You will learn music notation using BIAB. You will notate the C Major and G Major scales from any scale-step upwards.
A note-name is the letter name of a note.
A note-name does not indicate the exact pitch. For example, the note-name 'C' refers to all C pitches.
White key note-names are: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G followed by their repetition in the next seven white keys up to the highest and down to the lowest.
A note-name followed by an Arabic numeral indicates an exact pitch.
Each note-name repetition is numbered consecutively from each C. For example, C5 is middle C in BIAB. The C above it is C6. The C below it is C4.
Black keys alternate in groups of 2 s and 3 s.
Each keyboard C is the white note immediately to the left of each pair of black keys.
Each black key is named in relation to an immediately adjacent white key.
A sharp (#) indicates a black key (sometimes white key) immediately above the named white key. For example, C# indicates a black key immediately above a C.
A flat (b) indicates a black key (sometimes white key) immediately below the named white key. For example, Db indicates a black key immediately below a D.
A sharp, flat, or natural sign is an accidental. A natural sign cancels a flat or a sharp.
A bar line (see below) cancels any accidentals in the preceding bar.
Begin at the bottom of the keyboard and name each note up. Name each black key as a note-name sharp.
Begin at the top of the keyboard and name each note down. Name each black key as a note-name flat.
To notate a sharp (#), hold down Shift and click on the staff line or space where a sharp precedes a note.
To notate a flat (b), hold down Ctrl and click on the staff line or space where a flat precedes a note.
To notate a natural, hold down Alt (PC) or Command ( the key with the Apple on the MAC) and click on the staff where a natural sign precedes the note. A natural cancels a sharp or flat in the key signature or preceding within the bar.
If a chord chart is on the BIAB screen,
The BIAB grand staff contains a treble clef and a bass clef .
The clef sign at the left of each staff indicates the position of a particular pitch on that staff; and by reference to that pitch, all pitches on all the lines and spaces.
The top staff is a treble clef. Long ago the treble clef sign was the letter G. Notice the swirl around the second line of the staff. A note on the second line indicates the G above middle C.
The lines from bottom up on the treble clef indicate pitches E5, G5, B5, D6, F6. (A memory trick - Every Good Boy Does Fine.) The spaces from bottom up indicate pitches F5, A5, C6, E6. (The spaces spell the word FACE).
The bottom staff is an F bass clef. Long ago the bass clef sign was the letter F. Notice the 2 dots on either side of the fourth line of the staff. A note on the fourth line indicates the F below middle C.
The lines from bottom up on the bass clef indicate pitches G3, B3, D4, F4, A4. (A memory trick - Good Boys Do Fine Always.) The spaces from bottom up indicate pitches A3, C4, E4, G4.
Ledger lines, short non-continuing lines, are added above or below a staff to indicate pitches that are higher or lower than pitches on the staff.
Middle C is on the first ledger line below the treble staff.
Middle C is the first ledger line above the bass clef staff.
Notes from left to right on a staff indicate consecutive pitches. Each pitch is indicated by its position on a staff line or space.
The graphic shape of each note indicates the length of its duration in relation to other durations. Each duration is a multiple of, or divisible by, other durations.
Each note may have:
There are five BIAB durations:
A black note-head with a note-stem and three flags is a 32nd note. A 32nd note equals two 64th notes.
A black note-head with a note-stem and four flags is a 64th note.
Additional durations are indicated with dots or ties. A dot following a note-head increases the note duration by one-half of its value. Durations are added together by means of curved lines termed ties to form additional duration values.
Silence is indicated by rests. Each rest has the graphic shape shown in Example 2 following the same note duration.
A time signature consists of a fraction or the sign C (= 4/4) or C with a vertical slash across it (= 2/2).
The time signature is also termed the meter.
The lower number of a time signature indicates the basic duration value in the bars (also termed measures) that follow. For example, a lower number 4 indicates that a quarter note is the basic musical duration. The basic duration is often (but not always) equal to one beat of the tempo.
The upper number indicates the number of basic durations or their equivalent in each bar.
For example, 4/4 indicates that the basic note value is a quarter note and there are 4 quarter notes or their equivalent in each bar.
A bar is a unit of musical time consisting of a fixed number of note durations of a given type or their equivalent, as determined by the time signature.
Each bar begins and ends with a bar line, a solid vertical line across each 5 line staff.
The same number of note durations or their equivalent occurs in each bar until a new time signature occurs.
BIAB does not indicate a time signature.
The basic note-value on a BIAB lead sheet is always a quarter note and the quarter note always equals one beat. There can be 4, 3, 2, or 1 quarter notes (or the equivalent durations) in each bar.
The time signature in all exercises is 4/4. There are durations equal to 4 quarter notes in each bar.
Tempo is the number of beats per minute. The tempo regulates the actual time alloted to each duration.
A moderate tempo is 70-95 beats per minute; a fast tempo is above 120 beats per minute; a slow tempo is below 60 beats per minute.
