Here's the short course.
All Western harmony is based upon
the Major Scale.
The Major Scale uses seven notes:
1_2_34_5_6_78 (note the gaps)
It can also be expressed as a sequence of whole (tones) and half-steps (semitones):
WWHWWWH
The simplest major scale is
C major which has the following notes:
C_D_EF_G_A_BC
The
intervals from the root note (1) to the note in question are the most fundamental unit of music:
C-D = major 2nd (9th if more than an octave)
C-E = major 3rd
C-F = perfect 4th (11th if in next octave)
C-G = perfect 5th
C-A = major 6th
C-B = major 7th
There are 5 more intervals (notes) that are not part of the major scale as such. They are annotated with either a # (sharp) or b (flat) symbol and often have several alternative names:
C-Db (C#) = minor 2nd (b2 or b9)
C-Eb (D#) = minor 3rd (b3 or #9)
C-Gb (F#) = diminished 5th (b5, #4 or #11)
C-Ab (G#) = minor 6th (augmented 5th, #5, b6 or b13)
C-Bb (A#) = dominant 7th (minor 7th or b7)
Chords are formed by picking
every other note. This is also known as
harmonising in thirds. The chords in each key (examples in C major) are:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C D E F G A B C Chord no. Chord name.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 3 5 C E G I C major
2 4 6 D F A ii D minor
3 5 7 E G B iii E minor
4 6 8 F A C IV F major
5 7 9 G B D V G major
6 8 10 A C E vi A minor
7 9 11 B D F vii B diminished
C is not the only key, though it is often used as an example because it is simplest. There are 12
keys, each with a corresponding
relative minor key:
Key Minor Signature 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C major A minor C D E F G A B
G major E minor # G A B C D E F#
D major B minor ## D E F# G A B C#
A major F# minor ### A B C# D E F# G#
E major C# minor #### E F# G# A B C# D#
B major G# minor ##### B C# D# E F# G# A#
F# major D# minor ###### F# G# A# B C# D# E#
F major D minor b F G A Bb C D E
Bb major G minor bb Bb C D Eb F G A
Eb major C minor bbb Eb F G Ab Bb C D
Ab major F minor bbbb Ab Bb C Db Eb F G
Db major Bb minor bbbbb Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C
Gb major Eb minor bbbbbb Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F
There are more chord types than the simple
triad chords shown above. Here are some common types:
Chord Notes
major 1 3 5
6 1 3 5 6
7 1 3 5 b7
maj7 1 3 5 7
9 1 3 5 b7 9
maj9 1 3 5 7 9
11 1 3 5 b7 11
add11 1 3 5 11
13 1 3 5 b7 13
add9 1 3 5 9
sus2 1 2 5
sus4 1 4 5
5 1 5
minor 1 b3 5
min7 1 b3 5 b7
min9 1 b3 5 b7 9
dim 1 b3 b5
dim7 1 b3 b5 bb7 (6)
min7b5 1 b3 b5 b7
aug 1 3 #5
6/9 1 3 5 6 9
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