Pitch Class Collection Week 3

Write the letter names of the pitch classes in each excerpt, writing each letter name only once, in any order.

Pitch Class Collection: the group of pitches used in a piece of music (no duplications or any particular order) Diatonic: the set of seven pitch classes in a single key (Mozart example) Chromatic: All 12 possible pitch classes (Webern example) The diatonic collection is a subset from the chromatic collection

Scales: differ from pitch class in that they are ordered Chromatic Scale: made up entirely of half steps Start on given pitch If no key signature, use sharps ascending and flats descending

Chromatic Scale (Cont.) If a key is indicated: First write the underlying major scale Then, raise the pitches going up and lower them going down This may result in mixed accidentals

Whole Tone Scale: Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step The spelling is different at the end All thirds are major so all triads are augmented

Major Scale: Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step Start on given pitch without altering it Use all seven letters once and repeat the first again at the end-no other repeats! Use only sharps or only flats, not a combination of both

You can also think of major scales as two tetrachords a whole step apart (WWH W WWH) Whole Whole Half Whole Whole Half Whole **The spelling of a scale DOES MATTER! The goal is to make it as easy to read as possible while remaining within the tonal framework given!

Writing Major Scales: Write the given pitch on the staff 2. Write pitches with no accidentals on every line and space from that pitch to the next pitch an octave higher 3. Label the spaces between pitches (under the staff) with the major scale formula (WWHWWWH) 4. Add appropriate accidentals to the left of the appropriate notes

Scale-from the latin Scalae or Italian Scala meaning “stairs” or “ladder” Beginning tone is the Tonic and is usually repeated at the end of the scale The tonic is crucial to the sound and structure of music Each pitch of a scale is called a Scale degree or Scale step Each scale degree has a number and a name: 1=Do=tonic 2=Re=supertonic 3=Mi=mediant 4=Fa=subdominant 5=Sol=dominant 6=La=submediant 7=Ti=subtonic

Pentatonic Scales Only 5 of the diatonic scale degrees Major Pentatonic: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 Do, Re, Mi, Sol, La **Why use scales? “think” in multiple keys-functions, harmonies, etc. Sight-reading: melodies often feature segments of scales Understanding tendency tones and resolution