[alexpea]

*Reading like a horse*

 

[nick_charles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexpea /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi I got this task at school were we are supposed to name chords and such. It's not a big deal for those who know how to read sheet music, but I have only worked with midi and production before. Never notation in this way. Please help, it has to be finished by tomorrow! Here's the link to the pdf-file: YouSendIt - Send large files - transfer delivery - FTP Replacement Convertion of the text inside the pdf: A) Write the notes that are supposed to form the chord mentioned below the lines. (as shown in the first example) B) Write the intervals, as shown in the first example. Also name the chord, like the first is named Cmaj7.

So you want us to do your assignment for you ? - why not tell your teacher you cannot read sheet music or look it up on the web.

It took me precisely 10 seconds to find a suitable site that explained how to read sheet music. Though your exampes do look quite involved - good luck !

 

[alexpea]

Hehe, well he knows that many of us are totally blank on the field. I study music technology, and to me this lecture is the hardest one! Though several students are very good at it, mainly because of a background with playing an instrument. I play the piano quite well, but I never play from sheet music. Just improvising.

Well, I understand if it's a bit much to ask. I got a book on sheet music yesterday and I'm going to study hard on it. But it's just not enough time until tomorrow to manage...

 

[Uncle Erik]

You should learn to read music, especially if you play an instrument. I learned when I was nine, it isn't that difficult.

 

[alexpea]

Well, I guess I don't have a choice. I just can't seem to accept the fact that sheet music is more complex than it could be. I'm going to construct a whole new way of reading music instead of these circles on bar-lines

It shure isn't easy to learn all this stuff when everything is brand new and unheard of... But I will. I will!

 

[Tridacnid]

Good luck! It really isn't hard once you've done one or two.

Just to clarify: I'm pretty sure only Germany uses the "H" note, as seen in chord three. Isn't that a B?

Best of luck. Keep us updated.

 

[alexpea]

B and H. Same thing really. We use both here in Norway. What I don't understand is which note #B is? Isn't that a C really?

 

[PFKMan23]

yes, B# and C are the same note, as are C flat and B.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

The hell? There's an "H" key?

 

[krmathis]

No, not anymore!
I used to be able to read sheet music, but totally forgotten how. Its been 20+ years...

 

[Pio2001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFKMan23 /img/forum/go_quote.gif yes, B# and C are the same note, as are C flat and B.

That's the definition in modern occidental music. All half-steps are equal to one twelvth of an octave.

This is mandatory when playing with instruments that have fixed notes (most of wind intruments, except slide trombone, all keyboards, guitar etc). But sometimes, violonists like to distiguish between the two. They divide the step into 9 equal commas, and state that one half step is 4 commas (instead of 4.5).

It makes B# slightly lower than C, and B slightly lower than Cb.

 

[Seamless Sounds]

Go to musictheory.net It's a very good site for beginners. I'm an arranger so this stuff is easy for me.

Before doing chords and what not, you need to master the scales first. Know where A,B(H),C,D,E,F, and G are. Go to the website, click on the Lessons drop-down menu, and read "steps and accidentals", "major scales", intervals and its sublessons, introduction to chords and its sublessons, and 7th chords and its sublessons. This is all you will be needing for this assignment.

If you take a look at the first measure, "Cm7" tells you to play a C minor chord with an added 7th note. A very simple chord has odd numbered intervals. C is the root so just fill in the rest above it to get C,E,G,B. C is #1, E is #3, G is #5, and B (or H) is #7. That's where the 7 came from, B is #7.

C is all the way at the bottom of the chord and is called the "root". E is a third away from C and this governs whether or not it will be "m" (min or minor) or "M" (maj or major). any numbers tacked on towards the end tells you to add that interval.

Now for those accidentals. Read "steps and accidentals" to get a better understanding of what they are. The interval or distance from C to E needs to be a "minor third" in order to make it a Cmin chord as opposed to a Cmaj chord ("major third"). Read "Specific intervals." It takes 3 half steps for a "minor third" (4 steps for a major third). From C to G is 7 half steps, which is a perfect fifth. Go to your piano and count.

For the 7th scale degree when it says "min or m" that would be 10 half steps up. When it says "maj or M" that would be 11 half steps up. Yes I know lots of counting...

Do NOT confuse Cmaj7 with C7. I'll do the next example for you in bar 2. G is the root so play G on your piano. Next play a major third, which is H (major third is 4 half steps). Then play a perfect fifth which is D (7 half steps). Now you have G,B,D. Now add the 7th interval which is F. F what? natural, flat, or sharp? To make it simple play G an octave higher, then lower it one half step. This is Gmaj7 (G,B,D,F#). Lower it another half step, which is now G7 (G,B,D,F). "A" is "9" intervals away from G. However it says b9 so this tells you to flat the A. The answer is G,B,D,F,Ab written from bottom to top.



Part B might be a little tricky for you.

The C with a triangle means it will be the bottom most note followed by what chord it is. For us we write it as Cmaj7/C. You have to move the notes around until you form a stacked chord.

In the first example you have C, G, B, E. If you stack and reorder them then you should get C,E,G,B, which is exactly the same above. The number besides them are intervals. Sorry I don't know what the "s" means

If you're lazy you can use this Pocket Piano Chord Name Finder to analyze the chords. In problem 3 that would be Gbm9dim5 based on what the analyzer said. Basically a Gbm chord + a 9th interval + a diminished 5th (6 half steps away from Gb).