The Score Magazine - Archive August 2015 issue!

SIDDHARTHA RAMANATHAN What is the 12 tone system? How does it work? G Western music comprises of the 12-tone system that encompasses all the notes used commonly in music. The notes follow the alphabetical system and are from A to G. Western harmony is built around the piano and notes are classified as ‘NATURAL’ and ‘ACCIDENTALS’. Minor Seventh G or A Major Seventh A Octave NOTE FUNCTION OR INTERVAL E Root # b E as Root ‘Natural’ Notes The white keys on the piano are called Natural notes. These notes are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D and so on. ‘Accidental’ Notes F The black keys on the piano are called accidentals. These notes are C# or Db, D# or Eb, F# or Gb, G# or Ab, A# or Bb, C# and so on. Major Second b G Minor Third G # or A b Major Third A Perfect Fourth A # or B b Diminished Fifth or Tritone B Perfect Fifth Chromatic Functions It is important to note that chromatic functions or ‘intervals’ are the foundation of music itself. An interval is simply the ‘distance’ b etween two notes. All chords, scales and arpeggios fundamentally contain intervals. It is the unique set of intervals that make different chords and scales sound different. Here is the chromatic scale and intervals with C as root. Minor Second F or G # C C as Root Minor Sixth C or D Major Sixth NOTE FUNCTION OR INTERVAL D Minor Seventh C Root D or E Major Seventh C # or D b Minor Second E Octave D Major Second D # or E b Minor Third E Major Third F Perfect Fourth F # or G b Diminished Fifth or Tritone G Perfect Fifth # G or A # b Minor Sixth A Major Sixth A # or B b Minor Seventh B Major Seventh C Octave b # b Steps or Tones Scales most often move in steps or tones. These are: 1. Half Step or SemiTone : This indicates one note in the chromatic scale. Eg C to C#, F# to G etc. 2. Whole Step or WholeTone : This indicates two notes in the chromatic scale. Eg C to D, F# to G# etc. The Major Scale The first scale that we are going to work on is the Major Scale. To start with, let’s look at the notes or intervals of the major scale. There are two ways you can look at it, through tones or chromatic functions. 1. Through Tones or Steps Root ->WS ->WS ->HS ->WS ->WS ->WS ->HS (Octave) A as root WS – Whole Step HS – Half Step NOTE FUNCTION OR INTERVAL A Root (I) Root (V) Perfect Fifth A # or B b Minor Second (II) Major Second (VI) Major Sixth B Major Second (III) Major Third (VII) Major Seventh (IV) Perfect Fourth (VIII) Octave C Minor Third C # or Db Major Third D Perfect Fourth D or E Diminished Fifth or Tritone E Perfect Fifth # b F Minor Sixth F or G # b Major Sixth 2. Through Chromatic functions You can always use both the methods to cross-reference. For exercise and to ensure that you have understood this concept, work out the notes of the Major Scale in 5 keys of your choice, three of them being natural and two accidentals. Though theory and practical applications of music go hand in hand and have evolved over time, it is imperative to understand that neither can be learnt from books alone. The point of this simplified theory is to find musicians put it into good use and practice hard. For practice does make a man perfect. The author is the Admissions and Marketing manager at Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music and Guitarist at Trojan Horse & Escher's Knot The Score Magazine www.thescoremagazine.com 43

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