Music Book: Piano Accordion Jazz Instruction by Ron Porter

Piano Accordion Cool JAZZ For individual or class instruction READING, WRITING, RHYTHM PRICE $21.25 Porter Music, Minneapolis, MN

This Book Belongs To______________________ My Teacher’s Name is______________________ I Began This Book ________________________ For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

FOREWARD Playing PAC (Piano Accordion Cool ) Jazz Music on an ACCORDION is real fun. As you apply the methods shown in this book, you will also experience an exhilarating lift as you play the exciting rhythms, challenging chord harmonies and strong melodic lines of this uninhibited idiom. You’ll find the ACCORDION Basics of Reading, Writing, and Rhythm moving to the classic ACCORDION. A number of supplementary pieces are included. When you completes these pieces you are using THEORY in the most practical sort of way. After performing the various required operations on these pieces, you will enjoy playing them as solos. This will give the student a sense of having accomplished something really worthwhile. The wonderful thing about PAC JAZZ as a style is that while its roots are traditional, it MOVES WITH THE TIMES. The spark of the musician’s improvisation can be felt when you listen to recordings from the earliest Dixieland and the “backwoods” Traditional Gospel hymns period up through the Big Band and Contemporary Gospel Style and the great solo performances, and in many of the top Music groups of today. Currently, more than ever before, the ACCORDION can be heard on many of the top TV shows and Movies, in the fine arrangements and themes. Many fine ordinary people and gifted musician have contributed invaluably to this spiritual musical revolution through the years and currently. PIANISTS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS should find this collection of pieces, or studies, especially arrange to meet the beginners needs up through the “easy-intermediate’ level of playing, timely examples of ACCORDION, and suitable for the use as a SUPPLEMENTAL AID in teaching or learning ACCORDION… or for pure enjoyment in the popular sense. You will learn excellent theory and unlocks the mysteries of the Accordion, which dates back to the reed instruments of many Ancient civilization.

The accordion has a very rich history. The principle of the free reed appears to have had its inception in Asia and after spreading there was subsequently introduced into the West where it developed into such instruments as the harmonica, the accordion, the harmonium and the free reed organ. 4 or 5 thousand years ago, a music instrument called "sheng" was invented in China or somewhere in the south east Asia. In the first place, its reeds were made of bamboo. After 18th century, Chinese "sheng" was imported to Europe. It gave helpful hints for new free-reed instruments, such as harmonicas and accordions, to western people. In 1820s, first accordions were made in German and Austria. http://www.accordions.com/index/his/his.htm The piano key board was first put on an accordion by Bouton of Paris in 1852. From that time until the early 1900's the piano accordion was not given much attention or development, but from 1910 onwards the piano accordion came into prominence almost worldwide. With the development of the Stradella bass system (a standardization of the bass button layout) the piano accordion became the first truly standardized universal accordion. This means that a piano accordionist can play any type or make of piano accordion without a change in system. This had not been possible before as there were so many different button accordions with different systems. http://accordion.article-lib.com/

Piano accordions are essentially the same as a chromatic accordion, except for a different shape to the keyboard notes and piano keyboard layout. Because of its universal note system the production of piano accordions has far exceeded that of any kind of button accordion from the 1920's until today. We are used to hearing traditional African music based on percussion, but the accordion was very popular between 1880 and 1940. The white missionaries probably introduced the accordion into Africa, and much of the continent's music played with accordions is a mixture of Christian hymns and Latin songs. The popularity of the accordion was probably due to it's sturdy construction and portability. But during the second world war, the guitar became fashionable (and many other Western instruments) and the "old style" symbolized by the accordion lost favor. Though many Africans played the accordion, few names are recorded. Most musicians were only known to those living in the immediate vicinity, or perhaps the next village. However, in each African country where the accordion has been popular, we can find at least one celebrity. http://www.accordions.com/index/his/his_afr.shtml Have fun, and I personally hope you might be inspired to go right out and grab an ACCORDION and start the pleasure and satisfaction it will provide you all the rest of your life, both in your playing and appreciation of all styles of music. It will be well worth your effort. It can open your heart, mind, eyes and spirit to the word.

PAC JAZZ Practice Method

Introduction and overview of The PAC JAZZ Practice Method Music means many things to many people. For some, it's simply recreation; for others it's deeply spiritual and personal. It has the power to move the emotions and to excite the intellect--it communicates. In other words, music is a language. As with any language, we can read and recite what others have written. But we can also learn to express our own feelings and ideas spontaneously, creating one of the most exciting and freeing forms of music: improvisation. The musician who can improvise is both composer and performer, speaking his or her ideas in his or her own voice. We all have a song in our heart that we want to express--something only music can convey--and in that expression we can celebrate our own lives and our unique spirits. When we listen to great jazz improvisers, it may seem that through some mysterious talent they are effortlessly creating their own language on the spot. In fact, as free and spontaneous as it is, improvised music relies on a definite vocabulary and follows certain rules of grammar and spelling. Where does the aspiring improviser begin to learn this language? "Connect the dots" Most methods teach scales and licks that can be played against particular chords and chord progressions; these patterns are then applied to different chords of a tune as a sort of decoration. For example, you may learn a lick for a II-V chord pattern, memorize it in all 12 keys, then plug it in whenever you come across that pattern.

While useful as far as it goes, this approach can lead to a mechanical sort of playing; the music sounds like a string of stock phrases instead of a coherent statement. This stereotyped playing might be called "connecting the dots." This is not the sort of playing we hear from great improvisers. The best musicians create clear, original melodies with a personal, distinctive style. They communicate memorable musical ideas. Of course, their improvisations "fit" the chords--the players are well aware of the appropriate scales and devices available to them. But instead of plugging in ready-made licks to "connect the dots", the greats sound like they're spontaneously singing powerful, melodic lines through their instruments. "Play what you hear and not what you know!" That statement, attributed to Miles Davis, is an eloquent expression of true musical improvisation. It means to hear and play the music that comes out of yourself and not out of books. The PAC JAZZ practice method is aimed precisely at developing that goal. The PAC JAZZ emphasizes the importance of the ear, since sound is the medium of musical expression. This method is designed not only to help you understand, but also to hear, most of the typical musical contexts within which you'll be expressing yourself. By combining theoretical concepts with ear training and practical, efficient exercises, you will rapidly grow in a well rounded way. Relative pitch perception, intonation, rhythm, chords, scales, harmony, and melody are all developed together, rather than as isolated fields of study. The result: players at all levels (beginning - advanced) can quickly move beyond playing by the dots and on to creating freely, "speaking" their ideas in musical phrases and sentences.

The Three Stages of Learning Music Ideas, Ears, Chops The study of improvisation has three general stages: IDEAS: The first stage is the conceptual understanding of musical structures (scales, chords, tonal relationships, and notation of basic musical concepts). At a basic level, these concepts apply to all styles of music, whether jazz, rock, or classical. Advanced studies investigate specialized theory and techniques that are peculiar to different musical styles. This intellectual stage of learning, which is the usual fare of music theory classes, is often the easiest. EARS: The second stage, strongly emphasized in the PAC JAZZ approach, is the development of the ear--that is, the ability to hear the theoretical concepts. Relative pitch perception is developed as you practice. You will accelerate the learning process by singing (using numbers) everything you study: scales, chords, progressions, etc. In this way you will build the skills needed to "play what you hear." CHOPS: Finally, you will want to apply these concepts and sounds to the accordion. You will learn the technical aspects of your instrument as you practice all scales, chords, musical structures, and relationships in 12 keys. With well-chosen exercises (in the musician's famous "woodshed"), you will memorize and master the basic sounds and begin playing the music as you hear it. And happily, the more advanced you are technically, the more music you will be able to hear. The PAC JAZZ approach systematically develops and integrates all three stages of learning music. Theory, Practice Method and Key Reference Tools.

