Music Arrangers

7/31/2019 Music Arrangers

1/66

MusicArrangers.com Music Theory Music Instruments

Music Lessons Joe Paparone

Good keys / Bad keys

Transposing instruments give us more scope for colour in the orchestration.

Some keys don't get much colour out of the orchestra.

On every instrument C is the easiest key to play in. The more sharps and flats in the key the moredifficult the piece is to play.

Some keys are just plain difficult to play in.

The best keys are: Eb, Bb and F concert. Secondary keys are: G, C and D concert. Notably bad keys are: A and E concert.

A and E concert are strange keys to the orchestra. Colourful pedal notes allude you when you usethese keys. The keys are also out of favour with transposing instruments. E concert transposes Ebinstruments to six sharps and Bb instruments to seven sharps. Just a semitone higher than E, Ebconcert is a wonderful key for colour, transposes Eb instruments to C and Bb instruments to F.

Avoid keys that put instruments playing sharps alongside instruments playing flats. In thissyllabus we talk of F# and Gb as the same note. This is true for tempered instruments like thepiano. For instruments in the violin and brass families where the note is felt for, F# and Gb aresubtly different.

Concert Key C G D A E B F# C#

Transposing instruments BbEb

F

G

DAG

F

AED

C

EBA

G

BF#E

D

F#C#B

A

C#AbF#

E

AbEbC#

B

EbBbAb

F#Good or Bad ?

Concert Key C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb
http://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theory


2/66

Transposing instruments BbEb

FG

DAGF

GDC

Bb

CGF

Eb

FC

BbAb

BbF

EbDb

EbBbAbGb

AbEbDbCb

DbAbGbE

Good or Bad ?

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time

"Become an arranger first, then an orchestrator, and then a composer." - Joe Paparone

Joe Paparone is an Australian music arranger of the highest international calibre. Allow him toshare 35 years of real world experiences with you.

Baby stuff Preliminaries The Grand Stave Scaling the heights Tones and semitones Enharmony and accidentals

Scales

Diatonic Scales How to make a diatonic scale The 15 diatonic scales The magic number 7 Diatonic 4ths and 5ths Tetrachords More in the positions

Keys
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


3/66

Key signatures and accidentals 15 key signatures to 15 diatonic scales The diatonic scale on the stave Accidentals, the principal name The best accidental

Colour

Key, colour and orchestration The score Transposition Good keys / Bad keys

MusicArrangers.com. Last Updated July 2006.

MusicArrangers.com Music Theory Music Instruments Music Lessons Joe Paparone

Transposition

These instruments play in a different key to the piano. They are transposing instruments.

Bb trumpet French horn (F) Alto saxophone (Eb) Tenor saxophone (Bb) Cor anglais (F) Bb clarinet

Before you can write for a transposing instrument you need to know

its key any octave shifts in the transposition the clef the player is expected to read.

You can look this information up in the Musical Instruments Reference . You can read moreabout transposition underneath.
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htm


4/66

Transposition, a simple example

Bb Trumpet part Concert pitch Excerpt from Figlio Del Capo, arranged and composed by Joe Paparone

Bb trumpet transposes a tone above concert.

1. Transpose the key signature a tone above concert.Eb concert transposes up to F.

2. Transpose each note up a tone.C concert transposes up to D.

D concert transposes up to E.Eb concert transposes up to F.

As an aid, write the diatonic scale of the concert key above the diatonic scale of the transposedkey. The top row of notes transposes to the bottom row.

Concert key Eb F G A Bb C D EbTransposes up to F G A Bb C D E F

Bb trumpet part transposed

Transposition, a more complex example

What happens when some notes deviate from the key signature?

Bb Trumpet part Concert Excerpt from Figlio Del Capo, arranged and composed by Joe Paparone


5/66

Write the diatonic scale of the concert key above the diatonic scale of the transposed key.

Concert key Eb F G A Bb C D EbTransposes up to F G A Bb C D E F

Each note transposes up a tone. B natural is not in the diatonic scale of the concert key. B naturaltransposes up a tone to C#.

