What Numbers Mean in
Scale Degrees.
Music Theory
Numbers with a caret placed above, represent the
scale degree. Most Western scales and modes
have 7 unique scale degrees. 8=1 because scale
degree 1 is repeated at the octave.
"scale degree one"
use 2&4 at same time Piano Finger Numbers Instrumental fingering.
Numbers that are usually
placed above the notes,
represent what finger to use to
play that note. Finger numbers
are different for different
instruments.
piano fingering on top
and bottom
Roman Numerals. Hold key down with fourth finger
Roman numerals represent chords built off of each while switching to fifth finger
scale degree. These are called "diatonic chords,"
and there are 7 diatonic chords in each key.
The "one" chord The "two"
(AKA "tonic") in the chord (AKA "supertonic") The "six" chord
key of F major in the key of F minor (AKA "submediant")
in the key of F
Intervals. minor
The distance (size) between two notes is called an "interval." Intervals are important
measurements because they are used to build chords (harmonies). An interval has two
parts; interval quality, and interval size. "Generic size" refers to intervals without a specific
quality. "Pitch class intervals" measure distance by semitones: m2=2; m3=3; M3=4; P4=5
"major "diminished "perfect "perfect "minor "major "minor Qualities:
seventh" fifth" octave" sixth" seventh" "perfect seventh" major=M
third" fourth"
Dg Ag Dg minor=m
Dg
Ag diminished=d
augmented=A
You can also measure intervals by semitones, "pitch class intervals": TT=6 P5=7 perfect=P
Rhythmic durations (triplets, Numbers spanned with brackets are irregular
groupings of notes meant to "fit" within regular beats.
quintuplets, et.al). Temporarily speed up to fit them within a steady beat.
Chopin is asking you to
fit 13 notes into two
beats!
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eighth note triplets sixteenth note triplets
What Numbers Mean in
Music Theory
Figured Bass Numbers & Inversion Numbers.
Numbers next to a Roman numeral, or below a bass line, represent the intervals above the
bass. These numbers are probably the most confusing and complex. These intervals build
harmony (chords). Sometimes, a shorthand notation is used to represent these chords. The
voicing (how the chord is spread out or "shaped") can vary.
write a write a
6th & 3rd theory exercises 6th & 4th
above Db above F Figured Bass=intervals above bass
(shorthand) play a 6th, 5th,
& 3rd above scale degree 7. 5th above G
6th above F# moving to 5th
(shorthand) play a 6th, 4th, 3rd above G
4th above F# moving to 3rd
& 3rd above scale degree 2.
Tempo Markings.
Tempo = speed, the
"bpm" or, "beats per
minute." The note
given is the "beat."
The number
indicates that the
(Quarter note=160) beat is performed at
that rate of speed.
Numbers in a Chord Symbol.
Numbers in a chord symbol represent the interval above the root of that chord.
add an 11th
add a 2nd add a 6th above E=C# above B=E
above G=A Since the
In this case, chord symbol
2 is the sub add a 7th above B=A indicates C#
for 3. in the bass,
the 6th
above E=C#
Time Signatures.
Numbers at the beginning of a piece of music that look like a
fraction (but they are not fractions) represent meter; i.e., how
beats are grouped together. You will only find time
signatures at the beginning of a piece, or anytime the meter
changes and a new time signature is indicated.
"six-eight time" "This is in three-eight""
"This is in three-four""
time signature change from two-four, to three-four
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What Numbers Mean in
Another term for "beat
one" is "downbeat." Music Theory Beat Numbers
It's helpful to learn rhythms by writing in the counts, a
number for each beat. For note values less than 1, the
most common counting system subdivides the beat
"One and two and" using "ands" and "e's." "measure 5"
Measure Numbers
It is much easier to read music
when there are bar lines, which
visually divide up the space
into manageable chunks called
"measures" (AKA "bars").
Measures are numbered in
Rehearsal Numbers chronological order. It's
common to see measure
(or Letters) numbers at the beginning of
Rehearsal numbers (or letters) each staff (stave or system for
mark off larger sections of music to ensembles), rather than noted "measure 31"
aid in efficient ensemble practice. for every bar.
