Music Theory


[MIDI Files]
Scales
C Scale (minus 1) C Scale (Middle C) C Scale (plus 1)  

Individual Notes
(-1) C Db/C# D Eb/D# E F Gb/F# G Ab/G# A Bb/A# B  
Middle C C Db/C# D Eb/D# E F Gb/F# G Ab/G# A Bb/A# B  
(+1) C Db/C# D Eb/D# E F Gb/F# G Ab/G# A Bb/A# B  

 

[TIME SIGNATURE]
The time signature, written after the key signature at the beginning of a musical score, specifies how many beats are in each measure (bar) and what note value constitutes one beat.

Most time signatures comprise two numbers, written in the manner of a fraction.
The bottom number is the "beat unit", specifying what note value constitutes one beat, and is expressed as a fraction of a whole note. Eg. 4 on the bottom means quarter-note counts (1/4).
The top number specifies how many beats are in each measure. Eg. a time signature of 2/4 means 2 quarter-notes per measure (two 1/4-notes per bar).

Some other examples:
4/4 - 4 quarter-notes per measure (also known as "common time")
3/4 - 3 quarter-notes per measure
2/2 - 2 half-notes per measure
3/2 - 3 half-notes per measure
4/2 - 4 half-notes per measure
6/8 - 6 eighth-notes per measure

 

[SCALES]
To find the scale of a key, eg. 'C' key:
T T S T T T S
C D E F G A B C
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

(T=tone=2 notes, S=semi-tone=1 note. The 8th note is the key itself.)
(from C to D is 1 tone: C->C#->D. From B to C is 1 semi-tone: B->C.)

   12345678
C: CDEFGABC
Db/C#: DbEbFGbAbBbCDb
D: DEF#GABC#D
Eb/D#: EbFGAbBbCDEb
E: EF#G#ABC#EbE
F: FGABbCDEF
Gb/F#: GbAbBbBDbEbFGb
G: GABCDEF#G
Ab/G#: AbBbCDbEbFGAb
A: ABC#DEF#G#A
Bb/A#: BbCDEbFGABb
B: BC#D#EF#G#A#B

 

[CHORDS]
The major chords of a key take after the 1st, 4th and 5th notes on the scale of the key.
For the 'C' key, the major chords are therefore C, F and G.

The minor chords of a key take after the 2nd, 3rd and 6th notes on the scale of the key.
For the 'C' key, the minor chords are therefore D, E and A (played as Dm, Em, Am).

Chord Name Formula Example for 'C' key How to play the chord
Major 1  3  5 C C E  G
Minor 1  3b 5 Cm C Eb G
Diminished 1  3b 5b C° C Eb Gb
Augmented 1  3  5# C+ C E  G#
Major 7th 1  3  5  7 Cmaj7 C E  G  B
Dominant 7th 1  3  5  7b C7 C E  G  Bb
Minor 7th 1  3b 5  7b Cm7 C Eb G  Bb
Diminished 7th 1  3b 5b 7bb C°7 C Eb Gb Bbb (or simply, A)
Add 6 1  3  5  6 Cadd6 C E  G  A

 

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