Workout in 12 keys The PAC JAZZ is set up to develop technical and musical facility in all 12 keys focusing on 6 main keys Eb, Bb, F, C, G, and D. This is painlessly accomplished by practicing in one key at a time. This simple approach is not only easy, but very effective in learning new concepts rapidly while building your ear. Using a midi program you can transpose these midi files to help in this process. You'll review past exercises and play any new material in a different key each week. Twelve weeks after you take on a new concept, you'll have played it--and all previous material--through all 12 keys. Your ears and fingers will have become acquainted with the sounds and structures of scales, chords, melodic ideas-whatever you're working on--in relative terms. This flexible and effective routine enables you to build a very solid foundation of performance skills while training your ears and strengthening your knowledge. Your expanding Key Reference forms the backbone of your daily practice sessions--a continual deepening and integration of music fundamentals--a true "workout" to keep you musically fit and continually growing. Long after you've progressed to using the entire library of midi files acompaniment each day, you can keep improving, substituting advanced exercises to explore each musical concept further and stretching your melodic techniques. The PAC JAZZ is a framework for consciously creating your own improvisational style. The PAC JAZZ encompasses a great deal of material. Start on the material appropriate to your level and give yourself enough time to assimilate the ideas, sounds, and feel of each new musical concept. One of the beauties of music is that there is no final goal to be attained, but a continuous mastery of technical abilities and deepening of personal expression. The PAC JAZZ is a systematic, efficient "chops builder" that can be used for years of increasingly sophisticated practice by students and professionals alike. Begin playing now! Even though the musical concepts become very advanced, the PAC JAZZ approach is also based on the premise that you can begin to play your own ideas from the start of your study, rather than at the end. From the very first practice session, players at every level--even beginners who are just becoming comfortable with the major scales--will start to make up their own melodies and patterns spontaneously. Any player who adopts the daily "workout" will soon notice a dramatic difference in the way he or she hears and plays music. Rather than thinking of tunes and chord progressions as a series of isolated events strung together, you'll perceive them as movements in tonality--movements triggering your own original ideas. And you'll be able to express those ideas, to speak the language, to communicate. Best of all-- it's FUN! It's fun to learn music, fun to grow musically and the better you get, the more enjoyable and satisfying it becomes. Improvising music is not only a joy, but a continuing discovery of our spiritual source and our own individual worth. Send me a midi copy of your work.

MERITS OF THE ACCORDION Ease of Learning Single note bass and fixed chord buttons make for very fast and easy learning of bass and rhythm accompaniment. With the visible right hand keyboard, the accordion is easy to learn. Education, General Academic Improvements By learning the accordion, students learn how to organize their time for practice. They will automatically apply this skill to other aspects of their education. Research has shown that people who learn music early in life achieve better academic results. Self Confidence Any time a person achieves something new their confidence in themselves increases. Introduces Self Discipline and Motivation These attributes are learned through practice and achievement, and with the help of the teacher. Problem Solving To be able to play music one learns how to concentrate on a problem and find the best solution. Concentration As progress is made through musical education the ability to concentrate increases. With increased concentration comes improved memory skills. Coordination Playing the accordion requires coordination. Not only do players use both hands, but the left arm operates the bellows while the player reads music. As difficult as this sounds, a student can learn to play a piece of music in their first lesson. Creativity The accordion is an incredibly versatile instrument. Not only can it play most musical styles, it is also very good for improvisation. She can sing a chorus by herself, as well as the piano. She can also weep, as well as the violin. Solo, ensemble, either will do. Job Opportunities There is the potential to teach or entertain full time with the accordion. Being Part of a Team Because the accordion is such a portable instrument, it is used in many types of musical groups, from rock bands to orchestras. Tuning The reeds are fixed in tune for each individual accordion, but can be made higher or lower (by a trained repairer) to suit the preferred sound of the player. Mobility You can enjoy it anywhere. In your bedroom, on the mountain, in the ship, and so on. Music Appreciation It is easier to appreciate and enjoy music if one understands how music is structured.

TREBLE KEYBOARD Of the 120 Bass Accordion

&

TREBLE CLEF SIGN or G CLEF SIGN MEANS PLAY ON TREBLE KEYBOARD

Accordion Music For the treble side of the accordion, music is written in the treble clef.

&& & & & &

F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A

KEYBOARD REGISTER Register Slides These are thin strips of metal, that slide in between the reed banks and the valves. They are designed to open and shut the banks of reeds. A mechanism connects these slides to the switches. The function of a Switch is to open or close one or more sets of reeds, via register slides in the reed blocks. The more reeds in an accordion, the more switches become available. There are two types of Treble switches that are on the Treble grille: the automatic and the On/Off (push once for On and again for Off). Each push button of the automatic switch opens specified slide registers and closes others (according to the setting of the combination of reeds, see below). Most full-sized accordions are now equipped with one or more Bass switches on the bass section also. These are normally in a vertical row, along the inside of the bass board. As with treble switches, there are two types; automatic and on/off. The automatic type of switch is sometimes called a pre-set switch, and it involves a great deal more mechanism than the simple on/off type lever switch. There can also be switches located near the air button.

Note: Both Treble and Bass Switches are arranged in different orders on different makes of accordions. This Quint Switch is usually only found on larger accordions. The individual incorporation of the perfect 5th (which is actually a 12th; an octave higher plus a 5th higher again) to every note on an accordion, giving a Pipe-organ type sound. This especially suits Russian or Pipe Organ music.

TREBLE KEYBOARD REGISTER The following treble shift markings are used in this book. Substitutions listed below may be used, or any other appropriate shift the teacher may recommend.

SUBSTITUTE MASTER

HARMONIUM

MASTER

BANDONEON

ACCORDION

BANDONEON

VIOLIN

CLARINET

OBOE

CLARINET

The registers or stops used in both the left and right hand sides could be marked using either similar sounding instrument names or using dot markings and organ terminology. A combination of instrument names and dot markings is also common.

ABOUT REGISTERS •

•

•

• •

There's no single standard for naming the stops using instrument names. It’s recommendable to use dot markings in sheet music and in order to communicate the correct setting to an ensemble. The maximum number of reeds that are used simultaneously when pressing a single key on the treble side, determines the maximum number of stops. The same applies to the bass stops when producing a single bass note or a note used to construct a chord. The theoretical maximum number of registers or stops is 2^N-1, where N is the maximum number of reeds used simultaneously for a note. The -1 covers the case when no reed is sounding at all - a meaningless combination. Examples: N = 1 : Only 1 stop - no need to have a button for this! N = 2 : 3 stops N = 3 : 7 stops N = 4 : 15 stops N = 5 : 31 stops N = 6 : 63 stops (this beast would be really heavy!) N = 3 or 4 is most common and I've never seen an accordion with N > 5. In practice the number of stops is usually reduced from the theoretical maximum. This is done in order to reduce weight. Too many stops could also be confusing and some of them would sound very similar to each other. Most players use a few favorite stops only.

