Tonality
Note: it is assumed that the notes in the Treble and Bass clefs are known. If not, learn them, urgently
Tonality is concerned with the organisation of pitches in a piece of music. The pitches that comprise a piece of music usually come from a scale. There are 3 types of scales concerning us for Leaving Cert. music, Major, Minor, and Modes. (There are a variety of modes. An understanding of their existence is sufficient)
Major Scale
This is the scale that we are concerned with in 5th year music. Even young kids know it as Doh, Re, Mi, Fah, Soh, Lah Ti Doh.
Note; Ti always sounds like it wants to go to Doh. Each major scale moves in Tones and Semitones. A semitone is the nearest possible note to another on a piano keyboard. A tone is 2 semitones. A major scale consists of the starting not followed by tone, tone semitone –tone, tone, tone, semitone.
Play the notes CDEFGABC (scale of C) on a keyboard and check this progression of tones and semitones.
When playing a scale of G, the 7th note is F# to preserve this organisation of tones and semitones, therefore the scale of G has an F# in it. This F# is written at the start of the tune in the key signature. A piece in the key of G will always have this key signature at the start.
Similarly the scale of D needs 2 sharps (F# and C#), the scale of A has 3 (F#, C# and G#), and the scale of E has 4 (F#, C#, G# and D#).
See composition page for more theory.
Note; the key signature tells us what key a piece of music is in. When naming notes, don’t forget to check the key signature.
An Interval is the distance between 2 notes. Just count up the notes to work out the interval. E.g. C-D is a 2nd. G-D is a 5th, D-E is a 7th etc.
What do they look like on manuscript paper? Look at any adjacent notes on any score and work out the interval they make.
What do they sound like? 3rds and 6ths sound “nice”. 4ths and 5ths sound “ok but bare”. 2nds and 7ths clash (dissonant)
Parallel intervals are when 2 lines of music, a certain interval apart, move in the same direction, thus the interval stays the same.
A Chord is built in 3rds on the bottom note of each scale. Chords usually consist of 3 notes, e.g. C-E-G.
A chord is named by the bottom note as it appears in the scale.In a major key (using a major scale) chords I, IV, and V are major. Chords ii and vi are minor. Don’t get too bogged down about the theory of why the chords are major or minor, but it is important to hear the difference between a major and minor chord.
The “position” of a chord is decided by the bottom note. A chord of C with an E as the bottom note is written C/E. A chord of C with a G as the bottom note is written C/G.
A Cadence is a point of rest. It needs a long note at the end of a phrase, but it also needs notes belonging to 2 chords to make the cadence (full stop or comma)
Perfect Cadence V-I (“full stop” as it sounds finished). Your melody must finish on a perfect cadence. i.e. the notes at the end of the melody must outline the chords V and I. you should also recognise the sound of a cadence and work it out on paper.
Plagal Cadence IV-I (also “full stop” as it sounds finished but not as strong a finish as the perfect cadence.) this is often referred to as the "Amen". Hear doh-doh.
Imperfect Cadence (“comma”) any chord to chord V. The 3rd phrase of 4 in the melody will usually finish on an imperfect Cadence. It sounds like a break (comma) but it doesnt sound finished.
Interrupted Cadence (“comma”) V-vi. Sounds like an interruption as it ends on chord vi, a minor chord.
Modulation means key change. In order to change key, introduce chords V and I from the new key. In a modulation, chord V will always have an accidental.
Tonality is concerned with the organisation of pitches in a piece of music. The pitches that comprise a piece of music usually come from a scale. There are 3 types of scales concerning us for Leaving Cert. music, Major, Minor, and Modes. (There are a variety of modes. An understanding of their existence is sufficient)
Major Scale
This is the scale that we are concerned with in 5th year music. Even young kids know it as Doh, Re, Mi, Fah, Soh, Lah Ti Doh.
Note; Ti always sounds like it wants to go to Doh. Each major scale moves in Tones and Semitones. A semitone is the nearest possible note to another on a piano keyboard. A tone is 2 semitones. A major scale consists of the starting not followed by tone, tone semitone –tone, tone, tone, semitone.
Play the notes CDEFGABC (scale of C) on a keyboard and check this progression of tones and semitones.
When playing a scale of G, the 7th note is F# to preserve this organisation of tones and semitones, therefore the scale of G has an F# in it. This F# is written at the start of the tune in the key signature. A piece in the key of G will always have this key signature at the start.
Similarly the scale of D needs 2 sharps (F# and C#), the scale of A has 3 (F#, C# and G#), and the scale of E has 4 (F#, C#, G# and D#).
See composition page for more theory.
Note; the key signature tells us what key a piece of music is in. When naming notes, don’t forget to check the key signature.
An Interval is the distance between 2 notes. Just count up the notes to work out the interval. E.g. C-D is a 2nd. G-D is a 5th, D-E is a 7th etc.
What do they look like on manuscript paper? Look at any adjacent notes on any score and work out the interval they make.
What do they sound like? 3rds and 6ths sound “nice”. 4ths and 5ths sound “ok but bare”. 2nds and 7ths clash (dissonant)
Parallel intervals are when 2 lines of music, a certain interval apart, move in the same direction, thus the interval stays the same.
A Chord is built in 3rds on the bottom note of each scale. Chords usually consist of 3 notes, e.g. C-E-G.
A chord is named by the bottom note as it appears in the scale.In a major key (using a major scale) chords I, IV, and V are major. Chords ii and vi are minor. Don’t get too bogged down about the theory of why the chords are major or minor, but it is important to hear the difference between a major and minor chord.
The “position” of a chord is decided by the bottom note. A chord of C with an E as the bottom note is written C/E. A chord of C with a G as the bottom note is written C/G.
A Cadence is a point of rest. It needs a long note at the end of a phrase, but it also needs notes belonging to 2 chords to make the cadence (full stop or comma)
Perfect Cadence V-I (“full stop” as it sounds finished). Your melody must finish on a perfect cadence. i.e. the notes at the end of the melody must outline the chords V and I. you should also recognise the sound of a cadence and work it out on paper.
Plagal Cadence IV-I (also “full stop” as it sounds finished but not as strong a finish as the perfect cadence.) this is often referred to as the "Amen". Hear doh-doh.
Imperfect Cadence (“comma”) any chord to chord V. The 3rd phrase of 4 in the melody will usually finish on an imperfect Cadence. It sounds like a break (comma) but it doesnt sound finished.
Interrupted Cadence (“comma”) V-vi. Sounds like an interruption as it ends on chord vi, a minor chord.
Modulation means key change. In order to change key, introduce chords V and I from the new key. In a modulation, chord V will always have an accidental.