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Pitch, melody and harmony

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Lesson notes

Pitch and the stave

  • Pitch is perceived highness or lowness. Common English pitch letters A–G repeat in different octaves, with accidentals modifying notes. In the scientific pitch convention used in the tables, middle C is C4.
  • A standard pitched stave has five lines, with ledger lines extending its range. A clef supplies a pitch reference: treble clef centres on G4 on its second line from the bottom, while bass clef places F3 on its fourth line from the bottom. They are convenient register conventions, not limits on the pitches a player can produce.

Pitch names repeat in different registers

Pitch names repeat in different registersPitch labelRegister relationshipC3One octave below middle CC4Middle C in this conventionC5One octave above middle CA–GLetter cycle repeats across octaves

Melody

  • A melody is a shaped succession of pitches and rhythms. Conjunct motion uses neighbouring scale steps; disjunct motion uses leaps. Repeated pitches, contour, interval size, range and phrasing describe different aspects of the line and can change within a passage.
  • The written C4–D4–E4–G4–C5 model combines two steps with a third and a fourth. Its total range is C4 to C5, an octave. A phrase is a musical unit rather than a fixed number of bars; a wide range or leap does not automatically create one fixed emotion.

One written rising melodic model

One written rising melodic modelMovementIntervalDescriptionC4 to D4Major secondStepD4 to E4Major secondStepE4 to G4Minor thirdLeapG4 to C5Perfect fourthLeapC4 to C5 overallPerfect octaveTotal range

Scales and tonality

  • Major and minor are pitch organisations, not mood labels. A major tonic triad has a major third and perfect fifth above the root; a minor tonic triad has a minor third and perfect fifth. In twelve-tone equal temperament the thirds span four and three semitones respectively. Identify the tonic and surrounding relationships rather than using sadness or happiness as proof.
  • Tonality concerns a tonal centre and its relationships. Modal, atonal and other pitch organisations require suitable descriptions. Modulation establishes a new tonal centre; a passing accidental or a brief local emphasis need not be a full key change.

Compare two tonic-triad qualities

Compare two tonic-triad qualitiesTriadPitchclassesThird above rootFifth above rootCmajorC E GMajor: 4semitonesPerfect: 7semitonesCminorC Eb GMinor: 3semitonesPerfect: 7semitones

Harmony

  • Harmony concerns pitch relationships and progressions, including chords implied through arpeggiation. A tertian triad contains root, third and fifth pitch classes. The word chord has broader usage, including two-pitch-class power chords in some styles, so do not confuse a triad’s three distinct members with a universal minimum in every convention.
  • In a major key, primary triads I, IV and V are tonic, subdominant and dominant. In C major their pitch classes are C–E–G, F–A–C and G–B–D. Consonance and dissonance describe relative stability, blending or tension in a style and context rather than good versus bad or pleasant versus unpleasant.

Triad members differ from sounding note count

Triad members differ from sounding note countExampleDistinct pitchclassesMeaningC4 E4 G4C E GC-major triadC3 C4 E4G4C E GSame triad with C doubledE3 G3 C4C E GSame triad, E in bassC3 G3 C4C GRoot/fifth power-chordsonority

Cadences

  • A cadence articulates a phrase or sectional ending. In the British GCSE major-key models here, perfect is V–I, plagal IV–I, imperfect ends on V, and interrupted commonly goes V–vi. The minor vi symbol identifies the chord quality of that major-key example; minor-key forms and other interrupted destinations need their own context.
  • An Amen association or finished/unfinished impression can orient listening but does not prove a specific cadence. Examine the harmonic relationship and phrase position. Other theory traditions use authentic, half and deceptive labels, and imperfect authentic must not be confused with British imperfect. The tables provide written pitch and harmony models rather than a complete staff-reading or aural syllabus.

British GCSE major-key cadence models

British GCSE major-key cadence modelsLabelHarmonic endingPerfectV–IPlagalIV–IImperfectEnding on VInterruptedCommonly V–vi

Slides

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Practice questions

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  1. 1.What is pitch?

    Easy
    • Ahow high or low a note sounds
    • Bhow loud a note is
    • Chow long a note lasts
    • Dhow fast the music is

  2. 2.What is a melody?

    Easy
    • Aa set of chords
    • Ba drum pattern
    • Ca loud sound
    • Da tune

  3. 3.How many lines are on a standard stave for pitched Western notation?

    Easy
    • Afour
    • Bsix
    • Cfive
    • Dthree

  4. 4.Which letters form the common English-language pitch-letter cycle?

    Easy
    • AA to E
    • BA to G
    • CA to Z
    • DA to H

  5. 5.What is harmony?

    Easy
    • Anotes sounding together
    • Bone note alone
    • Ca drum beat
    • Dsilence

  6. 6.What is a chord?

    Easy
    • Aone note
    • Ba rest
    • Ca scale
    • Da group of pitches understood as a harmonic unit

  7. 7.What is an interval?

    Easy
    • Athe speed of music
    • Ba loud sound
    • Cthe distance between two notes
    • Dthe length of a note

  8. 8.What does conjunct mean in melody?

    Easy
    • Agetting louder
    • Bmoving by step
    • Cmoving by large leaps
    • Dstaying on one note

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