Physics+of+Sound,+Scales,+Key+Signatures,+Modes

Feb 4th: Took notes on the Harmonic Series, overtones, the overtone series, and sound therapy. Spent time listening to amazing grace with throat singing, the tuvan throat singers,and spent time using the soundry.

Feb 7th: Finished notes on Sound Therapy. Began Scales section. Took notes on steps and accidentals, scale degree names, the major scale, and the minor scales. Worked on scale ear training for 5 minutes. Worked on white and black note training for a few minutes.

Feb 8th: Did major scale building, major scale jam, minor scale building, and minor scale jam assignments (also tried building scales in treble and bass clef assignments). Began key signatures unit...copied previous notes on key signatures, took notes on key signature calculation.

Feb 9th: Took more notes on key signatures, took notes on the circle of fiths, and did major key signature identification.

Feb 10th: Found new website to understand key signatures and copied notes from the site. Did minor scale identification, key trainer, and another drill for keys. Started Modes unit. Took notes on modern modes and modes fun. Copied modes, the tricks, why, whole tone scales, pentatonic scales, and octatonic scales. Did Whole tone scale building, pentatonic scale building, and the pentatonic scale jam.

Feb 11th: Started and completed Unit 2 Vocabulary.

__**PHYSICS/PROPERTIES OF SOUND:**__


 * Harmonic Series:**


 * The pitches which are present in a single note. Pitched musical instruments are often based on an approximate harmonic oscillator such as a string or a column of air, which oscillates at numerous frequencies simultaneously. At these resonant frequencies, waves travel in both directions along the string or air column, reinforcing and canceling each other to form standing waves. Interaction with the surrounding air causes audible sound waves, which travel away from the instrument. Because of the typical spacing of the resonances, these frequencies are mostly limited to integer multiples, or harmonics, of the lowest frequency, and such multiples form the ** harmonic series ** (see harmonic series (mathematics)). ** The musical pitch of a note is usually perceived as the lowest partial present (the fundamental frequency), which may be the one created by vibration over the full length of the string or air column, or a higher harmonic chosen by the player. The musical timbre of a steady tone from such an instrument is determined by the relative strengths of each harmonic. A partial is any of the sine waves by which a complex tone is described. A harmonic is any of a set of partials that are whole number multiples of a common fundamental frequency. A note contains its root, octave (root), (perfect) 5th, octave (root), 3d, 5th, flat 7th, octave (root), 9th, 3d.....harmonic series. Harmonics are overtones, or other tones within a note.


 * Overtone:**

An overtone is any frequency higher than the fundamental frequency of a sound. The fundamental and the overtones together are called partials. Harmonics are partials whose frequencies are whole number multiples of the fundamental (including the fundamental which is 1 times itself.) These overlapping terms are variously used when discussing the acoustic behavior of musical instruments. An overtone is a partial (a "partial wave" or "constituent frequency") that can be either a harmonic partial (a harmonic) other than the fundamental, or an inharmonic partial. A harmonic frequency is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency. An inharmonic frequency is a non-integer multiple of a fundamental frequency.


 * The Overtone Series:**

If we continue to add new pitches that are multiples of the fundamental, we call these multiples overtones or harmonics. The original pitch on the bottom is called the fundamental. The perfect intervals P8 and P5 are the closest to the fundamental...they most strong "fit" or reinforce the fundamental, forming what we call a consonance. As we move farther away (left or right) the frequencies are not as closely related, and so we consider those intervals more dissonant. A tritone is the most removed or dissonant interval. One may also think of consonance and dissonance in terms of harmonic stability and instability. More constant to more dissonant is P8, P5, (P4), M3, (m6), m3, (M6), M2, m7, m2, M7, Tritone.


 * Sound Therapy:**

We know the power of sound and music and that the voice changes with emotional states or illness. Our health or mood can be strongly affected by music, toning, chanting, and singing. Just think back to the last time a sick or distraught friend called and remember how their voice was different than normal. Sound research supports this. Our universe is created through patterns of frequency...al healing interventions must influence the body by somehow altering its frequency resonance...all matter can be examined from a frequency perspective (Bio-Resonance Therapy is researching these principles of energy medicine)...the voice is a great indicator of vitality...the brain is a very complex tone generator and commands the systems of the body through frequency...the brain produces waveform pattern that can be measured with a variety of instruments...The brain produces waveform patterns that can be measured with a variety of instruments. The voice also produces a waveform pattern that contains a great deal of frequency information that seems to relate to the physical and emotional health and balance of the speaker. Since every person's voice is unique, the resulting frequency voice analysis map when recorded and analyzed with The Sound Assistant™ software, may show indications of physical and/or emotional issues at the time of the recording.The audio waveform is analyzed for frequencies in stress which are then compared to our experimental frequency assignments of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, bones, muscles and all manner of substances, including drugs and toxins. Once these frequencies in stress are identified, Bio-Resonance Therapy utilizes low frequency waveforms generated with a small, "walkman" style tonebox and delivered through headphones, sub-woofer or a vibration transducer. Each tonebox can be programmed for up to 12 tracks, with up to 4 very accurate frequencies on each track. These low frequency waveforms are non-invasively delivered to the body, often resulting in immediate remarkable changes. Bio-Resonance Frequency Therapy analyzes a recording of the voice to look for clues of nutritional imbalances, or indicators of disease stress and illness. Our research indicates that these low frequency waveforms seem to activate vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other biologic substances, and show promise at being able to detoxify frequencies that correlate with dangerous substances which may be prominent in the voice analysis. Regardless of what correlations we see in the voice analysis, we are able to evaluate the bioacoustic vocal print and provide specific frequencies to resonate and support the body. We have seen incredible results with this form of Energy Medicine. Our clients ailments include cancer, Parkinson's, ALS, ADD, ADHD, heart disease, sleep disorders, depression, and mental health etc.


