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Chapter 14

Points and Counterpoints

This page contains sound files discussed in the section Major/Minor of Chapter 14,



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major-minor sound files



On Major / Minor Keys



cook_augmented
                                                            

Figure 12 Major and minor (harmonious), and augmented and diminished (unresolved) C chords. Tension can be resolved into a major chord by lowering the highest note in the augmented chord, or the lowest note in the diminished chord. It can be resolved into a minor chord by raising the lowest note in the augmented chord, or the highest note in the diminished chord—by a semitone each. (based on Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary, available online: http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/)




In the ensuing tables the scale is divided into twleve semitone intervals. Some squares in the second row are filled with letters designating the notes. A filled square followed by an empty one indicate a whole (two-semitone) interval. Two adjacent filled squares indicate a semitone interval. Note that both the major and the natural minor scales consist of five whole plus two semitone (=12) intervals, but differently distributed. In the "harmonic" minor the seventh note is raised so as to effect a semitone step from the seventh to the eighth note—generating an anomalous sequence of three whole and three half intervals, plus one three-semitone (=12) interval. In the "melodic" minor the sixth note too is raised by a semitone, so as to preserve the five plus two division. Semitone and three-semitone intervals are perceived as deviations from sequences of whole intervals. Note that it is in the major scale that the intruding semitones yield the most symmetrical, most stable organization.


SCALE STEPS (IN SEMITONES OR HALF STEPS)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

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c

d

e

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g

a

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c'

MajorScale.jpg

Play Major Scale





SCALE STEPS (IN SEMITONES OR HALF STEPS)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

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12

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c

d

eb

f

g

ab

bb

c'

NaturalMinorScale.jpg

Play Natural Minor Scale





SCALE STEPS (IN SEMITONES OR HALF STEPS)

1

2

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4

5

6

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c

d

eb

f

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ab

b

c'

HarmonicMinorScale.jpg

Play Harmonic Minor Scale




SCALE STEPS (IN SEMITONES OR HALF STEPS)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

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c

d

eb

f

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c'

MelodicMinorAscending.jpg

Play Melodic Minor Scale Ascending






SCALE STEPS (IN SEMITONES OR HALF STEPS)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

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c'

bb

ab

g

f

eb

d

c

MelodicMinorDescending.jpg

Play Melodic Minor Scale Descending





from Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary
available online: http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/






Listen to the Neanderthal Bone Fute, the worlds oldest music instrument.


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Neanderthal




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