Professional Diploma in
Sound Engineering
Lesson 4: Music Theory for Sound Engineers
Explain frequency and pitch
Use a piano roll in a DAW
Explain major and minor scales
Compose chords
Recall the notes in a key signature
Objectives
Lesson 4
Bright, dull, thin, and warm
Frequency relationship
of two sounds
Tone
All sounds consist of
many frequencies
Only musical sounds
have harmonics
Pitch
Increase in frequency = higher pitch
We can hear from 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz
1 Hertz = 1 complete wave (peak to peak)
A = 440 Hz
Pure tone
A = 440 Hz
Pure tone is a sine wave
Most simple type of wave
Pitch
Octaves Notes
A4
A 440 440 for frequency
A4 for register
A4 = 440 Hz A3 = 220 Hz
Divide by 2 for
lower octaves
A2 = 110 Hz A1 = 55 Hz
Multiply by 2
for higher octaves
A4 = 440 Hz
A5 = 880 Hz
A6 = 1760 Hz
A7 = 3520 Hz
Timbre
Tone colour
We all sound different due to harmonics
The fundamental
A pure tone is a simple sine wave
Root frequency is the fundamental
Fundamental is also the 1st harmonic
A3 = 220 Hz
• Fundamental is the 1st
harmonic
Overtones • 1st overtone is the 2nd
harmonic
• Different overtones and
loudness = different timbre
Based on a ratio
The harmonic series
Based on the fundamental
Overtones
• Wave 1 = fundamental
• Wave 2 = 1st overtone
• 1st overtone = 2 oscillations
• 2nd overtone = 3 oscillations
(Schmidt-Jones, 2020)
Piano and cello sound Same overtones, different
different amplitudes
Overtones
We can closely recreate most natural
tones using the overtone series
Strings Woodwinds
Instruments
and
combinations
Brass Percussion
Strings
Violin Harp
Viola Guitar
Cello Lute
Double bass Mandolin
• Piccolo
• Flute
• Oboe
• English horn
Woodwinds • Clarinet
• E-flat clarinet
• Bass clarinet
• Bassoon
• Contra bassoon
Brass
Tuba
Euphonium
Cornet
Trumpet
Flugel
French horn
Marimba Xylophone
Percussion
Pitched:
Timpani Triangle
Tambourine
Percussion Snare drum
Unpitched:
Cymbals
New timbres
Combine instruments Create specific timbres
Light melody = Thicker melody =
Normal melody = violin
violin + flute violin + trumpet
MIDI
Musical Interface Digital Instrument
Midi
Control computers, external
devices, and light shows
Compose music
Connected time oriented media
Midi is information,
not sound
Pitch, velocity,
and time 3 parameters of
midi for control
Midi: pitch
How high or low a note is
Can also assign drum sounds
Midi: velocity
Strength of Peak Lowest velocity “volume”
musical note v127elocity = =0 of a note
Midi: time
Timecode: Per quarter note beat
Control external devices
Change note lengths in DAW
Midi: controllers
Record and send Control devices and Makes using
information software midi easier
Midi applications
Musical notes
Control external
and values on
devices
software
Light show for Pitch and
your music velocity are
“switches”
Piano roll
Midi values
Pitch, velocity, and time
Chromatic
12 notes
scale
Piano roll
A-B-C-D-
7 basic notes
E-F-G
Piano roll
Semi tone = half step
Half and Up/down with one key
whole steps
Whole tone = whole step
Up/down with 2 semi-tones
Allows dynamics in Value between
digital music 0 – 127
Midi: velocity
High velocity = Low velocity =
strong signal weak signal
Midi: notes
Measures time in quarter note beats
Can work with 8th, 16th, 32nd, and 64th notes
Some DAWs support up to 128th notes
Music theory for sound engineers
A –> G# = 12 notes
Diatonic scale
7 notes
5 whole steps + 2 half steps
= Diatonic scale
Major notes = Minor notes
= different starting note
Only white notes
C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
on a piano
C Maj
vs
a min
Your first two
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
key signatures!
Use this
Maj: W-W-H-W-W- Min: W-H-W-W- H -
for chords and
W-H W-W
melodies
Easy scales:
C maj A min
C–E–G A–C–E
1 + 3 + 5 = Chord
Chord: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8/1
C Maj: C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C
A min: A – B – C – D – E – F – G - A
3 steps from 1 to 3 = min
Maj vs min
chords
4 steps from 1 to 3 = maj
C maj A min
C–E-G A–C–E
1 + 3 + 5 = Chord
Chord: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8/1
C Maj: C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C
A min: A – B – C – D – E – F – G - A
Diminished: B
Circle of fifths
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• C, d, e, f, G
• G, a, b, c, D
• D, e, f, g, A
([Link]; 2020)
Easy rhymes
for easy scales
Sharp #: Father Charles Goes Down And
Ends Battle
Flat b: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’
Father
A 4th is a 5th reversed
(musicnotes, 2020)
Some notes have 2 names
Enharmonic • A# = Bb
notesertones • B# = C
• C# = Dd
