Home


Instrument Range

Here are some orchestra instruments and their actual sounding pitch. There are quite a number of transposing instruments, namely the piccolo, clarinet, double bass, trumpets, horns, tuba, and many others. Transposing instruments are those that sound a different pitch from the written notes.

Modern trumpets and horns are sometimes muted by the insertion of a cone in the bell.

Timpani usually range from F2 to F3, one drum capable of being tuned to one pitch at a time.

Trombones are introduced during the classical times, a tenor trombone range from E2 to D5 and a bass trombone range from C#2 to G4.

Piccolos are from the flute family and sounds an octave higher than written.

A cor anglias or english horn is a transposing instrument a fifth lower than the oboe, yet a bigger version of a oboe. It sounds from E3 to G5.

Clarinets come in differents sizes and pitch, A, Bb, alto and bass clarinet. The bass clarinet sounds an octave lower, usually in Bb size. It is a transposing instrument a ninth below what is written, the actual pitchs range from C#2 to F5.

The double bassoon is also transposing instrument, written an octave higher of the sounding pitch. It range from Bb1 to G3.

Grade 6

Melodic Decorations

  1. Passing note - A non harmony note which is used 2 harmony notes a third apart. An unaccented passing note occurs on a weak beat. A chromatic passing note occurs between 2 notes of major second interval apart. If a passing note occurs in minor key, the melodic form of the scale must be used. An accented passing note occurs on the main beat.
  2. Auxiliary note - A non harmony note either 1-2 semitones above or below 2 same harmony notes.
  3. Appoggiatura - Similar to an accented passing note, it replaces the top note of the chord to create a dissonance, after which the actual note follows.
  4. Changing notes - Usually occurs in pairs a third apart, between 2 notes of the same pitch, or 2 harmony notes a third apart (move in the same direction of the harmony notes). May occur on its own a step away from either harmony notes before or after it.
  5. Note of anticipation - Note followed by the chord to which it belongs.
  6. Subsidiary harmony notes - Used between 2 notes that are far apart, and all the notes are in harmony.

Four Part Harmony

  • Doubling of notes
Chord Inversion

Key of Chord

Note to Double
Root Major I, V
Root Minor I, III
First Major I, V
First Minor I, III
Second Major V
Second Minor I
Root Augmented I
First Augmented III
First Diminished III
  • Intervals greater than an octave between soprano, alto and tenor should be avoided. But for the interval between tenor and bass, intervals greater than an octave is allowed.
  • Consecutive 5ths and octaves should be avoided when progressing betweem chords like IV to V.
  • Exposed 5ths and octaves also have to be avoided. This happens when the highest and lowest note forms a interaval of 5th or octave, in a four-part harmony.
  • Passing 2nd inversion can be used on weak beat between I and Ib or IV and IVb. For example, I - Vc - Ib or IV - Ic - IVb.
  • Cadential 2nd inversion is followed by a root position chord haing the same bass note. In 4/4 time, it appears in 1st or 3rd beat, for 3/4 time it appears on 2nd or 3rd beat. Eg. Ic - V - I or IIb - Ic - V - I.
  • Chords of the 7th for this grade are II7, II7b, V7, V7b, V7c, V7d.

Figured Bass

Type of Chord

Figured Bass

Root Position

5/3, 5, no figure

First Inversion

6/3, 6

Second Inversion

6/4

Root Position of 7th

7/5/3, 7/5 or 7

First Inversion of 7th

6/5/3, 6/5

Second Inversion of 7th

6/4/3, 4/3

Third Inversion of 7th

6/4/2, 4/2
  • Accidental before or after a figure - applies to that note.
  • Accidental with no figure - applies to the third of a root position.
  • Accidental under figure 6 - applies to the third in a 1st inversion.
  • Line under a group of bass notes - chord remains the same even if bass note change.
  • Short line under a note - note or notes of the chord before are held over the next chord.

Writing for Keyboard

  1. Harmonising melody
    • Chords that can be used for this grade is I, IV, V, II, III, VI, VII, II7, V7.
    • Perfect Cadence, V - I.
    • Imperfect Cadence, I - V, II - V, IV - V, VI - V.
    • Plagal Cadence, IV-V.
    • Interrupted Cadence, V-VI.
    • When using V7, always resolve the dissonant interval by following with a I or VI.
    • When melody notes are descending, choose chords with the bass note moving in similar motion.
  2. Melody writing
    • Sequence - repetition of the same melody at a different pitch.
    • Repetition - Exact repetition of notes and rhythm.
    • Imitation - imitating the rhythm but not the melody.
    • Inversion - invertng the rhythmic pattern.
    • Avoid big intervals and augmented intervals.
Binary Form is a form in 2 sections with the first section beginning in the tonic key and ends in a dominant or relative major(minor). The second section begins in the new key and returns to the original key.

Dances of the 18th century Classical Suite - Minuet, Allemande, Bourree, Gigue, Sarabande, Gavotte, Air, Waltz, and March.

Anacrusis - Melody starting on the up beat followed by the tonic note or the tonic chord.

Writing for Orchestral Instruments

  1. Strings: up bow, down bow, pizz., arco, con sordini, senza sordini, col legno(use the wood part of the bow).
  2. Refer to the instrument range diagram for further details.

Grade 7

To be continued...