"rehearsal one" "rehearsal two"
Measures 29-35 (these measure numbers have 3 "Rehearsal B"
Measures 9-15 in this section possible number designations)
Measures 85-91 the second time around (on the repeat)
"Let's take it
from C"
Opus Numbers There may be a set of works within an opus,
Opus="work." Opus numbers so, individual pieces are then
are usually chronological in a numbered. "No. 4 from Op.28"
composer's oeuvre (discography).
Movement Numbers "Movement three"
A number is given
to each piece in
a multi-
movement
work.
Octave Designation Numbers
There are 7 unique note names: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. These 7 notes are cyclic and repeat at the
octave. An octave designation number indicates the register (range) and specific sound
(pitch) a note has.
These "B4" notes sound exactly the same but are notated differently in each clef. It's best
to memorize all of the "C's"
because they are good
landmarks to
learning to
read the
grand staff.
C4 is "middle C" www.musictheoryshop.com
What Numbers Mean in
tonic or "one
chord"
Music Theory "five chord" with scale
degree six in bass
Nashville Number System
The Nashville Number System is
another shorthand way of writing
diatonic chords, but uses Arabic "four
numbers rather than Roman
numerals. For inverted chords (non- chord"
root position chords), the bass is with scale
written as a slash followed by the degree one
minor "two "two chord to scale degree in the home key. in bass
chord" five" in one bar
minor "six chord with
Numbers in Music Symbols an eleventh"
Sometimes you'll see the number "8" or "15" in music notation, which represents the interval
of an octave or two octaves, respectively.
Choral music,
tenor part: sing Play one octave higher than written
one octave lower
than written
11 0 B1
Pitch Class Numbers C
In post-tonal music theory, pitch 10 BBD B C DDD 2
classes often replace letter
names in music analysis. These 1 3 6 8 10 A
DB
9 AD ED3
numbers correspond to the A
0 2 4 5 7 9 11
keyboard starting from C=0.
Enharmonic equivalents, such as E
8 4
"FB" and "GD," are identified by the G BG
F
GD FB
pitch class number "6." Pitch class numbers are also presented
in a clock graph since it is a 12-pitch system and the "clock"
7 5
6
helps to visualize pitch class inversion. Imagine an axis straight
down from zero to 6: 1 inverts to 11; 2 inverts to 10; and so forth.
Pitch Class Sets Pitch Class Clock
A pitch class set is an unordered group of pitch classes presented from lowest to highest
number. A set of three pitch classes is called a "trichord." A set of four pitch classes is called a
"tetrachord," et.al. Set classes are designated by their "Forte number," and those that are
related by inversion or transposition belong to the same set class.
"Set Theory" is an analytic
procedure developed by Allen
Forte used to explain pitch (melody
and harmony) in atonal musical
works. Set ClassTable excerpt
from "The Structure of Atonal
Music," Forte (1973).
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CD EF G A B C DE F GA B C DE F G AB C D EF G A BC D E F GA BC
order of sharps
FCGDAEB
"Relative Keys" are 2 keys, one major and
order of flats
"Parallel Keys" are 2 keys, one
one minor, that share the same key major and one minor, that
signature, e.g. C major & A minor share the same TONIC,e.g.,
Key Signatures B C major & C minor
SD
C
F a G
SD
SD d 0 e B
B
SD
B 1 1 D
"Flat Keys"
g2 2 b "Sharp Keys"
BB
SD
SD
SD SD
E c3 Circle of 5ths
Keys are organized a perfect 5th
3 f BA B
"P5" apart. Adjacent keys are
"closely related" because of the
great number of common tones Number of sharps
f 4 between them.
4 cB or flats in the key
SD BBBB
SD A
SD
SD
SD
E
5 5
b
SD 6 gB
Enharmonic
equivalent keys
SD
SD
D dB B B BB
SDSD
SD
SD FB BB
BBB B
BB
B
BBBB C /aB C SD SD
SD/a
7 BBB SD/e SD SD SD 7
G SD SD
SD
SD
SD
SDSD
"Enharmonic equivalent" keys
sound the same, but are spelled SD
SD
SD
differently, e.g., CSD
major & B major
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15 MAJOR SCALES
C MAJOR
G MAJOR
D MAJOR
A MAJOR
E MAJOR
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B MAJOR
bhB
F MAJOR
bhB
C MAJOR
F MAJOR
BD MAJOR
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ED MAJOR
A D MAJOR
DD MAJOR
GD MAJOR
CD MAJOR
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