Music Theory I

Recommended Music Theory Sites

I highly recommend visiting the following links.
They are very clearly presented with the beginner in mind:

Introduction to Music Theory

Music theory was formulated by observing repeating patterns in music literature and expressing them as "rules." It seems unlikely that early composers were aware of these "rules" when writing the music from which they are drawn. However the rules are extremely useful to the student seeking to quickly understand the structure of music.

Qualifications

All of the rules have exceptions. For brevity, this summary presents the rules and leaves the discussion of the exceptions to others. This summary is intended for chromatic harmonica musicians interested in Western Classical, popular, Blues & Jazz, and American folk music. Those interested in ethnic folk music, advanced Jazz, and the music of Eastern cultures will find a good basis to work from here, but will need to look further afield for additional comprehensive guidance.

1. The Chromatic Scale

Modern Western music is based on the chromatic scale wherein all of the steps are equal and are called halftones. These are the fundamental building blocks on which everything else is built, so you need to get very familiar with them.
The audio frequency of each step is 1.059463 (the twelfth root of two) times the adjacent step below.
A chromatic scale may be played on a piano by playing 12 of the adjacent, (black and white), keys in sequence.
The ear wants to finish on the thirteenth note which is the first note of the next higher octave.

Each note of the chromatic has one or two names consisting of a letter A through G and sometimes a halftone modifier; "sharp" (#) and "flat" (b). The pairs of note names are called enharmonics.

2. The Octave

An octave consists of twelve steps of the chromatic scale. The audio frequency of any note is exactly twice that of the note an octave below and half that of an octave above. Notes separated by octaves sound alike but not identical.

3. Diatonic Scales

About 99% of the music played on the chromatic harp is written on the "major", and three types of "minor" scales. They each have eight notes and seven intervals per octave.
Other types of scales exist but are not discussed here.

3.1 Major Scales

The notes in any diatonic scale can be described as I, II, III, IV, V, VI & VII (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th). The "tonic" or "keynote" is the first note of the diatonic scale. A diatonic scale can begin on any note of the chromatic scale. Where (--) is a wholetone interval and (-) is a halftone interval, the major scale is:

I--II--III-IV--V--VI--VII-I

The roman numerals name the notes in the diatonic scale.
For example C Major:

3.2 Minor Scales

The distinguishing characteristic of all minor keys is that the third is lowered a halftone. This results in the following layout:

The minor keys differ from one another by whether or not the sixth and seventh notes are lowered a halftone.

The Natural Minor compared to the Major scale has a lowered third, sixth & seventh, giving the scale:

I--II-III--IV--V-VI--VII--I

This is the scale that results when the same major-key pattern of intervals is used but the scale begins on the sixth. A major key and the minor beginning on its sixth are said to be "related" (e.g. C-maj and a-min). A major key and the minor resulting from lowering the third is said to be "parallel" (e.g. C-maj and c-min)

For example C Natural Minor:

4. Music Reading
For the Chromatic Harmonica

As a general rule, readers use C-tuned chromatics. Learning to read music on this harp is little different from learning to read on any other C instrument.

5. The Musical Staff

Any music shop has a hundred beginning music books that describe the standard notation, the meanings attached to the shapes of the note symbols, and their locations on the staff. This notation is the same for all instruments. It relates to how the music sounds and not to what you do with the instrument to produce the sounds.

6. Beginning to Read Music

First, we will consider only the "natural" notes of the C-major diatonic scale, C D E F G A B C on a 12 hole harp.

1. The spaces of the staff are named FACE, bottom to top.
2. The lines are named EGBDF (every good boy does fine), bottom to top.
3. The notes above and below the staff continue the same sequence wherein the line or space above is named for the next letter, and A follows G. Vice versa going down.
4. The note on the first ledger line below the staff is C, hole 1 blow on the harp and middle C on the piano.
5. Of these, CEG are blow notes and the others are draw.
6. The 1 2 3 4 holes of each harp octave cover CD EF GA B notes.

6.1 Week One

Using these six simple rules, label all of the notes on some old or copied pieces of sheet music with the note name C D E F G A B, blow/draw, and hole number.
At first go very slowly, consulting the rules as often as necessary. Continue until it becomes so easy that it is unnecessary to consult the rules and is pointless to continue. You are now past the need for tablature because you have been writing it!

