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MT101 – Basic Music Theory 1

Lesson Outcomes:

  1. The Source of Music
  2. Melody
  3. Harmony
  4. Rhythm
https://youtu.be/97NZ3v_Ejkk
Access Assignment for this lesson here

Introduction to Music


The Source of Music

Where did Music come from? The points below will help us identify the source of Music.

  1. Music Existed before Man

    Job 38:4,7
    4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
    7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
  2. God Sings

    Zephaniah 3:17
    17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
  3. Music Was Created by God

    Colossians 1:16
    16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
  4. God put music in His creation

    Ezekiel 28:13
    13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
  5. God is surrounded with Music

    Revelation 5:8-9
    8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
    9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
  6. Music is part of God’s Program

    Isaiah 51:3
    3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
  7. Every good gift including music comes from God.

    James 1:17
    17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
    From the scriptures above, we can deduce that Music originates from God .
    We however know that music like any other creation is perverted by Satan as shown below.

    Ephesians 2:2
    2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

    Memory Verse
    James 1:17
    17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

What is Music Theory?

Musical theory examines the basics of music. It also provides a system to interpret musical compositions.

Basic music theory defines the elements that form harmony, melody, and rhythm. It identifies compositional elements such as song form, chords, tempo, scales, notes, key signatures, intervals, etc.

Best to learn music fundamentals first before exploring advanced music theory. The building blocks that form musical compositions include:

  • Melody
  • Harmony
  • Rhythm

Melody

Melody is a succession of notes or voices arranged into a musical phrase.

Melodies can be created with instruments or vocals. They have two or more notes in a sequence that sound musically pleasing. Most compositions consist of multiple melodies that repeat.

The primary elements of Melody are Pitch and Rhythm

PITCHRYTHM
Pitch is the audio vibration produced by an instrument or voice.
The rate of vibration determines how high or low a note will sound.
Arranging these pitches in a series creates a melody.		Rhythm or duration is the length each pitch will sound.
These durations are divided into beat divisions like whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, triplets, etc.

Harmony

Basically, harmony is what occurs when more than one note is played or sung at the same time.

Example 1 – Chords

A chord has three or more notes that play at the same time.

Chords in a piece of music support or complement the melody.

Rhythm

  1. A recurring movement of notes and rests (silences) in time.
  2. The human perception of time.
  3. A pattern of strong and weak notes or voices that repeat throughout a song.

Basic Elements of Rhythm

  • Beat: A repeating pulse that underlies a musical pattern
  • Meter: A specific pattern of strong and weak pulses
  • Time Signature: The number of beats per measure
  • Tempo: Indicates how fast or slow a piece of music plays
  • Strong and Weak Beats: Strong beats are the downbeats, and weak beats are the offbeats between the downbeats
  • Syncopation: Rhythms that accent or emphasize the offbeats
  • Accents: Refers to the intensity or emphasis placed on notes.

Conclusion on Rhythm

Understanding rhythm will help you create great harmonies and melodies.