Most full-size accordions have four sets of treble reeds, and some have five. With various combinations of these there can be fifteen or more switches on the grille. Each select a different combination of reeds by opening and closing slides. For example, these are the combinations available with automatic switches on a three reed accordion: 1. LOW

MIDDLE

HIGH

2. LOW

MIDDLE

--

3. LOW

--

--

4. LOW

--

HIGH

5. --

MIDDLE

HIGH

6. --

MIDDLE

--

7. --

--

HIGH

ABOUT REGISTERS • The most common dot markings are built upon combinations of the following basic elements: PICCOLO

4 ft - The length of an organ pipe sounding one octave above the notated value 8 ft - The length of an organ pipe sounding at the notated value

BASSOON

16 ft - The length of an organ pipe sounding one octave below the notated value

• The 8 ft may have two or even three different reeds, tuned slightly apart. Used together, the famous musette sound is produced. Depending on the tuning distance, the tone is "wet or dry" . Possible dot markings:

or

ACCORD

HARMON

BANDON ORGAN

or

MASTER

or

VIOLIN

MUSETTE

CLARINET

This means that on a 4 reed accordion only uses 11 of the 15 possible combinations with N = 4 - these are left out:

OBOE

2

3

&

C D E F G A B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

F

G

A

B

5

6

7

E is on the right of any 2 REDkey A is between 2nd and 3rd on of any 3 black-key

D is on the middle of any 2 RED-key

4

Ab G#

G

Gb F#

F

F is on the left of any 3 RED -key

3 4

E

2

5

Bb A#

6

B

D

C

1

Eb D#

1

A

Db C#

E

C is on the left of any 2 REDkey

D

There are 12 different treble notes in music. 7 white and 5 black notes. The names are the 1st 7 letters of the alphabet ( a thru g ).

C

Name those 7 treble white keys

7

B is on the right of any 3 RED -key

G is between 1st and 2nd on of any 3 REDkey Play each note while singing the name. Repeat this each practice session until you have fully memorized. This is the Key of C.

HALF & WHOLE STEPS A HALF STEP (or semitone) is the distance from any treble key to the very next key, right or left, red or white and are adjacent on the piano keyboard. NO KEY IN BETWEEN.

A

G

F

E

D

C

B

B

HALF STEP

HALF STEP

A

F

G

HALF STEP

A WHOLE STEP (or tone) is equal to two HALF STEPS. ONE KEY IN BETWEEN.

E

D

C

B

A

G

F

E

D

C

WHOLE STEP

WHOLE STEP

WHOLE STEP

chromatic half-step -- a half step written as two of the same note with different accidentals (e.g., F-F#) diatonic half-step -- a half step that uses two different note names (e.g., F#-G)

&

n

#

#

n

Natural

Sharp

Sharp

F

F#

Natural

F#

G

Chromatic half-step

Diatonic half-step

The Accordian Grand Staff THE TIME SIGNATURE: Upper number indicates 4 counts in each measure

RIGHT HAND

Chord Bass LEFT HAND

&

USED AT THE END OF A PIECE OR A SECTION

Lower number indicates that a QUARTER NOTE gets one count.

4 4

?4

A

F

C

E

Measure Grass Eat Cows All

4

spaces

Double Bar Line

G E C A F D

F D B G E

Measure C

Measure

B G E C A F

A F D B G

Always Fine Does Boy Good

Fine Does Boy Good Every

lines

Bar Line

Bar Line

(G Clef) spaces are: &Treble Clef F A C E (G Clef) lines are: &Treble Clef Every Good Boy

?

?

Bass Clef (F Clef) spaces are:

All

Cows

Eat

Bass Clef (F Clef) lines are:

Good

Does

Fine

Grass

Boy Does Fine

Always

The Accordian Grand Staff • Ledger Lines extend the staff in the open space above, below and within the Grand Staff. • Music has numbers at the beginning called the Time Signature. The TOP NUMBERS tells the number of beats in each measure. The BOTTOM NUMBER tells which note get one count.

& Chord Bass

D B G

C

4 4

?4 4

A F

RIGHT HAND G E

C

F D B

C

G E

C

A F

D B G

LEFT HAND F D B

Treble Clef (G Clef) Spaces are: F A C E Treble Clef (G Clef) lines are: Every Good Boy Does Fine Bass Clef (F Clef) spaces are: All Cows Eat Grass Bass Clef (F Clef) lines are: Good Boy Does Fine Always

You complete this staff.

Chord Bass

& ?4 4 4

4

&# b

Enharmony The ability to write the same note in more than one way is called enharmony. F# and Gb are enharmonic.

Gb

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

F#

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Accidentals

b &

n

#

Sharp

Ab

A

A#

B

Natural

A

Flat

G

F

An alphabetic letter is flat, natural or sharp. Its state (flat, natural or sharp) is its accidental. The natural state is what the note is considered to be, unless otherwise indicated. Ab (flat) is a semitone (1/2 half) lower than A natural. A# (sharp) is a semitone (1/2 half) higher than A natural. 4

5

6

7

A word on notation. In text the accidental follows the letter, as in Ab and A#. On the stave the accidental precedes the note head.

SHARPS = HALF STEP UP!

#

B

A

E

G

#

#

F#

F

#

D#

D

B

#

A

G

F

&

B#

C

#

HALF STEP UP!!!

A SHARP ( r )RAISES the note a half step (semitone). Play the next key to the RIGHT.

B

A

G

F

E

D

C

B

A

G

F

Write the name of each SHARP in the square above each key indicated:

b

B

A

Gb

G

C

F

B

b

b

Eb

E

b

b D

&

Cb

A

G

F

b

FLATS = HALF STEP DOWN!

HALF STEP DOWN!!!

A FLAT ( ) LOWER the note a half step. Play the next key to the LEFT.

B

A

G

F

E

D

C

B

A

G

F

Write the name of each FLAT in the square above each key indicated:

THE NATURAL SIGN

b n

b

B

E E

b n

HALF STEP UP!!!

A NATURAL ( ) CANCELS a previous A natural is ALWAYS A WHITE KEY.

or .

E

b n D

A

G

F

&

B

B

C

n

n

Watch your step!

1

2

3

4

5

7

6

C# is Db. Is E# Fb? Remember, C to D is a tone (whole step) and E to F is a semitone (half step). While C# is Db, E# is F and Fb is E. Beginners and advanced students often trip-up on this fact.

Take the the note below and place them on the Treble Key Board above.

Gbb Fbb Abb Cbb Ebb Bbb Dbb

½ Gb Fb Ab Cb Eb Bb ½ Db

½ G F A C E B ½ D

½ G# F# A# C# E# B# ½ D#

½ Gx Fx Ax Cx Ex Bx ½ Dx

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

B

A# Ax Bb Cb Cbb

A

G# Gx Ab Bbb

F# Fx Gb Abb Ex G

E# Gbb

F

D# Dx Eb Fb Fbb

C# Cx Db Ebb Bx

E

1

D

C

B# Dbb

Did you get them right?

2

3

4

5

6

7

As enharmony, C, B# and Dbb are enharmonic. Notice the other enharmonics.

Double flats and double sharps Double flats and double sharps are accidentals for special occasions. A double flat is a semitone lower than flat. A double sharp is a semitone higher than sharp.

