SNCA:Music theory

Note: This guide will only teach you simple concepts and how to write music on keyboards and DAWs!

How to begin, you may ask? First, download your DAW (digital audio workstation) of choice. I recommend LMMS because I'm poor or something.

Secondly, add instruments, press the "My Presets" icon and look for the ZynAddSubFx option and pick your piano of choice.

Now let's start making music.

The Scales

A scale is the relationship of Key tonics of its neighboring notes.

Don't forget that scales are different from keys. The keys are the note origin, while the scales are the pattern.

How to build? Use the pattern below:

• W for whole step or 2 semitones.

• H for half step or 1 semitone.

• T for tonic or origin.

• Major scale: T W W H W W W H

• Dorian scale: T W H W W W H W

• Phrygian scale: T H W W W H W W

• Lydian scale: T W W W H W W H

• Mixolydian scale: T W W H W W H W

• A Minor scale: T W H W W H W W
• Locrian scale: T H W W H W W W

The Circle of fifths

Circle of fifths in relation to keys.

Circle of Fifths, what is it? The circle of fifths is a concept where you find the scale and key of your composition. It's made by stacking fifth notes from the octave by 8 semitones apart.

This teaches you how to travel in different keys.

(You) and I could make a melody that starts in the key of C major to the key of C minor or in the key of A minor to the key of Eb major.

Ex: C - F - Emin - Amin - F - Bb - Ddim - Eb

The chord progression as a wave file. Instrument called FM synth1 in AddSubFx

_{Recommendation: You should use diminished chords to anchor the song to another key. ex. Ddim to Eb to establish the key of Eb major further, Bdim to Cmaj to establish the key of C major further.}

Chord progression: Syntax and scales

Roman numerals are used to identify chords.

The first letters are the tonic chord. Now look at this, you can see how you can apply the wheel of fifths on the scales by identifying where the diminishing chord and major key are at.

Uppercase letters are major chords, lowercase letters are minor chords, add the postfix 'o' (or °) to make it diminished.

Major scale: I - ii - iii - IV - V - vi - vii°

Minor scale: i - iio - bIII - iv - v - bVI - bVII

Emotional Model

Fig.1 shows the scale from the brightest scale to the darkest and depressive scale. Also added to the diagram shows what accidentals use ie. # sharps and b flats.

Fig.2 shows a simplistic emotional map of chords.

The scales fig.1

The emotional Map fig.2