 * __ SCALES: __**


 * Steps and Accidentals: **

A half step is one key on a key board to the next...a whole step is the same as two half steps...an accidental is a sign used to raise or lower the pitch of a note...a flat lowers a note by a half step while a sharp raise a note by a half step...whenever a certain pitch has multiple names, it is called enharmonic spelling (ex: C# and Db, E and Fb))...a double flat and a double sharp alter a note by a whole step (ex: D and Ebb are the same, A and G## are the same)...a natural cancels out any accidental and returns a note to its original white key


 * Scale Degree Names:**

Each note of a scale has a special name, called a scale degree

1st note: **tonic** 2nd note: **supertonic** 3rd note: **mediant** 4th note: **subdominant** 5th note: **dominant** 6th note: **sub mediant** (b7th note: **subtonic)** for natural minor 7th note: **leading tone** Last note: **tonic**

The subdominant is the same distance below the tonic (8th note) as the dominant is above it (1st note)...prefix sub is latin for "under" or "beneath"..."mediant" is in the "middle" of the tonic and dominant..."submediant" is in the middle of the upper tonic and subdominant...super is latin for "above"...while the scale degrees for the first six notes are the same for both major and minor scales, the seventh one is special... if the seventh note is a half step below the tonic, it is called a leading tone (wants to lead into the tonic)... leading tones can also occur in harmonic minor and melodic minor...in natural minor, the seventh note is a whole step below the tonic (in this case the note is called a subtonic)


 * Major Scale: **

A scale is a selection of certain note within an octave...C Major=C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C...Eb major: Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb.......D Major: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D...any major scale can be built...W, W, h, W, W, W, h


 * Minor Scale: **

Only one major scale, three different minor scales...natural minor structure: W, h, W, W, h, W, W...A natural minor is A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A...G# natural minor is G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#....to convert any natural minor scale into harmonic minor, raise the seventh note by a half step...to convert any natural minor scale into a melodic minor, raise both the sixth and seventh notes by a half step...usually melodic minor is used only when ascending...when descending, composers prefer to use the natural minor scale C Natural minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb C Harmonic minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B  C Melodic minor: C, D, Eb, F, Gb, A, B

__** KEY SIGNATURES: **__


 * Key Signatures: **


 * Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father (order of flat key signatures) **
 * Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle (order of sharp key signatures) **
 * Treble, Bass, Alto, Tenor (1 higher than alto) **
 * C, D, E, F. G, A, B **
 * 0 2 4 -1 1 3 5 **


 * If no key signature, note must be sharpened with sharp or flat sign...key signature usually tells us the key of the piece **


 * Key Signature Calculations: **

7 memorized values: C: 0 D: 2 E: 4 F: -1 G: 1 A: 3 B: 5

To calculate key signature, start with memorized value, add or subtract 7. To change to minor, subtract 3.


 * Circle of Fifths:**

http://bbamusic.wikispaces.com/Circle+of+Fifths

The Circle of Fifths is a shorthand way of remembering the relationship between the key and key signature. C starts at top, clockwise moves to the fifth (of a degree) (G, D, A, etc).-determines sharps Counter-clockwise is by a fourth (of a degree) (F, Bb, etc).-determines flats


 * More Key Signatures: **

There is a little trick to figuring out a key signature's name. When confronted with a key signature that consists of flats, look at the flat second from the far right. This flat is on the line or space the key signature is named after. One flat is F, since you can't go to the next -to-last flat. To find the name of a key signature with sharps, look at the sharp farthest to the right. The key signature is the note a half step above that last sharp.Key signatures can specify major or minor keys. To determine the name of a minor key, find the name of the key in major and then count backwards three half steps. Remember that sharps and flats affect names. []

__**MODES:**__

__The Modes!__
 * **Ionian** (i-o-nee-in)
 * **Dorian** (door-e-in)
 * **Phrygian** (fridge-e-in)
 * **Lydian** (lid-e-in)
 * **Mixolydian** (mix-o-lid-e-in)
 * **Aeolian** (a-o-lee-in)
 * **Locrian** (lo-cree-in)

=The Tricks!=


 * Ionian** - Major Scale
 * Dorian** - Major Scale with lowered 3 and 7
 * Phrygian** - Major Scale with lowered 2,3,6,7
 * Lydian**- Major Scale with raised 4th
 * Mixolydian** - Major Scale with lowered 7th
 * Aeolian** - Major Scale with lowered 3,6,&7 - "one, two, flat three, use that key!" Same as natural Minor
 * Locrian**: Go up 1/2 step and use that key.