Tip: If a note is altered from the key signature in the concert key it will also be altered from thekey signature in the transposed key.

Bb trumpet part transposed

Transposition for a baritone saxophone

The baritone saxophone is scored in bass clef. It is transposed up a diatonic 13th (diatonic 6thand an octave) to the treble clef.

Eb Baritone saxophone part concert Excerpt from Giacca di Feru composed and arranged by Joe Paparone

The concert key is C. It transposes a diatonic sixth up to A.

Concert key C D E F G A B CTransposes up to A B C# D E F# G# A

Remember to write it an octave higher ...


6/66

... and put it in treble clef. Transposition is complete.

Music Theory

Pitch Chords

Time



Baby stuff

Preliminaries The Grand Stave Scaling the heights Tones and semitones

Enharmony and accidentals

Scales

Diatonic Scales How to make a diatonic scale The 15 diatonic scales The magic number 7
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


7/66

Diatonic 4ths and 5ths Tetrachords More in the positions

Keys


Colour

Key, colour and orchestration The score

Transposition Good keys / Bad keys


MusicArrangers.com

Music Theory Music Instruments Music Lessons Joe Paparone

Key, colour and orchestration

I asked a pianist to play C. I asked an alto saxophonist to play C. They played different notes.

Why?

The piano is pitched to C. The alto saxophone is pitched to Eb.

Why?

An orchestra with instruments pitched in different keys provides more opportunities for colour inthe orchestration.
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htm


8/66

So how do we define C? C is the easiest key for any instrument to play in. C# and Cb are themost difficult. The more sharps or flats in the key signature the more difficult the piece is to play.

NB: When the piano is in the key of E (4 sharps) alto saxophone is in the key of C# (sevensharps) so E is not a good key for a piano and alto saxophone duet.

Let's hear this melody played by a variety of instruments.

Piano

Concert pitch

Eb Alto saxophone

a diatonic 6th lower

Bb Trumpet

a tone lower

An absolute identifier of pitch is Concert Pitch . At the instruction to play Concert C allinstruments play the same sound.

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time



Baby stuff

Preliminaries The Grand Stave Scaling the heights
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


9/66

Tones and semitones Enharmony and accidentals

Scales


Keys

Key signatures and accidentals

15 key signatures to 15 diatonic scales The diatonic scale on the stave Accidentals, the principal name The best accidental

Colour






I asked a pianist to play C. I asked an alto saxophonist to play C. They played different notes.
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htm


10/66

Why?

The piano is pitched to C. The alto saxophone is pitched to Eb.

Why?

An orchestra with instruments pitched in different keys provides more opportunities for colour inthe orchestration.

So how do we define C? C is the easiest key for any instrument to play in. C# and Cb are themost difficult. The more sharps or flats in the key signature the more difficult the piece is to play.

NB: When the piano is in the key of E (4 sharps) alto saxophone is in the key of C# (sevensharps) so E is not a good key for a piano and alto saxophone duet.

Let's hear this melody played by a variety of instruments.

PianoConcert pitch

Eb Alto saxophonea diatonic 6th lower

Bb Trumpeta tone lower

An absolute identifier of pitch is Concert Pitch . At the instruction to play Concert C allinstruments play the same sound.

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time

http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-tpt.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-alto.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/melody-piano.midhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


11/66


Baby stuff

Preliminaries The Grand Stave Scaling the heights Tones and semitones Enharmony and accidentals

Scales

Diatonic Scales How to make a diatonic scale The 15 diatonic scales

The magic number 7 Diatonic 4ths and 5ths Tetrachords More in the positions

Keys

Key signatures and accidentals 15 key signatures to 15 diatonic scales The diatonic scale on the stave Accidentals, the principal name

The best accidental

Colour



http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htm


12/66


The best accidental

Should I write F# or Gb? It depends on the context. Here are some guidelines.

In a melody

stick to the key signature where you can. Accidentals should deviate no more than a semitonefrom the key signature. If F# is in the key signature you can write Fx (double sharp) or F(natural) but not Fb.

