Chapter 3
The Structures
of Music
Tonality and
Modality
Key Terms
Tonality
Tonal music
Tonic
Modality
Modes
Major mode
Minor mode
Chromatic scale
Keys
Modulation
Tonality
Musical center of gravity
Feeling of a “home” pitch around which
other notes are arranged
A nearly universal phenomenon, found in
music around the world
Atonality = the absence of tonality
• Creates a wandering, unsettled quality
• Used in some more contemporary styles
Tonality
Tonic pitch:
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•
•
•
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“Home” pitch
First note of a scale
do in the do re mi fa sol la ti do scale
The most stable, fundamental pitch of a scale
The “at rest” note on which tonal melodies
nearly always end
In relation to tonic, other note of a scale
may sound:
• Close or remote, dissonant or consonant, or as
if they “lead” toward tonic
Tonality
Cadences and tonality
Composers can create tension by moving away
from tonic; resolution by returning
In the strongest cadences (authentic):
• Melody ends on tonic
• Accompanying chord progression ends on the tonic
chord
In weaker cadences (half):
• Melody ends on other scale steps, often scale step 2
• Chord progression ends on some other chord, often the
one built on scale step 5
Modality
Major and minor scales
Many musical traditions use multiple
scales, more than a hundred in some
countries
Most Western music uses only two scale
types: major mode and minor mode
do re mi fa sol la ti do is a major scale
Minor scale uses same pitches, but with la
as tonic, not do
Modality
Major vs. Minor
Major and minor scales use different patterns of
whole steps and half steps
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•
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Major scale begins with two half steps
Minor scale begins with a whole step and a half step
Major scale ends with a half step
Minor scale ends with a whole step
Scale steps 3, 6, and 7 are a half step lower in
minor mode
Major scales tend to sound brighter
Minor scales tend to sound darker (sadder?)
Major vs. Minor
Major vs. Minor
Keys
Major or minor scales can begin on any
note on the keyboard
• Every key is named for its tonic pitch
• Thus we can have the key of F Major (major
scale beginning on F) or the key of C-sharp
minor (minor scale beginning on C-sharp)
Scales in any key must follow these rules:
• Every letter name must be used once
• The correct pattern of whole steps and half
steps must be observed
 Sharps or flats are used to adjust scale steps
Keys
Since there are twelve
notes in the chromatic
scale, it is possible to
construct twelve
major keys and twelve
minor keys
Modulation
Major and minor keys create a strong pull
toward tonic
Composers can disrupt that pull by
modulating, changing to a different key
Modulation not only changes to a new key,
it creates a new tonal center!
Modulation can be used to create:
• Mystery, excitement, disorientation, variety,
and so on
Tonality Listening
Things to listen for:
Tonality or atonality?
Authentic cadence or half cadence?
Major or minor mode?
Does it modulate?