Note #

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Double flat

bb

Fbb Cbb Dbb Ebb Gbb Abb Bbb

b

flat

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Fb

Cb

n

natural

C D E F G A B

#

sharp

C# D# F# G# A# B# E#

Double sharp

x Bx Ex

Cx Dx Fx Gx Ax

This is a complete set of accidentals and their enharmonic equivalents

The Three T's of Music An interesting and instructive way to understand the experience of music is based on observing three different dimensions of human communication. We'll refer to these three qualities as the Three T's of music. They are; TONE --the emotional dimension, TIME -the physical dimension, and TUNES --the intellectual dimension. These different aspects are present in all types of music, individually emphasized in varying combinations. Other artistic disciplines refer to the Heart, Head, and Hands trilogy, which is analogous to the Three T's of music. As we learn to improvise music, we'll want to develop our skills within each of these dimensions. PAC Jazz is a full brain activity. The life of the accordion is in the rhythmic base and chord accompaniment. The melody or lead is delivered via the treble. We will spend a lot of time using the Three T’s of the accordion. TONE: Feelings (Heart) The first dimension Tone , conveys mood and emotion. Tone denotes the whole spectrum of sound quality such as sense of intonation, dynamics, texture, intensity, color, and expressiveness--the depth of feeling a musician puts into the music. Tone production on any given instrument separates the professional from the amateur players. The ability to communicate emotion with even one note is essential to the development of a performing musician. Even though this aspect will take years for the musician to develop deeply, it immediately communicates to even the most casual of listeners. This dimension involves the "right" or intuitive side of the brain--the non-verbal or "hearing" essential to the musical arts. Vocalists often exemplify this aspect to a great degree. TIME: Energy (Hands) The second dimension Time , the rhythmic sense, is felt through our material bodies. Time refers to all aspects of the rhythmic energy and pulse-- our sense of "groove", meter, tempo, rhythmic styles (i.e. swing, rock, etc.), articulation, and sense of melodic phrasing. Dance music of all kinds relies on this physical aspect of musical communication to a high degree. Mastering the dimension of time is an indispensable necessity for all performing musicians. While mistakes with notes or intonation may not be readily noticed, mistakes with time are usually very conspicuous. We all, well most of us, intuitively respond to rhythm. This dimension may be the most basic and important element of music and accounts for the drums being the oldest form of instruments. Time also seems to involve the "right" side of the brain as well as the actual motor skills of playing an instrument. Like Tone , the finer points of Time are developed over many years, although it is a quality immediately perceived by listeners of all degrees of musical sophistication.

Integrate the Three T's A complete musician communicates through the mastery and integration of each of these basic dimensions--emotional, physical and mental. Development of the performance skills Tone and Time , take much attention and practice. These subtle qualities are often the most important in music precisely because they involve communication at the non-verbal levels. Tunes , on the other hand, can be viewed as the theoretical and conceptual framework in which the player must express these other qualities. A common problem facing all students of musical improvisation is the integration of the "left" (thinking) and "right" (hearing) sides of the brain. Like oil and water, we tend to operate on one side or the other.Through regular and focused practice however, it is possible to gain the necessary ability to use both sides simultaneously. What makes the incredible prowess of top musicians possible is their ability to be aware of and handle all these factors simultaneously as the music unfolds. Learning to improvise is really a fascinating exercise in overall mind and body development. Different styles of music can be understood more easily by using the concept of the Three T's . Rock, for instance, could be seen to be primarily rhythmic in nature and communicates at the Time or body level. Blues might be seen to be primarily Tone or emotional in nature. Jazz or classical music could be viewed as emphasizing Tunes , or the intellectual aspect of musical communication. Each style of music succeeds by communicating well through its primary dimension. This perspective helps us understand the different roles music plays in our life and can help us appreciate (and play) all styles of music with insight and empathy. Obviously there is no clear separation of these three qualities in good music, and the best performers of any style show a high level of mastery of all Three T's . Think about your favorite musicians and how and what they communicate to you. When practicing to improve your musical skills, you will benefit by being aware of the Three T's , and insuring that each aspect is being given attention. It is not just what you play, but how you play it that counts. The PAC JAZZ Improvisation Practice Method is one approach designed to develop and integrate all Three T's into a unified method.

BASS KEYBOARD Of the 120 Bass Accordian

BASS CLEF SIGN MEANS PLAY ON BASS KEYBOARD (BASS OR CHORD ROWS

Chord Bass

Accordion Music The bass is written in the bass clef, except for stradella bass chord. Instead of writing out the whole chord, the chord symbol is written over the note: M over the note = Major chord, (mellow) m over the note = minor chord, (mysterious) 7 over the note = 7th chord, (sweet) d

OR

o over the note = diminished chord (edgy)

Bass rows

Ecb C

Counter Bass row Bass row

Chord rows CM

Major chord row 1, 3, 5; C, E, G

Minor chord row cm 1, -3, 5; C, Eb, G

40 Bass

80 Chords

Cx

A# A#M A#m A#7 A#o

Fx

D# D#M D#m D#7 D#o

B#

G# G#M G#m G#7 G#o

E#

C# C#M C#m C#7 C#o

A#

F#

F#M F#m F#7

F#o

D#

B

BM

Bm

B7

Bo

G#

E

EM

Em

E7

Eo

C#

A

AM

Am

A7

Ao

F#

D

DM

Dm

D7

Do

B

G

GM

Gm

G7

Go

E

C

CM

Cm

C7

Co

A

F

FM

Fm

F7

Fo

D

Bb BbM Bbm Bb7 Bbo

G

Eb

C

Ab AbM Abm Ab7 Abo

F

Db DbM Dbm Db7 Dbo

Bb

Gb GbM Gbm Gb7 Gbo

Eb

Cb CbM Cbm Cb7 Cbo Fb

EbM Ebm Eb7

Ebo

Fbo

c7

7th chord row

Ab

1, 3, -7 (no 5th), C, E, Bb (no G)

Db Bbb BbbMBbbm Bbb7 Bbbo

co

Diminished 7th chord row

1, -3, --7 (no -5th), C, Eb, Bbb (no Gb)

FbM Fbm Fb7

Left Hand

Rhythm Pattern The Accordion Rhythm is usually (not always) played with the Bass - Chord Combination.

G#

DM

D

F#

GM

G

B

CM

C

E

FM

F

A

BbM

Bb

D

?4

AM

A

C#

Alternating Bass To play this, a root note (fundamental) is played, then a chord of that root note, followed by the fundamental dominant (5th) of the root note, and back to the chord of the root note. A simple example is: C, C Major, G, C Major.

EM

E

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

Eo

E7

Ao

A7

Do

D7

Go

G7

Co

C7

Fo

F7

Bbo

Bb7

Left Hand

4

: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 C CM CM CM G CM CM CM

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 C CM CM CM G CM CM CM

?C

: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 C Cm Cm Cm G Cm Cm Cm

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 C Cm Cm Cm G Cm Cm Cm

?4

3

: 1 2 3 C C7 C7

Left Hand

G# C# F# B E A D

E A D G C F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

1 2 3 C C7 C7

1 2 3 G Cd Cd Left Hand

Eo Ao G# Do C# Go F# Co B Fo E Bbo A D

E A D G C F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

1 2 3 G Cd Cd Left Hand

Eo Ao G# Do C# Go F# Co Fo Bbo

B E A D

E A D G C F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

Eo Ao Do Go Co Fo Bbo

Rhythm Pattern E

G#

A

C#

D

F#

The Accordion Rhythm is usually (not always) played with the Bass - Chord Combination.

G

B

C

E

F

A D

6 ?8

Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em

Ao

A7

Am

Do

D7

Dm

Go

G7

Gm

Co

C7

Cm

Fo

F7

Fm Bbm

Eo

E7

Bbo

Bb7

: 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6

2 ?2

: 1

&

2

&

1

&

2

1

&

&

2

&

1

&

2

&

?C 1

: &

Left Hand

G# C# F# B E A D

E A D G C F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

2

&

1

&

2

1

&

Left Hand

Eo Ao G# Do C# Go F# Co B Fo E Bbo A D

E A D G C F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

&

2

&

&

2

Left Hand

Eo Ao G# Do C# Go F# Co B Fo Bbo

1

E A D

E A D G C F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

&

Eo Ao Do Go Co Fo Bbo

Accents Pattern This is when the player suddenly pulls on the bass strap or pushes on the side of the bass board with his/her arm while pressing a note, which creates a short sharp sound. Good coordination is required to get the timing of an accent exact.

