the whole step · pdf filemartin gureasko unlike the half step, which creates tension or...

4
Martin Gureasko nakedkeyboardist.com The Whole Step SQUARE TWO: The Whole Step Review: A half step (also called a semitone) is the smallest musical interval used in Western music. An interval is the distance between two tones. A whole step is comprised of two half steps. Going back to the piano keyboard, a whole step is the distance between two keys with only one key in between them. Theory - Building Blocks - Whole Steps

Upload: ngokhuong

Post on 08-Feb-2018

219 views

Category:

Documents


2 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: The Whole Step · PDF fileMartin Gureasko   Unlike the half step, which creates tension or dissonance, the whole step is pleasing and adds color. Let’s return to Nadia’s

MartinGureaskonakedkeyboardist.com

TheWholeStep

SQUARETWO:TheWholeStep

Review:Ahalfstep(alsocalledasemitone)isthesmallestmusicalintervalusedinWesternmusic.

Anintervalisthedistancebetweentwotones.

Awholestepiscomprisedoftwohalfsteps.

Goingbacktothepianokeyboard,awholestepisthedistancebetweentwokeyswithonlyonekeyinbetweenthem.

Theory - Building Blocks - Whole Steps

Page 2: The Whole Step · PDF fileMartin Gureasko   Unlike the half step, which creates tension or dissonance, the whole step is pleasing and adds color. Let’s return to Nadia’s

MartinGureaskonakedkeyboardist.com

So,let’slookatandlistentosomeexamplesofhowthewholestepsounds.

I’llstartwithathreenotemelody(usingthefirst3notesofascale).

Theory - Building Blocks - Whole Steps

Page 3: The Whole Step · PDF fileMartin Gureasko   Unlike the half step, which creates tension or dissonance, the whole step is pleasing and adds color. Let’s return to Nadia’s

MartinGureaskonakedkeyboardist.com

ThemelodyofMaryHadALittleLambiscomprisedofwholesteps.

IntheopeninglineofMaroon5’sSad,therearesomewholesteps,asshownintheexamplebelow.

Theory - Building Blocks - Whole Steps

Page 4: The Whole Step · PDF fileMartin Gureasko   Unlike the half step, which creates tension or dissonance, the whole step is pleasing and adds color. Let’s return to Nadia’s

MartinGureaskonakedkeyboardist.com

Unlikethehalfstep,whichcreatestensionordissonance,thewholestepispleasingandaddscolor.

Let’sreturntoNadia’sTheme,whichwelookedatinthelessononhalfsteps.

Theyellowhighlightsindicatethechordswithahalf-steptension,andtheviolethighlightsindicatethechordswithwholesteps.Noticethatthereisn’tnearlyasmuchtension.Infact,it’sanicewaytocolorachord.

Theory - Building Blocks - Whole Steps