Have a good excuse ready before you write a double flat or double sharp. G is almost alwayspreferable to Fx. Use Fx in preference to G only when G# is prevalent in the melody, or youhave some other good excuse.

Lean towards principal note names. Rare names like B# and Fb should be used only when thereare four or more sharps (for B#) or four or more flats (for Fb) in the key signature.

In a chromatic run

run up in sharps and down in flats.

In a scale

write your accidentals so the musician recognises the scale.

In a chord

write the chord so the player will recognise it.

Give chords to players that use chords (guitarists, pianists and soloists). Don't worryinstrumentalists with chords if they won't be needing them.

Guitarists and pianists map their physical position to the chord. When they recognise the chordthey relax to it. Give them the chord and you give them the f reedom to improvise (unless Strictis written or implied).

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time
http://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessons


13/66



Baby stuff


Scales



Keys


The best accidental

Colour

http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htm


14/66



Accidentals, the principal name

Now we know our diatonic scales and we know our key signatures. We are ready to believe thatF# is more common than Gb. The more common a name the more familiar it is to us. Thecommon name is the principal name.

Recall how 9 of our 12 notes have two names.

C#Db

D#Eb

F#Gb

G#Ab

A#Bb

CB# D

EFb

FE# G A

BCb

Well let us do some detective work. How many key signatures is F# in? 7. How many keysignatures is Gb in? 3. F# is the principal name of the F# / Gb enharmonic pair.

Enharmonicnames

The enharmonic name that appears in the greater number of keysignatures is the principal name

Principalname

B# C B# is in 1 key signature C is in 7 key signatures C

C# Db C# is in 6 key signatures Db is in 4 key signatures C#

D D

D# Eb D# is in 4 key signatures Eb is in 6 key signatures Eb

E Fb E is in 7 key signatures Fb is in 1 key signature E

F E# F is in 7 key signatures E# is in 2 key signatures F

F# Gb F# is in 7 key signatures Gb is in 3 key signatures F#

G G

G# Ab G# is in 5 key signatures Ab is in 5 key signatures Ab

A A
http://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theory


15/66

A# Bb A# is in 3 key signatures Bb is in 7 key signatures Bb

B Cb B is in 7 key signatures Cb is in 2 key signatures B

C# Eb F# Ab Bb

C D E F G A B

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time



Baby stuff

Preliminaries The Grand Stave Scaling the heights

Tones and semitones Enharmony and accidentals

Scales

http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


16/66


Keys Key signatures and accidentals 15 key signatures to 15 diatonic scales The diatonic scale on the stave Accidentals, the principal name The best accidental

Colour


The score Transposition Good keys / Bad keys



The diatonic scale on the stave

There are two ways to write a diatonic scale on the stave.

With a key signature

Without a key signature
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htm


17/66

With a key signature you establish the accidentals at the start of the stave. Without a key

signature you define each accidental as it is played.

The key

In the key of G, F# is normal. The key signature of G is appropriate.

To write a melody without a key signature you define each accidental as it is played. Scroll downto the next illustration. Press the midi buttons to hear each illustration. Can you hear thedifference? No. Can you see the difference? Yes.

The melody with a key signature looks cleaner and more informative. The key signature tells themusician to expect F# and it tells the musician which key the music is in.

We can distort the look of the melody by changing the key signature. This melody sounds thesame as the two above but it looks awful. It is still in the key of G. The key signature haschanged to Ab.

Now shift each note up a semitone. What have we done? We have changed the key. We havechanged the sound. The melody is now in the key of Ab A melody in the key of Ab looks right inthe Ab key signature.

Accidentals on the stave
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/stave-1.mid


18/66

In the key of D, F# and C# are expected. When the key signature is D each unaltered F is F# andeach unaltered C is C#.

To override the key signature you place an accidental at the note-head.

The accidental in front of the note-head holds true:

for the line or space it is on until the next barline or until it is changed by another accidental

Take a close look at this example. The barline is the vertical line cutting through the stave atregular intervals. The barline measures the pulse.