?4

4

: 1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Bellow Shakes The bass arm pulls quickly in and out causing a "stuttering" effect. There are many types of bellow shakes, which give different effects: Duple Bellow Shake In the space of a beat, a note is sounded twice. The duple bellow shake is played by creating a "hinge" with one side of the bellows and only opening the bellows from the opposite side.

4 ?4

X 1

&

X

X 2

&

3

&

4

X

X X X X X X X

&

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

:

Triple Bellow Shake In the space of one beat, a note is sounded three times. The bellow movement is In, Out, In and vice versa. This can take a lot of co-ordination to get the feel of the rhythm because the pulse (the first in or out) changes bellows direction every time.

4 ?4

X X

1

X X

X X

X X

--2--3--4--

X X X X X X X X X X X

1

--2--3--4--

:

Accents Pattern Quadruple Bellow Shake In the space of one beat a note is sounded four times. The bellow movement is In, Out, In, Out. This bellows shake can sometimes be played using the four corners of the bellows, where the bellows are moved in a circular motion, creating the feeling of four counts. This, however takes a long time to learn!

?4

4

XXX

1

XXX

XXX

XXX

-&- 2 -&- 3 -&- 4 -&-

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

:

- - - - - - - -

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Get creative and make your own.

4 ?4

:

4 ?4

:

?4

:

4

Converter Bass This is a bass system which can play both standard and free bass, by using the Bass Switches. An accordion with a converter bass is possibly the most versatile accordion available.

REVIEW OF NOTE VALUES

h

A HALF NOTE gets TWO counts

h.

A HALF REST gets TWO counts

q

A QUARTER NOTE gets ONE count.

g

HOW MANY COUNTS?

A DOTTED HALF NOTE gets THREE counts.

w

A DOTTED HALF REST gets THREE counts.

A QUARTER REST gets ONE count.

A WHOLE NOTE gets FOUR counts

A WHOLE REST gets FOUR counts

e

A EIGHTH NOTE gets ONE HALF of ONE count.

In the square below each note, write the number of counts that each receives.

The MAJOR SCALE ON THE TREBLE KEYBOARD A Major Scale is a series a EIGHT notes in ALPHABETICAL ORDER. The two tetrachords for the C major scale are : (major tetrachord) C - D - E - F G - A - B - C (major tetrachord). A MAJOR TETRACHORD is a series of FOUR NOTES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER having a pattern of ‘WHOLE STEP - WHOLE STEP-HALF STEP.

1 2ND MAJOR TETRACHORD

1ST MAJOR TETRACHORD

&

G A B C

C D E F 1 1 TONIC

1 1/2

1

1 1/2 TONIC

E

D

C

B

A

WHOLE WHOLE HALF STEP STEP STEP

G

F

E

D

C

B

A

G

F

WHOLE WHOLE HALF STEP STEP STEP

The MAJOR SCALE ON THE BASS KEYBOARD You have already played the C MAJOR SCALE. A TETRACHORD is a series of FOUR NOTES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER having a pattern of ‘WHOLE STEP - WHOLE STEPHALF STEP. Each major scale has the exact same fingering on the bass keyboard, making it such that once you know one scale, you know them all. Piano accordions usually range from 12 bass, 20 key up to 160 bass, 45 key, but there are smaller and larger designs also. Multiple Reed Banks combined with switches give the piano accordion a huge range of notes and sounds. Reed Specifications can be: 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 treble reeds and 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 bass reeds.

Chord Bass

?

2ND MAJOR TETRACHORD

1ST MAJOR TETRACHORD

E

D

C

A

F G

B

F#

C B E

1 1 TONIC

1

1/ 2

1

1 1/ 2 TONIC

A

D 7 3 6

G C F

2 5 1 4

To begin, place your 3rd finger on the root bass note. The second note of the scale is the D and is played by the index (2nd) finger. The third of the scale, E, is played by your 3rd finger by extending the finger which should still be in the area of C to the counterbass row. After E, of course is F. This is played by the 4th finger and is the root note directly below C. The index (2nd) finger plays the G, the root note directly above C. Then the 4th finger stretches from the F to its counterbass A. Finally the index (2nd) finger plays B, the counterbass of G. As the final note, your 3rd finger plays C again. The process is reversed on the descending part of the scale using the same fingering.

The CHROMATIC SCALE ON THE BASS KEYBOARD To begin, place your 4th finger on the C root bass note. The second note of the scale is the C# the counterbass of A and is played by the 3rd finger. The third note of the scale is the D and is played by the 3rd finger . The fourth note of the scale is the D# the counterbass of B and is played by the index (2nd) finger. The fifth note of the scale is the E and is played by the index (2nd) finger. That’s the 1st cycle. To begin cycle 2, place your 4th finger on the 6th note of the scale or F just below the C root bass note. The 7th note of the scale is the F# the counterbass of D and is played by the 3rd finger. The 8th note of the scale is the G and is played by the 3rd finger . The 9th note of the scale is the G# the counterbass of E and is played by the index (2nd) finger. The 10th note of the scale is the A and is played by the index (2nd) finger. To begin cycle 3, place your 4th finger on the 11th note of the scale or Bb just below the F bass note. The 12th note of the scale is the B the counterbass of G and is played by the 3rd finger. As the final note, your 4th finger plays C again. The process is reversed on the descending part of the scale using the same fingering.

D# 4 G# 9

B 12 E 5

C# 2

A

F# 7 B 12

D 3 Chord 8 G Bass 1 C 6 F Bb 11

E A D

10

?

C C# D D# E

TONIC

F F# G G# A A# B C

TONIC

The Chords

?

on THE BASS KEYBOARD

t

This note means CM Chords ( C,E,G ) Notes Written Above The (GREEN) Middle Line Are

Chords Notes Written Below The (Green) Middle Line Are

Bass

?

C

CM cm

c7

co

Chord rows chord row CM Major 1, 3, 5; C, E, G

cm

Minor chord row

c7

7th chord row

co

Diminished 7th chord row

1, -3, 5; C, Eb, G

1, 3, -7 (no 5th), C, E, Bb (no G)

1, -3, --7 (no -5th), C, Eb, Bbb (no Gb)

M

Mellow

m Mysterious 7 o

Sweet Edgy

Bass Techniques on the Accordion

Bass Techniques on the Accordion Accordion Bass fingering is a very important part of play the bass and chords. Normally, the bass plays only simple beats of bass, chord, counterbass, chord, bass, chord, fifth above, chord. This would be the standard rhythm for most 4/4 polkas. Fingering say on C-major on the keyboard varies from accordionist to accordionist depending on the finger lengths, but generally, most adults tend to place their fourth finger on the bass notes and the third finger on the chords. When reaching over to the counterbass, the accordionist would stretch their fourth finger over to it, which in this example would be E. For playing the fifth above bass note, the index finger almost naturally reaches for the G in this example due to the angle that the notes are arranged on the keyboard. In a waltz time, 3/4, the same fingering rules as above applies. There is rarely a fingering difference in simple bass, chord, chord timing. Some interesting things that your bass can do involves more independent use of your fingers. While this seems very complex on paper, essentially after a bit of practice, you are able to effortlessly play any scale on the bass keyboard of the piano accordion. Minor scales, both melodic and harmonic illustrate the same patterns.

