AS Level Music Lesson One Keys and Scales

What is a key?
Exercise: Write the name of the major key below the stave, and draw the tonic triad

Rules of sharps and flats for MAJOR keys:

# keys The name of the key is the note above the last sharp in the key signature b keys The name of the key is the same as the penultimate flat in its key signature

Circle of Fifths

AS Level Music Lesson One Keys and Scales

What about minor keys? How do you work out if a piece of music is major or minor? Relative minor = 3 semitones down from the major key

AS Level Music Lesson One Keys and Scales

Rules of relative minor: Look to see if the 5th degree of the major scale has been sharpened with an accidental

Or in other words
The 7th degree of the minor scale involved will be sharpened (a minor scale always has a sharpened 7th degree) Exercise: work out what key the following excerpts are in

Degrees of scale 1: C major

Degrees of scale can be identified either by number or by name.

Each degree of a scale has a specific relationship to the tonic, which is the strongest degree in all the scale. The dominant and leading note have a direct pull towards the tonic, as does to a lesser extent the sub-dominant. Identify the number of the degree of scale where * is marked above a note

AS Level Music Lesson One Keys and Scales

a)

Identify the name of the degree of scale where * is marked above a note a)

Homework Complete these exercises:

AS Level Music Lesson One Keys and Scales

1. Name the major keys and write the tonic triad on the stave

2. Name the key of the following melody:

3. Identify the number of the degree of scale where * is marked above a note a)

4. Identify the name of the degree of scale where * is marked above a note

AS Level Music Lesson One Keys and Scales