The perception of the number of beats in a bar varies with tempo. For example, a rapid 4/4 may sound like 2 beats per bar instead of 4.
Open and Play a song or exercise and change the tempo.
A scale is a collection of seven different letter note-names, scale-steps, in a particular order. A scale may begin or end on any of its scale-steps. A scale is defined by its note content, not by its beginning or ending note.
Scales are usually described as beginning and ending on the first scale-step called the tonic. But in actual music, melodic scales begin and end on any scale-step in any bar, except at the end which often concludes on the tonic scale-step.
For example, a C Major scale contains the notes C, D, E, F, G A, B, C. If the scale-step order changes to D, E, F, G A, B, C, D, it remains a C Major scale; but now the scale begins and ends on D, the second scale-step. The actual note content is the same. (Long ago, if the C Major scale began and ended on D, it was called the Dorian Mode; but that is an unnecessary complication today.)
This is a less conventional way of describing scales; but it is an accurate description of how scales are used to compose melodies in tonal music.
A half-step consists of immediately adjacent keys on a keyboard. There is no intervening key.
A whole-step consists of 2 half-steps in the same direction. A whole-step is a full-step.
The scale-step names are:
The major scale pattern up is: tonic scale-step (the first scale-step), whole-step, whole-step, half-step, whole-step, whole-step, whole-step, half-step to a tonic.
1. Double-click aexer1a.mgb.
2. Exercise 1a: C Major and G Major Scales, appears on the BIAB screen.
Click the N button at lead sheet top left.
The N button switches between 3 lead sheet modes:
Enter consecutive notes from left to right by clicking the line or space for the pitch you wish to notate at the dotted line (see below) where the note begins in the bar.
IMPORTANT: Click the upper staff for notes from middle C up. Click the lower staff for notes from B below middle C down.Place notes on the staff by clicking from left to right on the lead sheet.
BIAB determines the note duration value from the position of each note in relation to the dotted graph lines.
BIAB computes and notates the correct duration of the next to the last note each time you click a new note.
Click the arrows at either end of the scroll bar at lead sheet bottom. PC: On smaller screens, it may be necessary to move lead sheet to screen top. Click Notation, the next to last menu on at screen top right. Click Put Notation/Chords on Top. Or, from the computer keyboard, hold down Ctrl and type T. The lead sheet moves to top screen.
A bar line is a solid vertical line across a staff. Each bar line indicates the end of one bar and the beginning of the next bar.
Spaces divide the dotted graph lines into four groups. Each group of dotted graph lines represents one beat.
The dotted graph lines divide each beat into 3 or 4 equal parts. 4 dotted lines per beat divide each beat into 4 sixteenth notes per beat (or equivalent durations). 3 dotted lines per beat divide each beat into 3 eighth notes per beat (triplets or equivalent durations).
If each beat is divided into 4 parts by dotted graph lines,
Notate C Major scale-steps in bars 1-8. Notate G Major scale-steps in bars 9-16.
Begin each bar one scale-step higher as indicated. Use only C Major scale-steps in bars 1-8 and G Major scale-steps in bars 9-16.
Remember: a scale is a collection of notes. A scale may begin and end on any scale-step.
Complete each bar.
Compose eighth notes by clicking on the first or third graph line of each beat.
Complete bars 1-8 with successive scale-steps from the C Major scale. Each scale starts from the scale-step indicated at the beginning of each bar. The C Major scale has no sharps or flats.
After a short introduction - a count-off of 4 beats - bar 1 has a C major scale in eighth notes upward from middle C5: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and C.
Complete bars 2 through 8 with consecutive C Major scale-steps in eighth notes up from the notated beginning pitch. Each bar begins one scale-step higher.
Refer to the C Major scale in the Appendix.
With lead sheet dotted graph lines showing:
Complete bars 3-8 in the same manner.
On the splash-screen, indicate the number of bars to erase and the first bar to erase. IMPORTANT: Uncheck Erase Chords.
The G Major scale contains one note that requires a sharp, F#.
Complete bars 9-16 with successive scale-steps from the G Major scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G. Use only eighth notes. Each bar begins one scale-step higher.
Refer to the G Major scale in the Appendix as you work.
To notate F#, hold down Shift as you click an F treble clef first space or fifth line. BIAB places a sharp before the note-head.
A modulation occurs when 2 or more consecutive chords are spelled from a new scale with a new tonic scale-step.
The scale changes from C Major to G Major at bar 9. Therefore a modulation occurs at bar 9.
When the scale changes, you must notate the accidentals in the new scale. The key signature usually does not change.
In bar 10, notate B5, C6, D6, E6, F#6, G6, and A6.
Click From and click the bar where you wish to begin playback.
Incorrect notes do not sound right with the simultaneous chord.
If you hear a wrong note, locate it, press Delete and click the note. Notate the correct note.
Save the Exercise to your disk with your initials followed by 1a.
Select the drive and folder where you want to save your exercise.
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© H. Gilbert Trythall