piano music question

[gardenmom5]

I am finally fulfilling a life long dream to learn to play piano. I did have some lessons as a child, and about the only thing we did was talk theory and sight reading. (the only reason the guy was teaching was his teacher told him he needed to teach.) so, I'm working out of two adult books (just over half-way through the first level of both books) - and they have sections on theory and technic that is supposed to be slowly built upon, but I'm having trouble registering: tonic note, subdominate note, dominate note, etc. I've tried looking online - but talk about information overload! can someone please explain, with very simple instructions? if I can register the basics, I can figure out the rest. thank you.

[Sara in AZ]

You know what a scale is, right? The eight notes from one C to the next or one D to the next, etc. The first note of any scale is referred to as the tonic. The terms are like this:

 

First note- tonic

Second- supertonic

Third- mediant

Fourth- sub dominant

Fifth- dominant

Sixth- sub mediant

Seventh- leading tone

Eighth- tonic again

 

The terms are the same for any scale. You can build a triad (three note chord) on each note of the scale and the triad will also be called by the same term as the single note or scale degree. Your books will probably only refer to the tonic, sub dominant and dominant for now, though.

 

How fun for you to be doing this. I always tell people it's never too late!

[gardenmom5]

thank you. I've started doing three hanon exercises (one or two octaves each) to start practice, and I've noticed the last few days there is a 'change' when I play, as though I jumped a step.

 

okay I get that the first note of the key is the tonic note (or base note I guess)

 

- so if I'm in key of C

I assume C is the tonic?

subdominant is F?

and dominant is G?

 

and yeah, they haven't given too much, but one books isn't giving any explaination, and the other one just is giving lots of extranea in addition to what I'm supposed to be learning. I guess their presentation format is just lacking.

 

I think I figured out why they are being so confusing. they are giving chords that have other notes, but they are only asking for which note if tonic/dominant/subdominante - but they are including notes that are submediant. (and one of the ones they're asking for isn't in the chord given.) THANK YOU!!!!

 

I did find some note flashcard apps for my phone. now, if I can find one for technic . . . .

[Sara in AZ]

Yes, it's the bottom note of the triad (when the notes are stacked on each other in thirds...space, space, space or line, line, line) that determines the name you call it in a particular scale. Hang in there, it sounds like you are on the right track. I'd be happy to answer any other questions when they come up. :001_smile:

[Greenmama2]

<3 Hanon. It sounds as though you have it figured out. Good luck & have fun.

[flyingiguana]

http://www.musictheory.net/

This might be useful tutorials.

[Julie Smith]

My kids are in lessons. I noticed that the book Eldest is using mentions these things in a few pages.

 

What is the point of it all. What is the reasoning behind remembering those names. Anyone care to explain.

[Veritaserum]

My kids are in lessons. I noticed that the book Eldest is using mentions these things in a few pages.

 

What is the point of it all. What is the reasoning behind remembering those names. Anyone care to explain.

 

I look at the terms (and theory in general) as the grammar of music. Why do you learn English grammar? So that you can better understand and use English. Why do you learn musical theory? So that you can better understand and use music. :)

[flyingiguana]

My kids are in lessons. I noticed that the book Eldest is using mentions these things in a few pages.

 

What is the point of it all. What is the reasoning behind remembering those names. Anyone care to explain.

 

So you know what other people are talking about.

 

It's not snobbery. If you need to talk about these concepts, it's a lot more efficient to use the terms than to have to wade through an explanation every time.

 

Now whether one needs to know these terms to play piano for their own enjoyment is another question. But I think the piano methods (and teachers) assume students will go on to the point where they'll want to know the terms.