Area of Study 02:

Harmony and Tonality

AQA GCSE Music

Areas of Study
AoS 01: Rhythm and Metre
AoS 02: Harmony and Tonality

A0S 03: Texture and Melody

AoS 04: Dynamics and Timbre

AoS 05: Structure and Form

Tonality The Key

This means, the key of the music. The piece
will be built from the notes of a particular
scale
There are different types of Tonality; over the
next few slides we will explore the different
types.

Recap
What is a Scale?
Scale a group of notes (a pattern of notes)
played in ascending or descending order
The notes and pattern of a scale that a piece
uses is also the Key

Major
A piece could be built on a Major scale/key
Happy/uplifting sound
Whatever note they start on, all major scales
sound similar, because they follow the same
pattern.
T = Tone
S = Semi-Tone
C Major

Pattern

Minor
A piece could be built on a Minor scale/key
Often Sounds more sad/mournful/serious
Different to Major because of the pattern

A Minor
A
Pattern

B
T

C
S

D
T

E
T

F
S

A
T

Major and Minor

Examples
Track 01

Major Example Rondo in

D Major, by Mozart
Notice how bright and
happy/positive the piece
sounds straight from the
start

Track 02

Minor Example Oboe

Concerto No. 3 in G Minor, by
Handel
Notice how much this differs
from the Major Example.
Not so bright and happy
Possible to suggest sad,
darker, mournful?!

Pentatonic Scale
A piece that is built on 5 Notes
Used in world music, folk music and rock
music
2 types Major and Minor Pentatonic
A common Pentatonic scale is one that uses
just the Black Keys on the piano
Check out the video on the next
slide.Howard Goodall Explains it all,
with some great examples

Video 01 in Folder

Whole Tone
This is a scale that just uses just Tones
Sounds mysterious

C
Pattern

E
T

F#
T

G#
T

A#
T

C
T

Video 02 in Folder

Debussy - Piece of Music

using a Whole Tone Scale

Chromatic Scale
This is when a scale is just made up of Semitones (s)
All white and black notes are used to make
this scale
You may sometimes describe part of a melody
as being chromatic

C#

D#

Etc..
Track 03

Tonal
Definition:
A piece of music is described as Tonal if it has a
sense of key..in other words, if it is a major or
minor piece it is Tonal.

Atonal
A piece of music with no sense of fixed
tonality/key. May sound rather random.

Example of what
Atonal music my
sound like

Modal (Modes)
Modes existed before Major and Minor scales
were established
Like Major and Minor, modes are just scales
with different patterns of notes (T and S)
There are 7 different modes, all with a
different sounds (you dont need to know
their names)

Modes Continued
Check out the Video on the next slide. This
gives you a very good insight to what modes
sound like. The video also describes when
they were originally used.

Modulation
This is when music changes key/tonality
For example if the piece is in the key of C major
you could modulate (change key) to the key of G
major or A minor... Its a good way of developing
a piece of music.
Example Look at the video on the next slide.
This is a Top 20 Key Changes in pop music.
Listen to each of the examples and notice how
there is a change in the tone (key to a another
key) usually happens for the last chorus of the
song.

Modulation cont
In a listening exam, you may be asked to
describe the tonality of the piece you are
listening too.
If so, there is a chance the piece could Change
Key (Modulate). Make sure you listen out for
this
especially in some pop music i.e. theatre, pop and
rock etc.

Harmony
Harmony occurs when two or more notes
of different pitch are sounded together
When we think of harmony we usually
mean the notes that accompany a
melody.
It has the power to make a melody richer
and more emotional.

Consonance
When you listen to a piece of music, you may
think the harmony is pleasant and nice.
This harmony can be described as being
Consonant.

Dissonance
When you listen to a piece of music, you may
think the harmony uncomfortable and clashes
a lot, or even painful to listen too.
This harmony can be described as being
dissonant.
Often used to create suspense or tension.
Discord Harsh, dissonant combination of
notes

Close Harmony
This is where the notes are close together
within the separate parts e.g. Barber shop
singing

Drone
This type of harmony is played in the bass.
Can be one note, but is often two notes
played at the same time usually a 5th apart
(e.g. C and G)
The notes are sustained (held) or repeated
while the melody plays over the top.
Used in folk, medieval and dance music.
Used in Indian Classical Music this is the role
of the Tambura!

Use of a Drone in this example. Played by

the bagpipes, it holds a long bass note
throughout the piece aka the Drone