The music starts on AB The second note is A natural. Remember the rule: For the line or spaceit is on. The higher A is natural until we make it flat.

The 4th and 8th notes are F#. We must repeat the sharp accidental to repeat F# because high F#is on a different part of the stave to low F#.

The last note before the first barline is AB We do not put a flat in front of the note head. Tracethe AB space from the first note on the stave to this note. Remember the rule: For the line or

space it is on until the next barline.

We had F# in the first bar. We want F natural in the second bar. This is easy to achieve. We donothing. F# in the first bar lost its power at the barline.


19/66

Clarity

How do we define success? When a professional musician can play your music comfortably atfirst sight.

How to we achieve success? We clarify ambiguous accidentals. A correctly written note mayhave no accidental at the note-head but still cause confusion. You don't want rehearsal timewasted on such questions as Is that natural or sharp? Arguments may spark along the lines of ... "Musically it could be ..." and "Yes, but I think that's a printer's error." If half the musiciansplay C natural and half play C# together you are in trouble.

Study this example. Is the first note of bar 4 C natural or C#?

If you mean C# write C#.

If you mean C natural put a natural accidental in brackets in front of the note head. By puttingthe accidental in brackets you are confirming the key signature.

The key signature

tells the musician which key the music is written in and which accidentals (flat, natural, sharp)are normal to the stave.

Standard accidentals at the note head

tell the musician that this note is altered from the key signature or altered again in the bar. Do notgo mad putting accidentals in front of every note head. Learn the rules. A well-written melody isone a professional can sight read perfectly at first glance. Aim to please the professionalmusician.


20/66

Accidentals in brackets at the note head

confirm the key signature where ambiguity may otherwise arise. Don't bracket accidentals whichshouldn't have brackets. The accidental in brackets is always true to the key signature. It is areminder of the key signature, never contrary to it.

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time



Baby stuff


Scales

Diatonic Scales How to make a diatonic scale

The 15 diatonic scales The magic number 7 Diatonic 4ths and 5ths Tetrachords More in the positions

Keys
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


21/66


Colour



Music Theory Music Instruments Music Lessons Joe Paparone

15 key signatures to 15 diatonic scales

We know the 15 diatonic scales.

Each has a key signature.

G has one sharp in its diatonic scale and the same sharp in its key signature.

The diatonic scales are matched to their key signatures below.

Sharp notes enter in order F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#. You remember this sequence from thediatonic scales. Flats enter in mirror order Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb Fb.
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htm


22/66

Know the C# and Cb key signatures and you know all key signatures.

C# is the key signature of 7 sharps.

Cover the right most sharp.

You now have the key signature of F# (6 sharps).

Cover two sharps to the right.

You now have the key signature of B (5 sharps).

Now start with a clean stave (no key signature). A sharp on F# is the key signature of G. Anothersharp over C# changes the key signature to D. Keep adding sharps in this sequence to change thekey signature.

Key signatures are building blocks to each other.

You must be able to recognise and write every key signature in every clef.

Flat key signatures change height but otherwise stay constant through all clefs. They changeheight to match the names of the notes. Bb is middle line of the treble clef and second space upon the alto clef.

Sharp key signatures similarly change height through the treble, bass and alto clefs. On the tenorclef the standard pattern won't fit. The pattern is mirrored so all sharps in the pattern can fit onthe clef.

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


23/66



Baby stuff

Preliminaries The Grand Stave

Scaling the heights Tones and semitones Enharmony and accidentals

Scales


Keys


Colour Key, colour and orchestration The score Transposition Good keys / Bad keys

http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/


24/66


Key signatures and accidentals

This chapter translates the diatonic formula into music notation. Be sure to read pages 1 to 12before continuing.

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time



Baby stuff

http://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theory


25/66


Scales


Keys


Colour

Key, colour and orchestration The score Transposition

Good keys / Bad keys


MusicArrangers.com Music Theory

Music Instruments Music Lessons Joe Paparone

More in the positions

The 7th is always sharp when there are sharps in the diatonic scale.
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htm


26/66

Take for example

G A B C D E F# GD E F# G A B C# D

When there are two or more sharps the third is sharp.

