Rise to the of classical guitar - Guitar classes for high school and college students

Author: Fang Zhining
Editor-in-Chief: Ye Lai / et al.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-08-01
Features:
Excerpt: Chapter on Music Theory Knowledge
Section on Tones and Intervals
1. Tones
Sound is a sensation formed when sound waves generated by the vibration of objects are transmitted to the auditory organs. In music, the sum of tones with fixed pitches is called the tonal system. The vibration state of sound waves can be regular or irregular, so sounds are divided into musical tones and noises. Musical tones are primarily used in music, but noises are also an indispensable part of musical expression. The tone we usually hear is often not a single tone but a combination of many tones, such as a complex tone. The tone produced by the full vibration of an object is called the fundamental tone, which is the part of the sound we usually hear most easily. The tone produced by the vibration of a certain part of the sound-producing object is called an overtone, which is often difficult to hear.
2. Range
Generally speaking, the range refers to the total scope of the tonal system, i.e., the distance between the lowest and highest tones. It is also known as the total range. The range that a person or an instrument can reach is a part of the total range. The range can be divided into registers: namely, the high register, the middle register, and the low register. The characteristic timbre of each register plays a significant role in musical expression. The high register generally has the characteristics of being bright, clear, and sharp, while the low register often gives a sense of being deep and heavy. Timbre is determined by the difference in the number and intensity of overtones. The nature, shape, and method of sound production all affect timbre. Timbre is a crucial factor in musical expression, and a solid understanding of timbre must be established during learning.
3. Equal Temperament
A semitone is the smallest pitch distance in equal temperament. The distance between two tones that equals two semitones is called a whole tone. An octave includes twelve semitones, which is also six whole tones. The system of dividing an octave into twelve equal parts (semitones) is called equal temperament. A semitone formed by two adjacent tones is called a natural semitone. Natural semitones can be composed of natural notes, altered notes, or a combination of natural and altered notes. A whole tone formed by two adjacent tones is called a natural whole tone. Like natural semitones, natural whole tones can be composed of natural notes, altered notes, or a combination of natural and altered notes. A semitone formed by two different forms of the same pitch level is called an altered semitone. Altered semitones can be composed of natural and altered notes or formed solely by altered notes. A whole tone formed by two different forms of the same pitch level or separated by one pitch level is called an altered whole tone. Altered whole tones can be composed of natural and altered notes or formed solely by altered notes. Natural semitones and altered semitones, as well as natural whole tones and altered whole tones, are semitones and whole tones with completely different properties and should not be confused.
Section on Musical Notation
1. Staff and Clefs
(1) Staff
The staff consists of five parallel lines of equal distance. The names of the lines, from bottom to top, are line 1, line 2, line 3, line 4, and line 5. The spaces between the lines are called "spaces," and their names, from bottom to top, are space 1, space 2, space 3, and space 4, as shown in the figure below. Each line and space represents a specific pitch. When more pitches are needed, short lines can be added above and below the staff to assist in notation. The names of the upper and lower ledger lines and spaces are calculated from bottom to top and from top to bottom, respectively.
(2) Clefs
At the beginning of the staff, there is a symbol that indicates the actual pitch of each note. This symbol is called a clef. There are three types of clefs: the treble clef, the bass clef, and the middle C clef.