Chord Bass

?44

cb C CM E CM

4

3 4 3

C CM G CM

4

3 2 3

B

G

GM Gm

G7

Go

E

C

CM

Cm

C7

Co

A

F

FM

Fm

F7

Fo

D

Bb BbM Bbm Bb7 Bbo

G

Eb EbM Ebm Eb7 Ebo

Bass Techniques on the Accordion Once comfortable with the major scales on the bass hand, it is easy to simply throw in bass runs during songs. Two methods I use often is when changing from C to F for instance in a polka, in a major key, I do a bass run pressing C, B flat, A, G and then to F for the second measure, all notes keeping to the beat. The bass run starts just before the appearance of F and generally works well in polka styles. The run is reversed if moving up the keyboard. C CM Ecb CM C Bb Acb G F FM Bb FM

Chord Bass

?44

t 4

4 3 2

3 4 3

?44 t

F FM Bb FM

Chord Bass

t 3

G Acb Bb

F

4 3 2 3 C CM Ecb CM

t

4 3 2 3

4 3 2

B

G

GM

Gm

G7

Go

E

C

CM

Cm

C7

Co

A

F

FM

Fm

F7

Fo

D

Bb

BbM Bbm Bb7

Bbo

G

Eb

EbM Ebm Eb7

Ebo

3

4

3 4 3

Bass Techniques on the Accordion

While this seems very complex on paper, essentially after a bit of practice, you are able to effortlessly play any scale on the bass keyboard of the piano accordion. Minor scales, both melodic and harmonic illustrate the same patterns. In the waltz style, a bass run can similarly be executed. If moving from C to F, for instance, one could simply press C, D, E and then F in the second measure. This again occurs just before the measure that has F in it and all notes keep directly to the beat. One instance of the use of the fifth finger in accordion music is when playing a counterbass in a minor key. For instance, if playing D minor in 3/4 time, you would be playing D root note, D minor chord note, D minor chord note with fingering 4-2-2. In the key of D minor, playing the third note doesn't mean playing F sharp, but playing F natural. The easiest way to press F natural is to take the fifth finger and play the F root note below C. To keep things feeling natural and the playing smooth there is a fingering change as well. In the measures playing: D-Dm-Dm-FDm-Dm, the respective fingering would be 3-2-2-5-2-2.

?

4 4

: 1 2 3 D Dm Dm 3 2 2

1 2 3 F Dm Dm 5 2 2

1 2 3 D Dm Dm 3 2 2

1 2 3 F Dm Dm 5 2 2

Reading: Alternating Basses G#

E

EM Em

E7

Eo

C#

A

AM Am

A7

Ao

F#

D

DM Dm D7

Do

B

G

GM Gm G7

Go

E

C

CM Cm

C7

Co

A

F

FM Fm

F7

Fo

Any BASS note may be used ALTERNATELY with the BASS just ABOVE it, while the CHORD remains the SAME. This style of playing is called “ALTERNATING BASS”.

Chord Bass

D

Bb BbM Bbm Bb7 Bbo

G

Eb EbM Ebm Eb7 Ebo

C

M

4

4

C and G Basses used alternately (every other time).

C Major Chord remains the same.

The Alternating Bass of any Bass is the Next Bass Button Above it. The Alternating Bass of C is G. The Alternating Bass of G is D, etc. Write the name of the BASS in the square above each bass note.

t t

4 4

G# C# F# B E A D

E A D G C F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

Eo Ao Do Go Co Fo Bbo

Playing the Bass

Major Chord (if C Major) Em

EM G# C# F# B E A D

E A D G C F

Am

AM

Dm

DM

Gm

GM

Cm

CM FM BbM

Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

Eo Ao Do Go Co

EM G# C# F#

Fo

B

Bbo

E A D

Bb

E A D G C 4 F

E

G#

A

C# F#

D

B

G

E

C

A

F

D

Bb

E7 EM Em A7 AM Am D7 DM Dm G7 GM Gm C7 CM Cm F7 FM Fm Bb7 BbM Bbm

GM

Ao

G#

Do

C#

Go

F#

Co

B

Fo

E

Bbo

A D

CM 3

Fm Bbm

Bb

G#

E

C#

A

F#

D

B

G

E

C

A

F

D

Bb

E7 EM Em A7 AM Am D7 DM Dm G7 GM Gm C7 CM Cm F7 FM Fm Bb7 BbM Bbm

E A

Ao

G#

Do

C#

Go

F#

Co

B

Fo

E

Bbo

A D

D G C 4 F

G#

E

C#

A

F#

D

B

G

E

C

A

F

D

Bb

E7 EM Em A7 AM Am D7 DM Dm G7 GM Gm C7 CM Cm F7 FM Fm Bb7 BbM Bbm

Ao

G#

Do

C#

Go

F#

Co Fo Bbo

B E A D

D7

Dm

G7

Gm

C7

Cm 2

CM

F7

Fm

FM BbM

Co Fo Bbo

Bbm

Bb7

G# C# F# B E A D

E A D G C 1 F Bb

A7

EM Am AM Dm D7 DM Gm G7 C7 GM Cm 2 Fm F7 CM Bb7 FM Bbm

Do Go Co Fo Bbo

G# C# F# B E A

Fingering

D

E A D G C 1 F Bb

Ao Do Go Co Fo Bbo

Order (if any Major) Beat>> 4/4 >> 3/4 >> 2/4 >>

pattern 1,2,2,2 1,2,2 1,2

BbM

Eo Ao

Eo

E7

Em

EM

A7

Am

AM

D7

Dm

DM

G7

Gm

GM

C7

Cm 2

CM

F7

Fm

FM BbM

Bbm

Bb7

Eo Ao Do Go Co Fo Bbo

Order (if any Minor) Beat>> 4/4 >> 3/4 >> 2/4 >>

pattern 1,2,2,2 1,2,2 1,2

(if any Minor)

E A D G C 4 F

AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Bb

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 2 F7 Bb7

Eo Ao Do Go Co Fo Bbo

Fingering

G# C# F# B E A D

E A D G C 1 F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 2 F7 Bb7

Eo Ao Do Go Co Fo Bbo

Order (if any 7th) Beat>> 4/4 >> 3/4 >> 2/4 >>

pattern 1,2,2,2 1,2,2 1,2

(if any 7th)

EM

Eo

A7

Am

GM

Bb

E7

Em

DM

Diminished Chord (if Co)

Bb7

Go

Fingering

AM

EM

Eo

F7

Do

E7

Em

Ao

(if any Major)

7th Chord (if C 7th)

C7

Cm

EM

Eo

G7

Gm

Minor Chord (if C Minor)

D7

Dm

DM

BbM

A7

Am

AM

FM

E7

Em

Eo

E A D G C 4 F Bb

AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

Eo Ao Do Go C2o Fo Bbo

Fingering (if any dim.)

