Basics

 – some  vocabulary
Interval Difference  between two  notes  or  pitches
Semitone A step  from  one  pitch  to  the  neighbouring  one  (adjacent  pitch)
Whole  Tone A  step  over  two  semitones  
Chord Various pitches  played  simultaneously

Triad A  chord  built  out  of  3  notes  

Octave Range  of  12  semitones
Scale A  scale  is  a  sequence  of  preferred  notes  (fitting  together  ”nicely“)
Diatonic Diatonic  means:  WITHIN  the  scale.  
So,  notes  and  chords  that  lie  within  the  scale  are  „diatonic“  (relative  concept)
Diatonic  tells  you  all  the  available  chords  and  notes  that  will  work  within  they  key  that  you‘re  working  with

Chromatic Chromatic  notes  are  the  remaining  notes  that  don‘t  lie  within  the  diatonic  scale  (relative  concept).  
Chromatic  chords  are  all  other  existing  chords  using  notes  outside  of  the  diatonic  scale

In  key Everything inside  the  current  diatonic  scale

Root The  root  denotes  the  idea  that  a  chord  could  be  represented  and  named  by  one  of  its  notes.  Thus,  the  root  
note  is  the  note  your  chord  is  based  on.  
Tonic The  tonic  is  the  first  scale  degree  of  a  diatonic  scale  and  the  tonal  center  or  final  resolution  tone
www.productionmusiclive.com
 Octave
Major  
Minor   Seventh
Major   Seventh
Minor   Sixth
Sixth
Perfect  
Diminished
Fifth  /   Fifth
Perfect   Tritone
Major   Fourth
Minor   Third
Major   Third
Minor   Second
Perfect   Second
Unison

www.productionmusiclive.com
 Tonic Supertonic            Mediant Subdominant      Dominant          Submediant      Subtonic            Octave

www.productionmusiclive.com
 I ii iii IV V vi vii° I

Tonic Supertonic            Mediant Subdominant      Dominant        Submediant        Subtonic            Octave

CMaj Dm Em FMaj GMaj Am Bdim CMaj

www.productionmusiclive.com
 Scale  – CMaj

half  step Major  Scale  Code  

whole  step

whole  step

whole  step W  – W  – H  – W  – W  – W  -­‐ H

half  step
whole  step

whole  step

www.productionmusiclive.com
 Scale  – C  Natural  Min

whole  step Natural Minor   Scale  Code  

whole  step

half  step

whole  step W  – H  – W  – W  – H  – W  -­‐ W

whole  step

half  step

whole  step

www.productionmusiclive.com
 IM7 iim7 iiim7 IVM7 V7 vim7 viiø7 IM7

CMaj7 Dm7 Em7 FMaj7 G7 Am7 B1/2dim7 CMaj7

www.productionmusiclive.com
 I iii vi IV ii V vii° iii
C  Maj E  min A  min F  Maj   D  min G  Maj B  dim E  min
2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd
Inversion Inversion Inversion Inversion Inversion

www.productionmusiclive.com
 C  Maj G  Maj Substitution F  Maj   C  Maj G  Maj Original F  Maj  
2nd 2nd
Inversion   E  min Inversion   C  Maj
1st
Inversion  

www.productionmusiclive.com
 i ii° III iv v VI VII i

Tonic Supertonic            Mediant        Subdominant      Dominant        Submediant        Subtonic             Octave

Cm Ddim EbMaj Fmin Gmin AbMaj BbMaj Cm

www.productionmusiclive.com