COUNTERPOINT-the next effort, follow instructions-this couldn't be that hard could it?

I still dream of writing a fugue

http://youtu.be/QZM4yxbE0ZE

chord progression

Building triads, chord progression and doubling notes. Adding parts for soprano, alto and tenor voices. This 18th century harmony leads through choral music and other forms which eventually lead to the classical symphony.

Major Triads     I  ii  iii  IV  V  vi  vii

Notes in the first measure:  F,C   G,D   A,A   G,G   F,F   E,E   D,D   Notes in the second measure:  G,D    A,A   B,G   C,F   B,E   Notes in the third measure:   A,A   B,G   C,F   A,E   B,F   A,G   A,A   Notes in the fourth measure:   G,G   A   C   B   A,A  











  E      #F      #G      A      B      #C      D
#C      D      E      #F      #G      A      B
A      B      #C      D      E      #F      #G
I      ii      iii      IV      V      vi      vii*

second little melody with harmony

http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/1fb020624f46e99857c0e602472d5c6f1ddbb4e6
By clicking this, you will bring up noteflight page that will let you see the music and click play and the software will play the piece also.

I haven't bothered with 18 century harmonics but just used my ear and the visual contour of the score.  This is really fun.  I do want to get into half-steps, whole steps,  intervals, triads and 7th chords eventually.  But that is very 18th century and it might be fun just to  let my ear do the work.

MAJOR SCALES AND KEY SIGNATURES FLAT KEYS

MAJOR SCALES AND KEY SIGNATURES SHARP KEYS

My Little Melody

Forms of music

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorale
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musical_forms_by_era

Adding chords and building triads-I would like to add some harmony to my little melody

Each note of a scale is the root of a triad.  For example;






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



tonic I                supertonic ii     mediant iii      subdominant IV   dominant V   submediant vi  leading
                                                                                                                                                           tone
                                                                                                                                                           vii*


In place of moving the triads into different positions eg. root, 3rd, 5th or 7th and playing around with the sound of the different arrangements of notes that way, I think that I will draw a contouring line in opposition to the melody line before I start writing in the notes.  I don't believe that I want to make a choral (4 voices)  Something more relaxed.

Transposing A major scale to Bb major scale 2 flats

D Eb F Eb D C Bb/  C D Eb D C/   Bb C  D  C  Bb A G/     C D Eb  C   Bb  B flat major scale
iii IV V IV iii ii I      ii iii IV iii ii     I    ii  iii ii   IV  vii*       ii iii IV   ii    I
C#D  E  D  C#BA    B  C# D C# B   A   B  C# B  D  G#        B C# D   B    A       A major scale

In a scale, each note has a number which is written at the bottom of the measure, under the note. For example:

A         B        C#        D        E       F#           G#
 I          ii        iii         IV       V      vi            vii*


These symbols are the roots of triads or chords.  But they are used in transposing one piece that is written in one scale  eg. A major  to a different scale. Lets go to B Flat major scale.

B flat major scale has two flats-B and E

Bb       C       D       Eb       F         G        A
  I         ii      iii        IV       V         vi      vii*   major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, leading tone-this succession of chords applies to the major scales only

In a Bb major scale  the first note c# in the A scale becomes D.  C# is iii in the A major scale but iii is D in the Bb major scale.

Bb  C  D  Eb  F  G  A

                                                                    A   B  C#  D  E  F#  G#                                                      

my little melody is written on the treble clef, in 4/4 time meaning four beats to the measure, each quarter note having one beat. The last note in the melody is A. Most pieces of music end in the note of the scale that it is written in. Unless it was written by someone like John Cage.

not my melody, just a few things to talk about

Here we have a musical score written on music paper or a sheet of music paper.  We have the treble and bass clefts  with the key signature of A major and in the first measure, only, the time signature of 4/4 time.  Each quarter note gets one beat and there being four beats to the measure.   Note that the first measure has two beats, not four.  And that there is a half rest in the bass cleft.  There is a small p in the third measure, which tells you how you will play those descending notes emotionally.  This is called Dynamics in music.  The small p stands for the Italian pianissimo and means that you would play this softly.  Notice the mf in the first measure, this also means play the piano moderately soft.  I consider these to be music trivia, because different instrumentalist play around with these interpretations.

Writing a melody. Creating flats and sharps.

At this point in time it would be good to create a little single line melody.  Choose any scale but a scale written in the key of C has no sharps or flats so that may be easy.  Actually all the scales are easy if you remember that music is built with half steps meaning the key right next to it on the piano this is easy to see.  If you want to go a whole step you must add a half step between the half steps to make a whole step.  If you want to sharpen the note, go up a half step and thus you make the note sharp and if you want to flatten the note you go down one half step and that puts the note in a flat key.


If anyone has a question about any of this you can email me at huckleberrieblue@yahoo.com.  Or click on the orange lettering above and write me a comment.

I spent the morning on the rec hall keyboard and settled on this melody

1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +  /  1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +   /  1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +   /  1  +  2  +  3  +  4  +

c#d   e  d  c#b  a           b  c#d  c#b                   a  b  c#b   a  g#f#          b  c#d   b  a
 
There are three sharps,  that gives you the A major scale.  Next lesson I will write this melody out on a music sheet for you.  And we will play around with it.  Changing the time signature and the scale signature.  Now the melody is written 4 beats to the measure and each quarter note carries one beat.