G# C# F# B E A D

E A D G C 1 F Bb

EM AM DM GM CM FM BbM

Em Am Dm Gm Cm Fm Bbm

E7 A7 D7 G7 C7 F7 Bb7

Eo Ao Do Go C2o Fo Bbo

Order (if any dim.) Beat>> 4/4 >> 3/4 >> 2/4 >>

pattern 1,2,2,2 1,2,2 1,2

Playing the Bass Fingering

>>>> >>>>

Order

JAZZ RUN

4/4 beat 1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2 (REPEAT)

(in Key of C)

Fingering

Order

2/4 beat 1,2,3,2 (REPEAT)

(in Key of C)

Fingering

Major Scale

>>>> >>>>

Order

(in Key of C)

4/4 beat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,1 (REPEAT)

(in Key of C)

Fingering

4 steps Run

Order

(in Key of C)

::::

2/4 beat 1,2,3,4 (REPEAT)

(Starting with C)

Fingering

(Starting with C)

(in Key of C)

:. < :. <

Cowboy Run

8 steps Run

(in Key of C)

Order(in

Key of C)

:::: :::: 4/4 beat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 (REPEAT)

Playing the Bass

Playing the Bass

Fingering

Order

(in Key of C)

::::

2/4 beat 1,2,3,4,5, (shift) 6,7,8,9,10 (shift) 11,12,1 (Move to F. Repeat Pattern. Move to Bb. Repeat Pattern. Stop on C. )

1/2 step Run Down (Starting with C)

Fingering

Order

(in Key of C)

::::

1/2 step Run Up (Starting with C)

2/4 beat 1,2,3,4,5, (shift) 6,7,8,9,10 (shift) 11,12,1 (Move to F. Repeat Pattern. Move to Bb. Repeat Pattern. Stop on C. )

Scale Techniques on the Accordion

Major and Minor Scales SCALES A scale is a stepwise arrangement of notes/pitches contained within an octave. Major and minor scales contain seven notes or scale degrees. A scale degree is designated by an Arabic numeral with a cap (^) which indicate the position of the note within the scale.

SCALE DEGREE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

NAME tonic / keynote supertonic mediant subdominant dominant submediant leading tone

Fingering

Major Scale (in Key of C)

SOLFEGE do re mi fa sol la ti

>>>> >>>>

Order

(in Key of C)

4/4 beat 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,1 (REPEAT)

Major and Minor Scales A scale is a sequence of rising or falling notes. Two of the most used scales in western music are the major and minor scales. The major scale is the diatonic sequence (changing by one note name at a time) with the following ordering of tone and semitone intervals: T, T, S, T, T, T, S. For example the scale of C major consists of the notes C D E F G A B C. There are two types of the minor scale, the harmonic and melodic - the latter using different intervals for rising and falling note sequences. For example the scale of A minor harmonic consists of the notes A B C D E F G# A. The melodic form of A minor differs in each direction: A B C D E F# G# A G F E D C B A. Notice that the descending form of A minor melodic uses the same notes as the scale of C major. This is true for all descending melodic minor scales whose keynote is the 6th note of a major scale. Because of this, the minor scale is called the relative minor. To see which notes make up any scale, choose the keynote (tonic) from the choices offered below, you can also choose whether the relative minor scale is shown. Scales are important since most notes in a section of music will come from one scale - the music is said to be in a given Key. So a passage in the key of Eb major will use notes mainly from the scale of Eb major. Some forms of music, for example Jazz and Blues, use other scales. The same can be said of much non-Western music. Now that you understand scales you can move on to intervals.

The Major Scales A Major Scale is a series a EIGHT notes in ALPHABETICAL ORDER. A scale that has half steps (H) between scale degrees 34 and 7-8 and whole steps between all other pairs of notes.

TONIC

2ND MAJOR TETRACHORD

1ST MAJOR TETRACHORD

E

D

C

A

G

B

1

1

1/2

1 1/2

1

2

3

C

F

1 1

TONIC

5

8

7

6

4

A tetrachord is a group of four notes in a scale. There are two tetrachords in the major scale, each with the same order half- and whole-steps (W-W-H). Therefore, a tetrachord consisting of WW-H can be the top tetrachord or the bottom tetrachord of a major scale. The two tetrachords for the C major scale are : (major tetrachord) C - D - E - F G - A - B - C (major tetrachord).

1

E

D

C

B

A

WHOLE WHOLE HALF STEP STEP STEP

G

F

E

D

C

B

A

G

F

WHOLE WHOLE HALF STEP STEP STEP

The MAJOR SCALE A MAJOR SCALE may be build starting on ANY of the 12 NOTES, black or white.

C major scale - Key signature : no sharps no flats. C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C G major scale - Key signature : 1 sharp. G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G D major scale - Key signature : 2 sharps. D - E - F# - G - A - B - C# - D A major scale - Key signature : 3 sharps. A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A E major scale - Key signature : 4 sharps. E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D# - E B major scale - Key signature : 5 sharps. B - C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A# - B Gb major scale - Key signature : 6 flats. Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb (= B) - Db - Eb - F - Gb Db major scale - Key signature : 5 flats. Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C - Db Ab major scale - Key signature : 4 flats. Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - G - Ab Eb major scale - Key signature : 3 flats. Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C - D - Eb Bb major scale - Key signature : 2 flats. Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G - A - Bb F major scale - Key signature : 1 flat. F - G - A - Bb - C - D - E - F

The Natural Minor Scales You can think of the natural minor scale as the 6th degree to the 6th degree of a major scale. As with the major scale, each note has name/solfege syllable. The names/solfege syllables of the third, sixth and seventh degrees are different from major.

SCALE DEGREE

NAME

SOLFEGE

1 2

tonic/keynote supertonic

do re

3

mediant

me

4 5

subdominant dominant

fa sol

6

submediant

le

7

subtonic

te

The Natural Minor Scale There are 3 forms of minor scales: natural, harmonic and melodic. A Natural Minor scale is a scale that contains half-steps between 2-3 and 5-6 scale degrees (the natural form). A harmonic minor scale consists of 7 different notes. The intervals from note to note are : tone - semitone - tone tone - semitone - tone - tone The scale can also be described as two tetrachords separated by one whole tone. • one minor tetrachord : tone - semitone - tone • one cool tetrachord : semitone - tone - tone The two tetrachords for the C harmonic minor scale are : (minor tetrachord) C - D - Eb - F G - Ab - Bb - C (cool tetrachord)

3

B

6

7

C

5

4

WHOLE WHOLE STEP STEP

A

G

HALF STEP

F

E

D

C C 2

1

WHOLE STEP

HALF STEP

WHOLE STEP

(1)

1 2ND COOL TETRACHORD

1ST MINOR TETRACHORD

G Ab Bb C

C D Eb F 1

1 1 TONIC 1

1/2

1/2 2

b3

4

5

1

1 b6

7

TONIC 1

The Natural Minor Scale A Natural Minor SCALE may be build starting on ANY of the 12 NOTES, black or white.

C natural minor scale - Key signature: 3 flats C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C G natural minor scale - Key signature: 2 flats G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G D natural minor scale - Key signature: 1 flat D - E - F - G - A - Bb - C - D A natural minor scale - Key signature: no sharps no flats A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A E natural minor scale - Key signature: 1 sharps E - F# - G - A - B - C - D - E B natural minor scale - Key signature: 2 sharps B - C# - D - E - F# - G - A - B Gb natural minor scale - Key signature: 3 sharps F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E - F# Db natural minor scale - Key signature: 4 sharps C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - B - C# Ab natural minor scale - Key signature: 5 sharps G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E - F# - G# Eb natural minor scale - Key signature: 6 flats Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb (= B) - Db - Eb Bb natural minor scale - Key signature: 5 flats Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb F natural minor scale - Key signature: 4 flats F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F

The Harmonic Minor Scales It can be thought of as a natural minor scale with a raised 7 scale degree. The 7th scale degree is raised to have a leading tone in the key; makes V-i sound as we expect. It is called the harmonic minor sclae since the seventh scale degree is changed to make the harmony i-V-i sound correct. 7th scale degree is called leading tone (ti) -- just as in the major scale.

