Chapter 2 Music Theory

Blues Scale

A chromatic variant of the major scale with flat third and flat seventh.

Scale

A collection of pitches in ascending and descending order.

Chromatic Scale

A nondiatonic scale consisting entirely of half-step intervals.

Major Scale

A scale of seven different pitch classes with whole steps separating adjacent tones, except for half steps between the third and fourth degrees and between the seventh and eighth degrees. The eighth pitch has the same letter name as the first and thus is treated as a duplication.

Mode

A series of pitches within the octave that make up the basic material of a composition.

Whole-Tone Scale

A six-tone scale made up entirely of whole steps between adjacent scale degree.

Pentatonic Scale

An example of a gapped scale, one that contains intervals of more than a step between adjacent pitches.

Minor Scale

Another common diatonic scale. It is more varied in pitch material because there are two different versions of both the sixth and seventh scale degrees. The half steps are on the 3-4 and 7-8.

Melodic Minor Scale

Appears in both ascending and descending form. The descending form is the same as the natural minor.

Natural Minor Scale

Contains seven different pitches with whole steps separating adjacent tones, except for half steps are on the 2-3 and 5-6.

Circle of Fifths

The major scale tonics are listed outside the perimeter of the circle. The relative minors appear within the inner circle.

Key

The tonal system based on the major and minor scales. This system is by far the most common tonal system, but tonality can be present in music not based on the major and minor scales.

Diatonic Scales

Defines a scale of mixed half and whole steps in which each individual tone plays a role.

Harmonic Minor Scale

Has a raised seventh degree. The added impetus of a raised seventh degree gives more melodic thrust toward the tonic. The half steps are on the 2-3, 5-6, and 7-8.