Music Theory Made Easy (MTME): Lesson 1
Honestly, there is no way to make Music Theory Easy. Just get used to the fact that Music Theory is SUPER HARD and if you accept that, then maybe it will feel easier to you.
The first thing you need to do is to understand Music Theory relative to an instrument. If you play an instrument, that is fine and you can just use that instrument to help you. If not, then we will explain everything relative to a piano keyboard that looks like this:
The first thing you need to do is to understand Music Theory relative to an instrument. If you play an instrument, that is fine and you can just use that instrument to help you. If not, then we will explain everything relative to a piano keyboard that looks like this:
Hopefully, you have noticed that they keyboard is set up in patterns. These patterns are more easily identified if you look at the black keys which come in sets of twos and threes.
When learning notes, we first identify and label the white keys with letters that come from the first seven letters of our alphabet:
When learning notes, we first identify and label the white keys with letters that come from the first seven letters of our alphabet:
Again, notice how the pattern repeats itself. C is always the white key to the left of the two black keys. It doesn't matter how you memorize this pattern, but please memorize it. We call all of the notes on the white keys natural notes. When you are asked the question, "What note falls in between the two black keys?" The technical answer is D Natural however, because the word "natural" is assumed by most musicians, answering "D" implies "D Natural."
The black keys are a little trickier to learn because they have two answers which are based on symbols called accidentals. For this class, you will need to know two accidentals which are flat (b) and sharp (#).
Notice how each black key has a white key to either side. The answer to the black key is dependent on which side of the black key you are using. If you are moving to a black key from a white key on the left side, you will call it the name of the white key plus #. If you are moving to a black key from a white key on the right side, you will call it the name of the white key plus b. Look at the keyboard below:
The black keys are a little trickier to learn because they have two answers which are based on symbols called accidentals. For this class, you will need to know two accidentals which are flat (b) and sharp (#).
Notice how each black key has a white key to either side. The answer to the black key is dependent on which side of the black key you are using. If you are moving to a black key from a white key on the left side, you will call it the name of the white key plus #. If you are moving to a black key from a white key on the right side, you will call it the name of the white key plus b. Look at the keyboard below:
If we look at the first black key on the left side of the keyboard, notice it has two answers. The Gb comes from the G to the right of the key. The black key can also be called F# which comes from the F to the left of the black key.
At this point, we need to start measuring the distance between keys. The smallest unit of measurement is called a half step. A half step is defined as going from one key to the next immediate key. For example, F to F# is a half step and A to Ab is also a half step. Most half steps will from a white key to a black key or a black key to the next white key. The only exceptions are from B to C and E to F. These notes are what we call naturally occurring half steps because there is no black key between the notes.
When we add two half steps together, we get a whole step. For example, F to G, A to B, D to C, E to D, etc. are all whole steps. A whole step is technically just one natural note to the next EXCEPT for B to C and E to F which I explained in the previous paragraph.
Please memorize the keybaord and notes above and be sure you understand the concept of whole step and half step before you go on to Lesson 2.
At this point, we need to start measuring the distance between keys. The smallest unit of measurement is called a half step. A half step is defined as going from one key to the next immediate key. For example, F to F# is a half step and A to Ab is also a half step. Most half steps will from a white key to a black key or a black key to the next white key. The only exceptions are from B to C and E to F. These notes are what we call naturally occurring half steps because there is no black key between the notes.
When we add two half steps together, we get a whole step. For example, F to G, A to B, D to C, E to D, etc. are all whole steps. A whole step is technically just one natural note to the next EXCEPT for B to C and E to F which I explained in the previous paragraph.
Please memorize the keybaord and notes above and be sure you understand the concept of whole step and half step before you go on to Lesson 2.