The following information must be understood before going on to the various subjects discussed in this study. Work at your own pace to memorize these next pieces of information.
Semitone: (also called a half step)
The distance between any note and the 1st note right after it on your instrument.
Tone: (also called a whole tone or full step)
The distance between any note and the 2nd note right after it on your instrument.
Symbols: # Sharp
When this symbol is placed next to a note, that note is raised (sharpened) one semitone.
Symbols: b Flat
When this symbol is placed next to a note, that note is lowered (flattened) one semitone.
Musical Alphabet:
Look at the picture of the piano keyboard below.
The keyboard has white keys and black keys. They are in a sequence that repeats itself every 12 notes. The white keys are all natural notes which means that in our musical alphabet, they are named as follows:
A B C D E F G
If we name all of the keys, the keyboard looks like this:
The black notes are either # notes or b notes. If you look at the keys, you will notice that there are no black notes between B and C or between E and F. With that in mind, using sharps, we can spell the musical alphabet as follows:
A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#
Memorize: There is no B# or E# in the musical alphabet.
And using flats it spells out like this:
A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab
Memorize: There is no Cb or Fb in the musical alphabet.
You may be wondering why there are 2 names for the same note. For example, A# and Bb are in fact the same note. So are C# and Db. The reason for this will be explained in the following lessons.
Tetrachord:
A tetrachord is any sequence of notes that conforms to the following order.
Tone Tone Semitone
For example: C D E F is a tetrachord.
Other examples of tetrachords are:
G A B C or Bb C D Eb or A B C# D
That’s it for lesson 1. Be sure you study, understand and have memorized:
What is a semitone?
What is a tone?
What is a sharp?
What is a flat?
What is a Tetrachord?
Recite the Musical Alphabet
© 1999, Synaptic Systems Inc.
Speak Your Mind