the pattern of intervals in a major scale. 2) It introduces the concept of scale degrees and describes how they are used to identify notes within a scale. 3) It discusses relative minors and how they share the same notes as their relative major but start on a different root note. 4) It explains how to build triads using the 1st, 3rd, and 5th scale degrees and lists the most common chords in major and minor keys. 5) It defines transposition as changing a song to another key while maintaining the same musical relationships between notes and

Uploaded by

Kent Richardson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

TheoryASSESMENT

Applicant Name: __________________________________________________

This is NOT a pass or fail test, but simply an assessment of what type of musical knowledge you possess.

1. Briefly describe the difference between 3/4, 6/8, and 4/4 time.

2. What is the difference between a half step and a whole step?

3. What are the order of whole steps and half steps in a major scale?

What is the 5 chord in the key of C?

Transpose the following chords from the key of G major to the key of E major. G D C Em:

Theory:Lesson1
HalfSteps,WholeSteps,MajorScales,AndScaleDegrees Half Step: A half step is the distance between any one note and the note directly next to it.

Example 1: On guitar or bass, this distance is from one fret to the next. Example 2: C to C# is a half step. E to F is also a half step because there is no sharp or flat between them.
Whole Step: As its name implies, a whole step is actually two half steps, or the distance between any one note and another that is two notes away. Example 1: For guitar and bass, the distance between one fret and another that is two frets higher or lower. Example 2: C to D is a whole step. Likewise, E to F# is a whole step. Major Scale: The major scale is the most elementary (and most common) arrangement of half steps and whole steps in music. The pattern of a major scale goes up in such a way with whole steps depicted as W and half steps depicted as . The starting note is the root or tonic note of the scale. The scale will start and end on this note. Example: Starting note, W, W, , W, W, W, (this last half step brings you to the same note you started with, only an octave above) From the starting note, the letters that will follow will be in alphabetical order and will never repeat a letter. Example: E F# G# A B C# D# E cannot be written as E Gb G# A B Also, if you have ever listened to the solfege scale (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do), that is an easy way to remember how a major scale sounds.

Lesson 1 continued on next page

Scale Degrees: Each step of the scale is assigned a number called a scale degree. W, W, , W, W, W, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Example: If the scale starts on C, then notes in the scale would then be: CDEFGAB 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 these are the assigned numbers Why are these elements important to learn? When you are familiar with these concepts, and especially the major scale, you will become more aware of which notes fit in a scale (or sometimes more importantly, what notes do NOT fit in a scale). This way, when you are learning or playing a song, you will usually not even have to worry about playing an extremely off note or chord if it fits in the scale, it will sound alright.

Theory:Lesson2
RelativeMinors,Triads,Transposition Relative Minor: Every Major scale has a minor scale that will have the exact same notes as the major scale. The only difference is that the minor scale starts and ends on a different note. Referring to the scale degrees mentioned in lesson 1, the relative minor starts on the 6th of the major scale.

Example: In the key of G major, the scale is G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G. Therefore, E is your 6, and thus, is the relative minor. E minor would then use the same notes (including sharps and flats) as G major, but would start and end on E: E F# G A B C D E
Triads: Triads are three notes that together create chords. They are built off of the scale degrees in a scale. To create triads in the same key, pick the note you want to make a chord built on (a root note) and then use the note 2 degrees up and another note 2 degrees up after that.

Example 1: use the 1 3 5 of a scale to create a 1 chord (a chord that is built on the 1 of the scale): C D E F G A B C = C E G = C chord 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 = 1 3 5 = 1 chord Example 1b: use the 4 6 1 to create a 4 chord. C D E F G A B C = F A C = F chord 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 = 4 6 1 = 4 chord
Important Common Chords: There are four chords in each key that are the most common in major and minor keys for worship music in particular. In a major key the 1, 4, 5, and 6 chords are the most common. The 1, 4, and 5, chords are always major chords (we will discuss the specific differences between a major and minor chord next lesson). The 6 chord is always minor.

Example: major key C D E F G A B C = C, F, G, Am 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 = 1, 4, 5, 6


Lesson 2 continued on next page

In a minor key the 1, 3, 4, and 5 chords are the most common. The 1, 4, and 5, are minor (sometimes the 5 is major, we will discuss this in a later lesson). The 3 chord is always major.

Example: minor key E F# G A B C D E = Em, G, Am, Bm, or B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 = 1, 3, 4, 5,


Transposition: Transposition is when, a song is changed to another key. However many steps higher or lower the key is changed, all notes and chords in the song will change the exact same amount. Thus, the essence of the sound of the song remains the same, but at a different pitch. Any easy way to transpose is by using the scale degrees and their triads.