Take for example

D E F# G A B C# DA B C# D E F# G# A

When there are three or more sharps the sixth is sharp.

Take for example

A B C# D E F# G# AE F# G# A B C# D# E

Only when there are seven sharps is the fourth sharp. That is the scale of C# where every note issharp.

There is an order of entry of sharps through the positions.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8veG #D # #

A # # #E # # # #B # # # # #F# # # # # # # #C# # # # # # # # #

F# leads the way through the positions. It is the first note to be sharp in the seventh, third, sixth,second, fifth, first and fourth positions. The other sharp notes follow suit.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8ve

G F#D F# #A # F# #E F# # # #B # # F# # #F# F# # # # # # F#C# # # # F# # # # #


27/66

If the sharp notes enter through the 7-3-6-2-5-1-4 positions then you guessed it, the flat notesenter through the 4-1-5-2-6-3-7 positions. The flat notes are lead by Bb.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8veF b

Bb b b bEb b b b bAb b b b b bDb b b b b b bGb b b b b b b bCb b b b b b b b b

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8ve

F BbBb Bb b BbEb b b Bb bAb b Bb b b bDb b b b b Bb bGb b b Bb b b b bCb b b b b b b Bb b

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time



Baby stuff
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


28/66


Scales


Keys Key signatures and accidentals 15 key signatures to 15 diatonic scales The diatonic scale on the stave Accidentals, the principal name The best accidental

Colour


The score Transposition Good keys / Bad keys



Tetrachords
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htm


29/66

Recall the diatonic scale formula of TTSTTTS. A tetrachord is TTS. A diatonic scale is twotetrachords separated by a tone.

C D E F G A B C T T S T T T S

Lower Tetrachord XX Upper Tetrachord XX

The same tetrachord will do for two diatonic scales.

The lower tetrachord of C is the upper tetrachord of F. The diatonic scale of F concludes in thesame way the diatonic scale of C begins, CDEF.

The upper tetrachord of C is the lower tetrachord of G. The diatonic scale of G begins in thesame way the diatonic scale of C ends, GABC.

MIDI tetrachords

Diatonic scaleDiatonic scale

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time



Baby stuff

Preliminaries
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord3.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord3.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord3.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord3.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord2.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/audio/tetrachord1.midhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


30/66

The Grand Stave Scaling the heights Tones and semitones Enharmony and accidentals

Scales Diatonic Scales How to make a diatonic scale The 15 diatonic scales The magic number 7 Diatonic 4ths and 5ths Tetrachords More in the positions

Keys


Colour

Key, colour and orchestration The score

Transposition Good keys / Bad keys



Diatonic intervals
http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htm


31/66

Assign a number to each note of the diatonic scale. Begin on 1. End on 8.

C D E F G A B C1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Diatonic 4ths and 5thsThe diatonic 4th of C is F. The diatonic 5th of C is G. As you will see, memorising the diatonic4ths and 5ths is all you need to do to memorise the diatonic scales.

And it is even simpler than that. Memorise the ascending sequence of alphabetic 5ths:FCGDAEB. Reverse this sequence and you have the ascending sequence of alphabetic 4ths:BEADGCF.

There is one flat in the diatonic scale of F.

F G A Bb C D E F

The 5th of F is C. There are no flats in the diatonic scale of C.

C D E F G A B C

The 5th of C is G. There is one sharp in the diatonic scale of G.

G A B C D E F# G

The 5th of G is D. There are two sharps in the diatonic scale of D.

D E F# G A B C# D

The entire pattern is in the diagram. Remember FCGDAEB. The diatonic scale of C has nosharps or flats, the diatonic scale of F has one flat, the diatonic scale of Bb has two flats, thediatonic scale of G has one sharp, the diatonic scale of D has two sharps. The first sharp is F#,the second sharp is C#, the third sharp is G#, the first flat is Bb, the second flat is Eb, the thirdflat is Ab.

