In this section we'll cover the basic rudiments of music theory, which I like to refer to as music math . We'll learn about scales and how they are formed. Key signatures, including proper placement of sharps and flats, will also be shown. All references are made to either the piano or guitar, since these are the most popular instruments.
Intervals Think of an interval as a measurement of distance.
The distance from one note to another note is measured in units of whole steps or half steps . On the piano, the distance from one white key to another white key is a whole step. The distance from a white key to a black key is a half step. On the guitar, or any other fretted instrument, the distance from one fret to the next fret is a half step, and the distance from one fret to two frets away would be a whole step. For example, on the piano, there are no black keys between these sets of notes.