Example: A song is in the key of G and the 4 chords of the song are G, C, D, Em. These chords are the 1, 4, 5, and 6 in G. To transpose to another key, simply use the 1, 4, 5, and 6 of that key and replace the appropriate chords. If the song were being moved to the key of A then all Gs would become As, all Cs would become Ds, etc You must know the scale of the key you are moving into in order to assign the right root notes. Key of G: G C D Em Key of A: A D E F#m
Why are these elements important to learn? Scale degrees make it much easier to communicate with other band members about a note or chord based of a note. For example, if a song is in the key of A, and the keyboardist and bassist are playing simply in A, but a guitarist has a capo on the second fret so they are technically playing in the position of G. When there is a wrong chord, it may be less confusing to say the number of the chord instead of the note. When you are familiar with relative minors, it cuts out half of the memorizing of notes in scales and key signatures (more on that Lesson 4). If you know that F# minor is the relative minor of A major, you only have to know the notes in an A major scale! Shortcuts to memorization = Great! Similarly, when you are familiar with the 1, 4, 5, and 6 progressions, so much less memorization is necessary. With practice, you will be able to identify the sound of each of these chords and you will be able to play more by ear than relying on your recollection of that B chord or was it Bb? Finally, transposition is just a necessary part of the music world. Not all singers have the same ranges, not all songs are in a congregationally friendly key to sing, and sometimes transposition is used just to make tricky chords a little easier. Therefore, since it is used quite often, it is good to know HOW transposition works so that changes are fairly seamless.

Common questions

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Triads are formed by stacking thirds on top of a root note within a scale. In a major scale, triads are composed of the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes, creating a harmonious chord that is foundational in music. For example, in the C major scale, the triad consists of C, E, and G, forming the C major chord. Triads serve as the building blocks for more complex chords and progressions, providing a framework for harmony and chordal structure in compositions and arrangements .

Transposition is essential in musical performance because it allows musicians to adjust songs to fit different vocal ranges or instrument keys without altering the overall sound of the song. By shifting all notes and chords uniformly, musicians can adapt the song to various contexts, such as making it easier to play or sing. It is a common practice due to the diverse range capacities of vocalists and instrumentalists in different musical settings .

Solfege maps directly onto the major scale, providing an intuitive way to teach and learn the scale's sound and structure. Each syllable in solfege (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do) corresponds to a scale degree, guiding the singer or musician through the scale. This relationship enhances pitch recognition, sight-singing skills, and overall musical literacy, making solfege an effective educational tool closely tied to the fundamental pattern of the major scale .

Using numerical scale degrees for transposition is highly effective because it provides a universal language that is consistent across all keys. This method removes the need to memorize different note names, reducing the complexity of shifting music pieces between keys. Numerical representation simplifies teaching, communication among musicians, and facilitates seamless transpositions without disrupting the song's harmonic structure .

Understanding scale degrees is crucial because it facilitates communication among musicians and simplifies transposition. By knowing scale degrees, musicians can easily transpose a melody or chord progression to any key without memorizing the exact notes, as the numbers provide a consistent pattern across different keys. This skill is essential for adapting to different vocal ranges and making musical interactions smoother .

Relative minors are critical because they offer a way to navigate musical scales and key signatures with more efficiency. Each major scale has a relative minor scale sharing the same notes, simplifying the learning process by halving the information musicians need to memorize. For instance, knowing that A minor is the relative minor of C major allows one to apply the same scale patterns interchangeably, enhancing fluency in playing and composing across different keys .

On a guitar or bass, half steps correspond to the distance between consecutive frets. A whole step equates to two half steps, or two frets apart. Understanding this physical structure helps musicians navigate the fretboard by correlating physical movement with the theoretical concepts of musical intervals, facilitating accurate tuning and playability across the instrument .

Understanding common chord progressions, such as 1, 4, 5, and 6 in major keys or 1, 3, 4, and 5 in minor keys, enhances a musician's improvisational skills by providing a framework that is recognizable and predictable. This knowledge allows musicians to anticipate harmonic changes, create coherent improvisations, and explore variations confidently, leading to more dynamic and musically satisfying performances .

Knowing the pattern of whole and half steps in a major scale allows a musician to construct scales accurately in any key, ensuring that notes fit well together harmonically. This understanding reduces the likelihood of playing discordant notes and aids in improvisation and composition, providing a foundation for identifying which notes belong in a melody or harmony .

Mastery of both major and minor key chord patterns provides musicians with the ability to navigate a wide range of musical genres and styles with ease. It equips them to create varied emotional expressions, adapt compositions to different contexts, and enhance collaborative performances by seamlessly switching between major and minor tonalities. Additionally, this proficiency fosters a deeper understanding of tonal relationships, aiding in advanced musical analysis and interpretation .

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