Tutoring Structure

 Tones and Semitones

o Define each of them. Make sure he knows the difference between the two
 C major Scale
o Scales are constructed based on a sequence of tones or semitones. The primary
scale is the major scale, and we’ll look at C major scale first
o Sequence for Major: Tone Tone Semitone Tone Tone Tone Semitone
o This creates the C Major Scale: C D E F G A B C
 Scale Degree Names
o There are various names that we call each note in the scale. This is so that we can
talk generally about the key we’re in without having to talk specifically about the
notes.
o The most intuitive is the numbering of each, the 1st, second, third etc
o We can also give each of them a name: Tonic, Supertonic, median, subdominant,
dominant, submediant, leading tone
 Intervals
o From this, we can start working out intervals.
 Unison, Perfect 8th, Perfect Fourth, Perfect Fifth
 Major Second, Major third, Major Sixth, Major seventh
o This can then go into minor versions of each interval
 Minor Second, Minor Third, Augmented Fourth/Diminished Fifth/Tritone,
Minor Sixth, Minor Seventh
o You should be able to identify them aurally as well as on paper
 We can use what we know about the C major scale and the sequence of tones and
semitones to construct all the other major scales. But to help us out, we use the circle of
fifths or the circle of fourths (the same thing)
o Remember the acronym: FCGDAEB, BEADGCF
o This tells us what the sharps and flats are for each of the key signatures
 Key Signatures
o We can use the circle of fifths to tell us how many sharps and flats are in each key
signature, but we also need to identify them outside of this circle
o For keys with sharps: look at the last sharp, and “sharpen it” (go up a semitone) so if
the last sharp is a G#, then a semitone above it is A, so this is A major
o For keys with flats, we “flatten” the last one with our thumb and the one before it is
the key, so if the last two are Eb and Ab, squash the Ab and we are left with Eb
major
 Minor Keys
o There are three types of minor keys: natural, harmonic, and melodic.
o Natural Minor keys also have a pattern. This is: Tone Semitone Tone Tone Semitone
Tone Tone
o But we can see that if we were to make an A minor, this has the same sharps and
flats as C major.
o In fact, all major keys have a relative minor key. This is simply three semitones down
from the major.
o So the relative minor of Bb is Gm, and the relative major of Em is G
o The harmonic minor is just the minor but if you sharpen the seventh. This is used in
a lot of songs
 o Melodic minors are natural minors with a sharpened six and seven on the way up,
but flattened on the way down. This is used less in chords and more for melodies
(especially in jazz improvisation)
 Chords
o Chords are sets of atleast three separate notes, and they are constructed using
minor and major thirds
o We construct a major chord by going from a note, then a major third above it, then a
minor third.
o When we talk about chords, we call the notes based on the scale degree of that
chord, not the key we are in in a song. So if we were in the key of C major, but
playing an F major chord, we call the middle note the “third” even though it is the
sixth scale degree of the key
o Minor Chords are a minor third then a major. This is the opposite of a major, but it’s
easier to think of the major chord and then just flatten the third
o Diminished chords are two sets of minor thirds. It’s if you were to take the fifth of a
minor chord and flatten it
o Augmented chords are two major thirds. Get a major chord and sharpen the fifth.
These are rarely used
o Inversions of chords are simply when you take the bottom note and move it to the
top, then again possibly (and again if you have more notes)
o You will need to be able to identify these aurally
 Chords in Keys
o If we take each of the scale degrees, and give them thirds, using the notes in our
scale, we can “colour in” our scale. We see a pattern emerge: Major chord, minor,
minor, major, major, minor, diminished.
o These same chords are used in the relative minor key, but obviously in the altered
order. Some songs make use of the harmonic minor and sharpen the seven, but for
the most part we ignore this
o Roman Numerals, same scale degree names
 Chord Extensions
o Basically just when we plop more minor or major thirds on top!
o Major Extension
 Major Seven: plop on a major third
 Dominant Seven: add a minor third (talk about tritones)
o Minor Extensions
 Add on a major third (creates a major chord on the top!)
o Diminished
 Full diminished: Add a major third on top
 Half diminished: sharpen the major third (so a fourth on top)
o You will need to identify these and the inversions aurally
o How each of these are written
 Cadences
o Talk about the movement from one chord to the next. Often refers to the way a
progression of chords end, but not always (latin for “falling)
o Perfect Cadence: V – I THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE CADENCE
o Imperfect: I – V (the opposite)
o Plagal: IV – I (very churchy)
o Interrupted: V – vi
 o Picardy: when you use a the major version of a chord at the end of a song in a minor
key
 Chord Progressions:
o How music works.
o The most common makes use of the perfect cadence, by going up fourths then
down a fifth. This creates I IV vii iii vii ii V I
 Modulation
o When we want our key to do something interesting, we modulate. This basically
means we move outside of our key (what is considered “diatonic”)
o Most common modulations are going to the fifth! Because it’s the closest key
signature
o The easiest way to get there is by utilising our strongest cadence of V-I
o