Pathways to Harmony

1. Pathways to Harmony Chapter 4: Half and whole steps, major scales and the circle of fifths 4.1 Half steps and whole steps

2. A half step is the closest possible distance between two notes. There are no notes on the keyboard between notes which are separated by a half step.

3. A half step is the closest possible distance between two notes. There are no notes on the keyboard between notes which are separated by a half step. • A whole step is a distance between two notes such that there is one and only one note on the keyboard between those two notes.

4. A half step is the closest possible distance between two notes. There are no notes on the keyboard between notes which are separated by a half step. • A whole step is a distance between two notes such that there is one and only one note on the keyboard between those two notes • So a whole step is the same distance as two half steps.

5. Distinguishing half and whole steps aurally • PLAY some examples of half steps:

6. Distinguishing half and whole steps aurally • PLAY some examples of half steps: • Now PLAY some whole steps:

7. Distinguishing half and whole steps aurally • PLAY some examples of half steps: • Now PLAY some whole steps: • GET a piece of paper • NUMBER the paper from 1 to 5

8. Distinguishing half and whole steps aurally • PLAY some examples of half steps: • Now PLAY some whole steps: • GET a piece of paper • NUMBER the paper from 1 to 5 • PLAY this series of five half and whole steps: • And WRITE DOWN, for each pair of notes, H if you hear a half step, and W if you hear a whole step.

9. Your answers should be: • H • W • W • H • W Where H = half step and W = whole step

10. Half and whole steps in "real" music • PLAY some excerpts which end with half steps • Ascending half step in Handel's "Hallelujah" Chorus

11. Half and whole steps in "real" music • PLAY some excerpts which end with half steps • Ascending half step in Handel's "Hallelujah" Chorus • Descending half step in Beethoven's "Pathetique" Sonata

12. Half and whole steps in "real" music • PLAY some excerpts which end with half steps • Ascending half step in Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus • Descending half step in Beethoven's "Pathetique" Sonata • PLAY some excerpts which end with whole steps • Ascending whole step in Pachabel's "Canon in D"

13. Half and whole steps in "real" music • PLAY some excerpts which end with half steps • Ascending half step in Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus • Descending half step in Beethoven's "Pathetique" Sonata • PLAY some excerpts which end with whole steps • Ascending whole step in Pachabel's "Canon in D" • Descending whole step in Bach's "Air" in D

14. Distinguishing half and whole steps in "real" music • USE the same piece of paper from the previous half and whole step quiz, or GET a new piece • NUMBER from 1 to 5 again

15. Distinguishing half and whole steps in "real" music • USE the same piece of paper from the previous half and whole step quiz, or GET a new piece • NUMBER from 1 to 5 again • PLAY these five excerpts: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. • And WRITE DOWN whether each one ends with a half or whole step

16. Your answers should be: • W • W • H • H • W Where H = half step and W = whole step

17. The staff does not show half step and whole step relationships. See the illustration above.

18. The staff does not show half step and whole step relationships. See the illustration above. • To find half steps and whole steps on the staff, always refer to the keyboard.

19. The staff does not show half step and whole step relationships. See the illustration above. • To find half steps and whole steps on the staff, always refer to the keyboard. • One note in between on the keyboard means whole step • No notes in between on the keyboard means half step

20. In written music, remember that a sharp or flat applies not only to the note next to it; but also to all the following notes of the same letter name in that measure.

21. In written music, remember that a sharp or flat applies not only to the note next to it; but also to all the following notes of the same letter name in that measure. • PLAY the above phrase • Notice that all the F's are played as F#'s, even the last one which has no sharp next to it.

22. Your turn • DOWNDLOAD Chapter Four OR Expanded Chapter Four of Pathways to Harmony from this website http://www.gmajormusictheory.org/Fundamentals/workbooks.html • DO worksheets to 4.1 to 4.3 from Chapter Four OR worksheets 4Ex.1 to 4Ex.5 from Expanded Chapter Four