Music Reading 101
Chapter 2 - Melody
Embedded Files
CHAPTER 2 - The Melody
Terms to Know in this Chapter
Key Signatures: Key signatures set the rules for which notes you should play to sound in a specific key and have a certain quality. For example, if I want to play in the Key of C Major, I will play from low C to high C on all the white keys, seven notes in total, it plays the C major scale. This key has no flats or sharps, its the key of C. However if I try the same exercise starting on G, I do not achieve the same quality of sound, it's not a Major scale sound, it is something else (we'll talk about later). So if we look at the chart below, the key of G Major has one sharp, and that is an F#. When I play G to G again except playing an F# instead of an F, it sounds like a Major Scale again.
Diatonic Scales: Key Signatures directly set the rules for a diatonic scales. For instance in the key of F we have 1-Flat (Bb) so we play F to F making sure to Flat the B. Diatonic just means playing by the exact rules of the key signature, no change, in addition or subtraction from the original group of 7 notes. So in this case, F major is the Diatonic Scale because we didn't change, add, or subtract any notes from F Major, it is Diatonic.
Intervals: The distance between notes. For example, in the C major scale the notes go: C D E F G A B C. The distance from the first C to the D is a second. The distance from C to the E is a Third; from C to F is a Fourth; C to G is a Fifth; C to A is a Sixth, C to B is a Seventh. and C to C is an Octave (which means 8 notes above). The intervals all have a specific signature sound.
Major vs Minor Keys: Major keys tend to sound "brighter" and possibly "happier" whereas Minor keys tend to sound "darker" and perhaps "sadder". The reason for this is simply the 3rd note of the chord. If the chord has a Minor 3rd, its a Minor chord, if it has a Major third, its a Major chord. We'll look at both types of thirds and listen to them to try to tell them apart.
Relative Minor: A Relative Minor is a Minor key that shares the same Key Signature as a Major key. For example, look at the chart below labeled "The Circle of Fifths", the center most letters are the Relative minor of the Major Key listed on the outer part. Note that C Major has a relative Minor of A minor. So I can play C to C on the white keys and get a C major and I can play from A - A on the white keys and get an A minor sound. To easily find a Relative minor, simply go down the major scale a Third from the root note. A third down from the root of a major key gives you the Relative Minor. For example, 3 notes down from F Major is D Minor, check the chart, yup that's correct.
Below you'll find every Major and Minor Key and it's corresponding Key Signature
Facts About Keys:
There are 12 Major Keys - True or False?
The last 3 keys of each row actually sound the same as other keys. F# Major and Gb Major sound identical. Cb Major and B Major are identical, and Db and C# are identical sounds. What is the DEAL with that?!?!?
Enharmonic Spellings - Is a fancy phrase that means, "whoa dude, Gb and F# are the same note!"
Why do this?!? Because in certain Keys, it's easier to read. For example if we have to be in the key of C# major, that's 7 sharps to remember while you're reading. It sounds the same in Db but it's only 5 flats, so should be easier to read. Music theory is so vast there will always be a use case for any given key, that's why they are all available to us as sound colors on our palate.
Flats and Sharps Always Appear in the Same Order - True or False?
B E A D G C F is the order of the FLATS.
See the chart above and notice:
Key of 'F' has 1 flat (Bb)
Key of 'Bb' has 2 flats (Bb Eb)
Key of 'Eb' has 3 flats (Bb Eb Ab)
Key of 'Ab' has 4 flats (Bb Eb Ab Db)
Key of 'Db' has 5 flats (Bb Eb Ab Db Gb)
Key of 'Gb' has 6 flats (Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb)
We can keep going if you like, but 6 flats is enough for now. Notice the patterns always follow BEADGCF
F C G D A E B is the order of the SHARPS
See the chart above and notice:
Key of 'G' has 1 sharp (F#)
Key of 'D' has 2 sharps (F# C#)
Key of 'A' has 3 sharps (F# C# G#)
Key of 'E' has 4 sharps (F# C# G# D#)
Key of 'B' has 5 sharps (F# C# G# D# A#)
Key of 'F#' has 6 sharps (F# C# G# D# A# E#)
We can keep going if you like, but 6 sharps is enough for now. Notice the patterns always follow FCGDAEB
There are 36 Minor Keys (Wait WHAT?!?): Yes there are 3 versions of minor, natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor. In fact this is just a start, there are more lesser known forms and "minor sounding scales" from other cultures, too numerous to name here. Once you learn your Major Scales, you pretty much know your natural minor, because Natural minor is the Relative of Major ie. E minor is the Relative Minor of G.
If you've ever wondered what the circle of fifths is, this is it. Tadaa!!! It's an easy way of visualizing the 12 different keys. It also eliminates the enharmonic equivalents favoring the key that appears in music most often. If you go around the circle counter-clockwise, you'll see all the Flat keys in order, what their key signature is and what their relative minor is.
WRAPPING UP:
B E A D G C F - A Simplified Circle of Fifths
B E A D G C F is actually a circle, where the F attaches to the B on the other side. It is in this order for the following 2 reasons
Read it left to right, it is the order of Flats as they appear when writing key signatures on the note lines - Bb Eb Ab Db..... ect.
Read it Right to Left and its the order of Sharps as they appear when writing key signatures on the note lines F# C# G# D#.... ect.
Zoom out, we see it is also the order of Major Keys from least number of flats to most (start on C go in a clockwise cirlce): C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb
In that same Zoom, going backwards shows us the order of Major Keys from least number of sharps to most (start on C go in a counter-clockwise circle): C G D A E B F# C#
Worksheet: Key Signature Practice
Key Signature Practice.pdfPrint the following worksheet to practice writing the flats and sharps on the correct lines. MrW can print a copy for you if necessary. (30 points)
If you feel like you're ready, click here to take the Quiz
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