>>> diatonic 5ths diatonic 4ths order of entry of sharp notes


32/66

1 2 3 4 5 6 7F# C# G# D# A# E# B#Fb Cb Gb Db Ab Eb Bb7 6 5 4 3 2 1

order of entry of flat notes


33/66

# #

G A B C D E F# G

C D E F G A B C

C D E F G A B C

F G A Bb C D E F

Bb C D

Eb F G A

Bb

Eb F G

Ab

Bb C D

Eb

A Bb CDb

Eb F G

Ab

Db

Eb F

Gb

Ab

Bb C

Db

Gb

Ab

Bb

Cb

Db

Eb F

Gb

Cb

Db

Eb

Fb

Gb

Ab

Bb

Cb

Music Theory

Pitch Chords Time

http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/t00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/c00.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p00.htm


34/66


Baby stuff


Scales



Keys


The best accidental

Colour



http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/instrumentshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/star-theoryhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p21.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p20.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p19.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p18.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p17.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p16.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p15.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p14.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p13.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p12.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p11.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p10.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htm


35/66


The magic number 7

There is one sharp in the diatonic scale of G. There are six flats in the diatonic scale of Gb. Thenumber of sharps in G and flats in Gb adds to 7.

An easy way to remember your diatonic scales is by deduction. For each letter, the number of sharps and flats adds to seven.

#s 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Dscale C G D A E B F# C# Dscale Cb Gb Db Ab Eb Bb F C

bs 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Flat to natural to sharp

In the diatonic scale of G the only note to be sharp is F#. In the diatonic scale of Gb the only noteto be natural is F.

G: G A B C D E F# GGb: Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb

This makes sense. Deduce Gb by lowering the notes in G a semitone. Now raise the notes in G asemitone. Natural notes change to sharp, sharp notes change to double sharp. That is why G#does not exist as a diatonic scale.

G#: G# A# B# C# D# E# Fx G#

C, C# and Cb all exist as diatonic scales. C is made of all natural notes. Natural notes can beraised a semitone without resorting to double sharps and lowered a semitone without resorting todouble flats.

Patterns in the sharp notes

F# is very common.

Every diatonic scale with a sharp in it has an F# in it.

B# is rare.

C# is the only diatonic scale with B# in it.
http://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessonshttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/jphttp://www.musicarrangers.com/lessons


36/66

Dscale #s G: F#D: F# C#A: F# C# G#E: F# C# G# D#B: F# C# G# D# A#F#: F# C# G# D# A# E#C#: F# C# G# D# A# E# B#

Sharp notes enter in order through the diatonic scales. The note F# is in every diatonic scale witha sharp note. C# is in every diatonic scale with two or more sharps. G# is in every diatonic scalewith three or more sharps. D# is in every diatonic scale with four or more sharps. A# is in everydiatonic scale with five or more sharps. E# is in every diatonic scale with six or more sharps. B#is in only one diatonic scale, the diatonic scale of seven sharps.

Patterns in the flat notesFlat notes also follow a pattern, the direct mirror of the order of entry of sharp notes. Bb is ascommon as F#. Fb is as rare as B#.

DScale bs F: BbBb: Eb BbEb: Ab Eb BbAb: Db Ab Eb Bb

Db: Gb Db Ab Eb BbGb: Cb Gb Db Ab Eb BbCb: Fb Cb Gb Db Ab Eb Bb

Remember

>>> Enter sharp notesF C G D A E B

Enter flat notes


37/66



Baby stuff



Scales

Diatonic Scales How to make a diatonic scale The 15 diatonic scales The magic number 7 Diatonic 4ths and 5ths

Tetrachords More in the positions

Keys


Colour


http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://www.musicarrangers.com/jp/http://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p01.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p02.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p03.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p04.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p05.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p06.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p07.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p08.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://musicarrangers.com/star-theory/p09.htmhttp://music

Documents

Music Arrangers