Pitches

The last post was all about reading rhythm and understanding the placement of notes and rests. Now we can start to cover pitch, the highness or lowness of sound. On the staff each line and space represent one pitch.

 Notice that the pitches are in alphabetical order A through G. As they ascend vertically, the pitch is higher and vice versa. Also take note of the ledger lines, the lines that extend beyond the staff for further notation. Ledger lines can extend as long as needed and do not disrupt the order of the pitches.

* IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of us have been taught the lines and spaces separately by using mnemonic devices ("face" and "E.very G.ood B.oy D.oes F.ine"). Although this is a good way to memorize the lines and spaces for taking a test, it is a very poor method for reading music. Music, even very slow music, moves too quickly for every musician to go through their mnenomic device so they can play the proper pitch.

You may have also noticed a treble clef or g clef.

This clef looks like a fancy "g" and it just so happens to wrap around the line that is, in fact, the pitch of "g." The clef is important to musicians playing different instruments. There are many different clefs, but for learning purposes, the treble clef will suffice for now.

In addition to the notes on the staff, there are three other symbols that change the pitch: (in order) flat, sharp, and natural signs.

The flat looks like a letter "b" that is watching its figure, the sharp is a number sign appropriately diagonally placed and the natural sign is a diagonal box with the left and right sides extending.

These symbols help establish scales, or logical progressions of half steps and whole steps. For this, we must look to a piano keyboard.

  White keys are all considered "natural." That is they have no flats or sharps assigned to them. Black keys are assigned flats and sharps such as A flat or C sharp.

 You may have noticed that the black keys have both a flat and sharp name. That is because they are considered enharmonic. This means that C sharp and D flat are one and the same note. Why? Please read on.


A major scale is made up of half steps and whole steps:

Any two keys that are directly next to one another are separated by a half step. Two half steps make up a whole step. The chart above is the best example and least confusing. Notice that there are two places where there is no black key and, instead two white keys are in direct contact. It is marked in red as a half step because they aren't separated. It is only a half step.


Starting on "c" on the keyboard and as noted above, a C Major Scale follows this pattern:


whole / whole / half / whole / whole / whole / half


What is wonderful about this formula, is that it works starting on any note. However, be prepared to use the black keys if you're starting on a different note other than "c." A half step is one between two notes that are right next to each other. The key of C Major is the only key without any flats or sharps (black keys).

Let us try the key of E Major on the piano. Go to an online piano keyboard to hear this aloud.

First find the pitch "e" on the piano. Play (or click if online) the note. Now move up one whole step. You should now be on f sharp. Play this note. Continue to follow the formula of whole and half steps ( W / W / H / W / W / W / H ) and you will have played a major scale.


Now try the scale of E Flat Major. Find the e flat on the keyboard and follow the same rules.


You can start on any pitch, using the formula above and play a major scale.