Delyth Knight Certified Music Judge LABBS Music Category Director
1. No question is a stupid question. If you need to know, ask 2. We will make sure that all the basics are understood 3. All animals are equal and even the tutor is human 4. Sing whenever possible 5. This is part 1 of a 2-part course next part is right after this one 6. Have we got four parts? August 2015 2
A bit of revision: Vocabulary Scales, major and minor Intervals and how to identify them Two-note chords Three-note chords Four-note chords Some tag singing along the way (illustrations) August 2015 3
Vocabulary Scales Intervals August 2015 4
Names of notes? August 2015 5
Major scales have the same pattern of intervals between the notes: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 T T ½T T T T ½T Do re mi fa sol la te do August 2015 6
A minor scale has a different pattern of intervals between the notes. Melodic minor: Flatten the 3 rd note Sharpen 6 th & 7 th going UP but flatten them going DOWN August 2015 7
The harmonic minor is the same going up or down the scale: Flatten the 3 rd note going up or down Sharpen the 7 th note (only) both going up and down August 2015 8
An interval is the distance between two notes. Count up the scale from the lower note until you reach the upper note The number of the upper note is the name of the interval. An interval is ALWAYS calculated upwards from the lower note and you count BOTH notes. August 2015 9
Perfect: The octave, the 4th and the 5th are called perfect intervals. Major: All other intervals in the major scale are called major intervals C to D = major 2nd C to E = major 3rd C to F = perfect 4th C to G = perfect 5th C to A = major 6th C to B = major 7th C to C = perfect octave August 2015 10
Major second: God save our gracious Queen... Major third: While shepherds watched... Perfect fourth: Should auld acquaintance... Perfect fifth: Baa baa black sheep Major sixth: And now..the end..is near... Perfect octave: Some-where over the rainbow Major seventh: Ba-li hai August 2015 11
(1) If you flatten a perfect interval, the result is called a diminished interval. C to G is a diminished 5th C to F is a diminished 4 th (2) If you flatten a major interval, the result is called a minor interval. C to E is a minor 3rd C to D is a minor 2nd August 2015 12
(3) If you flatten a minor interval, the result is, again, called a diminished interval. C to E is a diminished 3rd (4) If you sharpen either a perfect interval or a major interval, the result is called an augmented interval. C to G# is an augmented 5th C to F# is an augmented 4th August 2015 13
Minor 3 rd : What ll I do Minor 2 nd :... It had to be you = semitone August 2015 14
Django Bates' The Interval Song which he wrote for, and is sung by, his children: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl2d4zs5 6cY Intervals Roasting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df074cl5 vji&list=rddf074cl5vji August 2015 15
Every scale must have all the letters in it A, B, C, D, E, F, G All chords should use the notes of that scale Some notes have enharmonic equivalents: e.g. on keyboard, C# and D share the same key But they have different functions in a scale and therefore in a chord Don t confuse the baritones, spell it correctly August 2015 16
1. Two and three-note chords August 2015 17
Two or more notes played together are called a chord The names for two-note chords are the same as for intervals between pairs of notes: 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th, 5 th, 6 th, 7 th, octave Like intervals, two-note chords may be major, minor, diminished or augmented. August 2015 18
A triad consists of three notes the note on which the triad is based (the root, R), plus the third (3) and the fifth (5) above it. The third may be major or minor The fifth may be augmented or diminished The interval between 3 rd and 5 th (which is also a third) may be major or minor In four part-harmony, one note will be sung by two parts ( doubled ) ideally the root August 2015 19
1. Major triad: home chord. No sense of movement. 1 + 3 + 5 M3 + m3 August 2015 20
Ladies key: E. Tonic chords at start of the chorus Tonic note is doubled August 2015 21
2. Minor triad: plaintive-sounding chord. Home in minor keys. 1 + 3 + 5 m3 + M3 August 2015 22
Triad chord of A minor. Root doubled August 2015 23
3. Augmented triad: dissonant. Use when melody is on 5# 1 + 3 + 5# 4.Diminished triad: uncommon, used in place of dim7th 1 + 3 + 5 August 2015 24
2. Four-note chords August 2015 25
Four different notes: created by adding multiples of major or minor thirds to basic triads Seventh: add a third to a triad Ninth: add another third to a 7 th Eleventh: add yet another third (uncommon) Thirteenth: add another third... More common than you d think because of voicing between tenor and bass, especially for men August 2015 26
All 7 th chords have a innate instability and therefore a strong sense of movement Pull towards another chord Tension and release Hallmark of barbershop harmony Ring like bells! August 2015 27
1. Major-minor 7 th : barbershop 7 th. Use lots! 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 August 2015 28
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2. Major-major 7 th : dissonant. Best when melody is on major 7 th 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 August 2015 30
Heart of My Heart (The Story of the Rose) E major (tonic) chords: passing note in melody using M7 August 2015 31
3. Minor-minor seventh: dissonant, modern feeling 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 August 2015 32
4. Diminished 7 th : strong sense of movement 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 5. Half-diminished 7 th : likewise, a transition chord 1 + 3 + 5 + 7. August 2015 33
Sweet Adeline Diminished chord Half-diminished chord August 2015 34
Add another 3 rd to a 7 th chord. May substitute for barbershop 7 th where melody is on 9 th Major-minor 7 th major 9 th 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 August 2015 35
G major chord, melody on 9 August 2015 36
Add another 3 rd to an 11 th chord: only 4 voices so omit 5, 7, 9 and 11 and double the root. Looks like a 6 th without a 5 th hence alternate name: open 6 th. Use when melody is on 6 th 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 11 + 13 August 2015 37
An old tag: C-E-C-A = R-3-R-6 (13) August 2015 38
Major 6 th : jazzy sounding chord. Little movement 1 + 3 + 5 + 6 Minor 6 th : use sparingly. Features in Amen cadence 1 + 3 + 5 + 6 August 2015 39
E 6: R-3-5-6 August 2015 40
Minor 6 th in passing R-5-6- 3 August 2015 41
Major 9 th : triad with added 9 th. Used where melody is on 9 th and harmony is triadic (stable) 1 + 3 + 5 + 9 August 2015 42
The Little Boy (Tom Gentry) G major (tonic) chord prevailing. R-5-9-3 A in melody is the 9th August 2015 43
Major triad Augmented triad Major-minor seventh Dominant seventh Augmented dominant seventh Minor sixth Half-diminished sevenths Major chords with added ninth Minor triad Diminished triad Minor seventh Major seventh Dominant seventh with flatted fifth Major sixth Diminished sevenths Incomplete dominant ninths See BHS Music Category definitions August 2015 44
1. Write down the names of the notes - e.g. E, G, A, C 2. Stack them vertically in alphabetical order (ascending): A, C, E, G 3. Re-stack until you have a stack of major or minor thirds between each note - or as close as you can 4. Identify root, third, fifth 5. Identify any repeated notes or odd notes 6. Decide whether 3 is full or diminished or augmented 7. Decide whether 5 is full or diminished or augmented 8. Conclude whether it's a major or minor triad 9. Decide whether 4th note is a repeated note, or a 7th, and if so whether minor or major 10. If not a 7th identify what it is 11. Name that chord 12. If in doubt use the chord chart August 2015 45
Any questions? Take a chord chart with you A copy of this presentation can be emailed to you My email: Delythk@aol.com August 2015 46