6.2 Week Two

Now find some sheet music of simple diatonic tunes in the key of C, (no # or b symbols anywhere.) Pick up your harp and sound the notes using the rules in your head.
You will (particularly if you have played diatonic) find that if you concentrate on blow/draw, the hole numbers will take care of themselves.
Go slowly, taking as much time with each note as is required to get it right... you are not trying to make music yet so don't rush it.
Keep practicing in this mode until (without pushing yourself) it very gradually becomes easier, faster, and sounds musical. You are READING (albeit slowly) on the harp.
Be patient, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Key Signatures

The key signature is a set of # and b symbols that indicate which notes are to be raised or lowered a halftone to produce the diatonic scale of the desired key.

The musical staff (lines EGBDF and spaces FACE) are arranged to represent the diatonic scale in the key of "C". Uneven-interval diatonic scales in keys other than "C" are mapped across the chromatic scale starting at the keynotes. Some of the diatonic notes thus fall on chromatic notes that are not shown on the "natural" staff and are not represented by the unmodified note-names A B C D E F G

Our musical ancestors have solved this problem with the use of the commands sharp/# and flat/b in the key signature. These are "standing orders" to play the diatonic-scale note on that line or space a half-tone higher or lower. If there is to be a natural note played instead, then there will be a natural sign before the note cancelling the key signature sharp or flat to the end of the measure.

Key Signature Chart

6.3 Week Three

Find some sheet music in the "sharp" keys: G D A E.

Whenever a # symbol appears on the same line or space to the left of a note, either in the same measure (called an "accidental") or in the key-signature at the left end of the staff, then PUSH THE BUTTON!

The accidentals are dead easy because the # symbol is right there in the same measure. The key signature must be memorized.

Start with G and work up to E. Most harp players encounter few key signatures involving more than 4 sharps or 4 flats. Really good musicians can play in all of the keys.

6.4 Week Four

Find some sheet music in the "flat" keys, F Bb Eb Ab. Whenever the accidental or key signature indicates a flat (b), play the next lower diatonic note with the button pushed.

To convert a flat (b) note to its enharmonic sharp (#) note by the old rules use this.

• Db   is   C#
• Eb   is   D#
• Gb   is   F#
• Ab   is   G#
• Bb   is   A#

Approach these tunes as you did the "sharp" keys. Go very slowly at first and let the faster speed come gradually without consciously trying for it. At this point you are reading chromatic music in all keys.

Nothing can stop you now!

7. Exercises

Before you start a new piece, play the diatonic scale up and down in that key several times. This will make hitting the sharps or flats in the key signature reflexive. I once met a harper who could play fluently by ear in any key on a C chromatic. In response to my question, "How did you learn to do that?," he answered, "Playing scales!"

Starting on every note of the chromatic scale, play an octave's worth of the chromatic scale up and down.

Postscript

The writer hopes that some of you have found this helpful and are motivated to learn more. Music theory comes in a very thick book that is used for four semesters and adds up to 12 units or more of college work. Naturally, a lot has been omitted from this brief summary.

Tablature & Reading Music
By G.

I've had several requests to do a section on tablature for chromatic harmonica, so here it is.

Because this site is targeted at beginner to intermediate players, I've mixed standard music notation with a form of chromatic tablature, purely for making exercises clear to the uninitiated. I strongly recommend following the steps of any other musician, and learn to read and play from standard music notation. With that said...

ASCII Harmonica Tablature

I wrote a suggested ASCII music notation that may incorporate harmonica tablature or can stand on its own as a generic music notation including melody, changes & timing:

From: "G"
Date: Thu Jan 24, 2002 11:46 pm
Subject: Suggested ASCII Tablature (harmonica fake charts in ASCII)

----- Original Message -----
From: Winslow Yerxa
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2002 7:11 AM
Subject: RE: Another "nomenclature" thing (tab)
[regarding standardising Tablature for the harmonica community]
> >Whadya think? Think it's worth trying?
>
> It is worth trying, and, if memory served, it was tried way back - maybe
> 1993? We more or less agreed on a set of symbols (at least I think we did;
> maybe everyone just expressed their appreication for the ideas). From that
> point, everyone went on making up their own.
>
> Still, it may be worth trying again.
> Winslow

[G responded]
I know.... how about using Music Score as harmonica tab????!
No? Oh well....

In 1999 I spent considerable time thinking up the following system, although for myself I now prefer standard notation with or without tablature.
I offer to you the harmonica community a suggestion for a standard ASCII fake chart music tablature methodology for harmonica or solo instruments alike.