=WHY?= //Great for understanding how to improvize!//

See a major chord, use the Ionian or Lydian Mode See a minor chord, use Dorian, Aeolian, or sometimes phrygian See a diminished chord, use Locrian See a dominant chord, use Mixolydian


 * Modern Modes/Musical Modes:**

In modern Western music, mode is a concept that involves scale and melody type. A "scale" is an ordered series of intervals that, with the key or tonic, defines that scale's intervals, or steps. However, in the modern sense, "mode" is usually used in the sense of "scale", applied only to seven specific diatonic scales that follow the tonic note. In the modern western conception, a mode encompasses the same set of diatonic intervals as the major scale. However, a different "tonic" (central tone) is used, resulting in a different sequence of whole and half steps above it.

to major scale ||~ White note ||~ Interval sequence || Minor modes: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Dorian (sharp 6th), Phrygian (flat 7th). Diminished modes: Locrian (Diminished or octatonic).
 * ~ Mode ||~ Tonic relative
 * [|Ionian] || I || C || T-T-s-T-T-T-s ||
 * [|Dorian] || II || D || T-s-T-T-T-s-T ||
 * [|Phrygian] || III || E || s-T-T-T-s-T-T ||
 * [|Lydian] || IV || F || T-T-T-s-T-T-s ||
 * [|Mixolydian] || V || G || T-T-s-T-T-s-T ||
 * [|Aeolian] || VI || A || T-s-T-T-s-T-T ||
 * [|Locrian] || VII || B || s-T-T-s-T-T-T ||
 * Major modes: Ionian (Major), Lydian (sharp 6th), Mixolydian (flat 7th).

More Mode Notes:

The minor scale has more half steps than the major scale. A scale made up of just half steps is called a chromatic scale (12 tones) and pentatonic has just 5 tones (in C, it is just the C black notes on the piano).

**WHOLE TONE SCALE**  A **Whole-Tone Scale** is a scale made entirely of whole steps and has only six notes.





**OCTATONIC SCALE**  The ** Octatonic Scale** is a scale that has eight notes and is constructed from alternating half steps (H) and whole steps(W). <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px;">

__**<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">THEORY VOCAB UNIT 3: **__

<span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Harmonic Series: <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">** The pitches which are present in a single note ** <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Overtone Series: <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Interval: <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The difference, usually expressed in the number of steps, between two pitches. <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Accidentals: <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">In music, an accidental is a note whose pitch (or pitch class) is not a member of a scale or mode indicated by the most recently applied key signature. In musical notation, the symbols used to mark such notes, sharps, flats , and naturals , may also be called accidentals. <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Half Step: An interval distance of a semitone. <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Chromatic Scale: <span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">A scale made up of just half steps with 12 tones. <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Whole Step: An interval distance of a tone. <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Whole tone scale: A<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> scale made entirely of whole steps and has only six notes <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> 7 Modes: <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Tetrachord: Traditionally, a tetrachord is a series of four tones filling in the interval of a perfect fourth, a 4:3 frequency proportion. In modern usage a tetrachord is any four-note segment of a scale or tone row. <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Pentatonic Scale: A<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> gapped scale with five notes; usually the fourth and seventh notes of the diatonic scale are omitted <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Major Scale: <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">a diatonic scale with notes separated by whole tones except for the 3rd and 4th and 7th and 8th <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Minor Scale: <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">a diatonic scale with notes separated by whole tones except for the 2nd and 3rd and 5th and 6th (also harmonic and melodic minor scales) <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Tonic: The first note in a scale <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Supertonic: The second note in a scale <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Mediant: The third note in a scale <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Subdominant: The fourth note in a scale <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Dominant: The fifth note in a scale <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Submediant: The sixth note in a scale <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Leading Tone: The seventh note in a scale <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Octave: The interval of eight diatonic degrees between two tones of the same name, the higher of which has twice as many vibrations per second as the lower. <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Circle of Fifths: <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">In music theory, the circle of fifths (or circle of fourths) shows the relationships among the twelve tones of the chromatic scale, their corresponding key signatures, and the associated major and minor keys <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> #'s FCGDAEB: The sharps in the circle of fifths <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Lucida Grande',Arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> b's BEADGCF: The flats in the circle of fiths ||