Curriculum/Musical Theory Primer
The basic foundation from which all the music lessons are based. If you ever need a quick refresher of the basic music literacy pursued in lesson then this is the place.Notes
| 1 x 𝅝 | = | 2 x 𝅗𝅥 | = | 4 x ♩ | = | 8 x ♪ | = | 16 x 𝅘𝅥𝅯 | |
| Whole Note | Half Note | Quarter Note | 8th Note | 16th Note |
Notation
𝄞 |
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𝄢 |
MUSIC = RHYTHM + MELODY + HARMONY
(In Some Kind Of Creative Combination)
Secondary Elements: texture, timbre, form, and dynamics.
While most musicians know music is minimally made up of harmony, melody, and rhythm, many don't realize there are at least two types of each. A primordial direct form and a transcendent indirect form using secondary elements. Once you develop the ability to deliberately produce either at will you'll reach the deeper levels of music making.
Rhythm
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Rhythm is the beat and the groove and the vibe. It's the timing, the tempo, the tap of the toe. The notes we hold in between breaths. Sometimes, it's even the notes you don't play. If it's contagious, then it's probably creative enough to be rhythm.
There is great powering in mastering the ability to play at a steady 8th note rate while using string/fret/key(with sustain) choice to produce other note types, halfs and quarters, without ever playing anything other than 8th notes.
Melody
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A recognizable sequence of pitch/tones, at least within the constraints of the rhythmic notes. The creativity is in the recognition.
Harmony
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Two or more pitch/tones that sound good together. Different combinations will please different audiences starting with you, the player/composer. If you like it, then MAYBE it's harmony. If enough people like it that someone earns a return on par with the effort to use it in a song... then its harmony for sure.
Time Signatures
Time signatures define the core beat(bottom number used for rhythmic defaults, beaming and tempo) and how many of that core beat(top number) can fit in a measure. As a simple time signature, 4/4 can fit four quarter note beats worth of notes divided across four beats. As a compound time signature, 12/8 can fit four dotted quarter note beats per measure. For compound time signatures we divide the top number by 3 to get the number of beats, and we multiply the bottom number by 3, so three eighth notes become a dotted quarter note.
Tempo (BPM)
This is defined as the amount of core beats per minute. Core beats being determined by the time signature. So 4/4 at 120 tempo would be 120 quarter notes per minute which means a 2 second real time duration for quarter notes which means 1 second long eighth note, half second long sixteenth notes, etc.
The Point Of Beams and Measures
Generally, beaming is used with the default patterns of the time signature respecting the core beats. The beams tell the player to maintain a mathematical precision. No beams, like between beats, means the player can adjust the time so long as the adjustments aren't severe enough to change the written note type. This allows for rubato, organic vibe and variations in timing, that keep a work fresh yet still recognizable. The measures represent the limit of this personal discretion. When the next measure starts all previous adjustments to timing must be corrected so that when multiple players are playing they don't drift further out of sync. Measures keep everyone on time, at least as far as the core beats are concerned. If you have a conductor then they will take over the roll of micro-adjustments between core beats. DO NOT MESS WITH THE CONDUCTOR.
Visit the studio at 45 Betts Ave, Yorkton, SK to see the lesson space in person. Imagine yourself sitting on a stage surrounded by instruments. This is the good life.