SCALE DEGREE

NAME

SOLFEGE

1

tonic / keynote

do

2

supertonic

re

3

mediant

me

4

subdominant

fa

5

dominant

sol

6

submediant

le

7

leading tone

ti

The Harmonic Minor Scales A harmonic minor scale consists of 7 different notes. The intervals from note to note are: tone - semitone - tone - tone - semitone - tone and a half - semitone The scale can also be described as two tetrachords separated by one whole tone. •one minor tetrachord : tone - semitone - tone •one gypsy tetrachord : semitone - tone and a half - semitone The two tetrachords for the C harmonic minor scale are : (minor tetrachord) C - D - Eb - F G - Ab - B - C (gypsy tetrachord) A harmonic minor scale is a form of a minor scale with half steps between 2-3, 5-6 and 7-8. Its unique interval is that between 6-7 -- the whole plus half step (or augmented 2nd).

1

5

4

HALF STEP

6

B

A

1 1/2 STEP

7

C

3

G

2

HALF STEP

F

E

D

C C

WHOLE HALF WHOLE STEP STEP STEP

(1)

1 2ND GYPSY TETRACHORD

1ST MINOR TETRACHORD

G Ab B C

C D Eb F 1 TONIC 1

1

1 1/2 2

3b

4

1/2 5

1/2

1 1/2 6b

7

TONIC 1

The Harmonic Minor Scale Here a list of the major scale in all 12 keys : C harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 3 flats (Bb cancelled). C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - B - C G harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 2 flats (F raised). G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F# - G D harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 1 flat (C raised). D - E - F - G - A - Bb - C# - D A harmonic minor scale - Key signature: No flats or sharps (G raised) A - B - C - D - E - F - G# - A E harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 1 sharp (D raised). E - F# - G - A - B - C - D# - E B harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 2 sharps (A raised). B - C# - D - E - F# - G - A# - B F# harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 3 sharps (E raised). F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E# - F# C# harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 4 sharps (B raised). C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - B# - C# G# harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 5 sharps (F# raised). G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E - G (F##) - G# Eb harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 6 flats (Db raised). Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb - D - Eb Bb harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 5 flats (Ab raised) Bb - C - Db - Eb - Fb (E) - Gb - A - Bb F harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 4 flats (Eb raised) F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - E - F

The Melodic Minor Scale Its bottom tetrachord is the same as that from the natural minor scale, and the top tetrachord is the same as that from the major scale. It can be thought of as harmonic minor with a raised 6th. The 6th scale degree is raised to alleviate the W+H step interval between 67 in harmonic minor. The 6th scale degree is the submediant (la); the 7th scale degree is the leading tone (ti).

SCALE DEGREE 1

NAME tonic / keynote

SOLFEGE do

2

supertonic

re

3

mediant

me

4 5

subdominant dominant

fa sol

6

submediant

la

7

leading tone

ti

Therefore, when you play the pentatonic major and minor scales, you are playing the same pattern with a different root. However, this doesn't work for all minor scales. Since the pentatonic minor scale has the same pattern of whole and 1½ steps as pentatonic major, and the natural minor scale has the same pattern of whole and 1½ steps as the major scale, then these scales have repeating pattern as shown above. Unfortunately, the harmonic minor and the melodic minor scales do not have the same pattern of whole and 1½ steps as the major scale, and therefore do not have repetitive patterns. But since some of the scales do have repetitive patterns, your workload just shrank! I will be sure to mention when a certain minor mode has an analog in a major scale, so look for that on the mode pages. Good luck!

The Melodic Minor Scale A melodic minor scale has 2 forms: ascending and descending. This type of minor scale is called "melodic" because is it easier to sing; there is no augmented 2nd interval. The ascending form has half steps between 2-3 and 7-8. A harmonic minor scale consists of 7 different notes. The intervals from note to note are : tone - semitone - tone tone - semitone - tone - tone The scale can also be described as two tetrachords separated by one whole tone. • one minor tetrachord : tone - semitone - tone • one major tetrachord : tone - tone - semitone The two tetrachords for the C harmonic minor scale are : (minor tetrachord) C - D - Eb - F G - A - B - C (major tetrachord)

3

HALF STEP

B

6

7

C

5

4

WHOLE WHOLE STEP STEP

A

G

F

D

C C 2

1

WHOLE STEP

E

HALF STEP

WHOLE STEP

(1)

1 2ND COOL TETRACHORD

1ST MINOR TETRACHORD

G A B C

C D Eb F 1

1 1 TONIC 1

1

1/2 2

b3

4

5

1/2

1 6

7

TONIC 1

The Melodic Minor Scale Here a list of the major scale in all 12 keys : C melodic minor scale - Key signature: 3 flats (Bb cancelled). C - D - Eb - F - G - A - B - C G melodic minor scale - Key signature: 2 flats (F raised). G - A - Bb - C - D - E - F# - G D harmonic minor scale - Key signature: 1 flat (C raised). D - E - F - G - A - Bb - C# - D A melodic minor scale - Key signature: No flats or sharps (G raised) A - B - C - D - E - F - G# - A E melodic minor scale - Key signature: 1 sharp (D raised). E - F# - G - A - B - C - D# - E B melodic minor scale - Key signature: 2 sharps (A raised). B - C# - D - E - F# - G - A# - B F# melodic minor scale - Key signature: 3 sharps (E raised). F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E# - F# C# melodic minor scale - Key signature: 4 sharps (B raised). C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - B# - C# G# melodic minor scale - Key signature: 5 sharps (F# raised). G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E - G (F##) - G# Eb melodic minor scale - Key signature: 6 flats (Db raised). Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb - D - Eb Bb melodic minor scale - Key signature: 5 flats (Ab raised) Bb - C - Db - Eb - Fb (E) - Gb - A - Bb F melodic minor scale - Key signature: 4 flats (Eb raised) F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - E - F

The Melodic Minor Scale The descending form: has half steps between 2-3, 5-6 (the same as the natural minor scale) The 6th scale degree is the submediant (le); the 7th scale degree is subtonic (te).

SCALE DEGREE

NAME

SOLFEGE

1

tonic / keynote

do

2 3

supertonic mediant

re me

4

subdominant

fa

5

dominant

sol

6

submediant

le

7

subtonic

te

SCALE RELATIONSHIPS Major and minor scales may be relative or parallel. Relative major and minor scales share the same key signature but start on different notes. (e.g., C major and a minor) Parallel major and minor scales have the same starting note but different key signatures. (e.g., C major and c minor)

Intervals As mentioned above, the difference between notes is called an interval. It is important to understand intervals before learning how to build chords which are combinations of notes. The intervals between the keynote of the major scale and each successive note are denoted the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and octave. The following list gives the technical names for all the common intervals along with an example.

Common intervals Unisons Unison: C-C Seconds Minor 2nd: C-Db Major 2nd: C-D Augmented 2nd: C-D# Thirds Diminished 3rd: C#-Eb Minor 3rd: C-Eb Major 3rd: C-E Augmented 3rd: C-E# Fourths Diminished 4th: C-Fb Perfect 4th: C-F Augmented 4th: C-F#

Fifths Diminished 5th: C-Gb Perfect 5th: C-G Augmented 5th: C-G# Sixths Minor 6th: C-Ab Major 6th: C-A Augmented 6th: C-A# Sevenths Minor 7th: C-Bb Major 7th: C-B Octaves Perfect 8ve: C-C

I have included some fairly unusual intervals but this is by no means a complete list. Once past an octave we are into the realm of compound intervals. The naming is quite obvious, for example a major 9th is an octave plus a major 2nd. Now that you understand intervals you can move on to chords.