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HOME ABOUT US EPISODES CONTACT US DONATE EpISODE 02 THEORY BASICS PART 1 MeLODY AND HARMONY

HOST- Jeremy Burns

 

TYPE- Theory

 

DURATION- 06:27

 

BUMPER MUSIC- "String Quartet in Modes- Dorian"

 

(Matthew Scott Phillips)

 

ANNOUNCER- Mike Cunliffe

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DESCRIPTION

This, our first theory podcast, is elementary but crucial.

In this episode, part 1 of a 2 part series, we will have a brief discussion on melody and harmony. We will also touch on scales, intervals and triads. Part 2 will cover rhythm.

KEY WORDS

MELODY- A succession or arrangement of notes forming a distinctive sequence or theme, often repeated or revisited through out the piece.  This is the horizontal aspect of music.

 

SCALE- A pattern of notes, arranged in whole steps and half steps, that span an octave.

 

TONIC- The root or foundation of a key or scale. This is scale degree 1. The ultimate directional goal of harmony.

 

HARMONY- Occurs when two or more notes occupy the same space in time. This is the vertical aspect of music.

 

INTERVAL- The difference in pitch between two notes.

 

TRIAD- A basic three note harmony consisting of the root, the 3rd and the 5th of the scale.  There are 4 main types of triads: major, minor, augmented and diminished.

 

CHORD- Any combination of three or more notes that occupy the same space in time.

EXAMPLES

C MAJOR SCALE (keyboard)

C MAJOR SCALE (notation+scale degrees)

MELODY EXAMPLE

C MAJOR SCALE + HARMONY OF A 3RD

INTERVAL

(M3)

TRIAD

(C Major)

ARPEGGIO

(as a melody)

MELODY WITH HARMONY OF A 3rd

MELODY WITH CHORDS

C

G

C

C

SAME MELODY WITH DIFFERENT CHORDS

C

Em

G

Am

THINGS TO REMEMBER

-Most of our discussions, at this stage, will be based on tonal, or Western European, music.  These concepts are based on Jean-Philippe Rameau's "Treatise on Harmony", published in 1722.

 

-Try to sing along to the notes and melodies you play while you're doing these exercises.

 

-Know all the notes by name, of course. But when learning and playing scales, start thinking about them as numbers or scale degrees.

 

-Try to create your own melody. Sing it out in scale degrees and in solfège. Play it on your instrument and notate it on stave paper.

 

-Take that melody and put chords to it. Then, find alternate chords that fit the same melody.

MUSIC STUDENT 101

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