Accidentals

T

ThePrimate

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In nearly every sheet there are some accidentals other then the scales one...
Does this means the song change his key for a littla and then goes back or what?
 
What you are referring to is a 'Key Change', that's different to a accidental.

Typically accidentals are notes that a composer add's that aren't within the mode/key signature of the root note. I.e it would be a note that isn't part of the scale, but works in conjunction.
 
I add "accidentals" once in a while.. and even though they do sound good I cringe beforehand lol
 
Accidentals can indicate a change of key, but it's not always the case. They can simply be used if the songwriter wants to use them in a melody or chord progression they like the sound of.

For example, in the chord sequence C major - D major - F major - Cmajor, the key is C major, but D major contains an F# which is not in the key of C..
 
ThePrimate said:
In nearly every sheet there are some accidentals other then the scales one...
Does this means the song change his key for a littla and then goes back or what?
Click to expand...

Accidentals are notes that are outside of the current key/scale - they do not necessarily represent a change of key, but rather the presence of a borrowed chord or simply decoration of the melodic material

L.S said:
What you are referring to is a 'Key Change', that's different to a accidental.
Click to expand...
That does not necessarily follow - in one bar in a c major I might use both B[sup]b[/sup] and F[sup]#[/sup] as accidental notes, this does not affect the key nor does it constitute a real key signature

makemusicnet said:
For example, in the chord sequence C major - D major - F major - Cmajor, the key is C major, but D major contains an F# which is not in the key of C..
Click to expand...

In this example the melodic line would probably follow the path of G-F[sup]#[/sup]-F-E.

A good example of this type of accidental addition is Aura Lee (we probably know it better as Love Me tender)

The progression goes

C-D-G-C-
C-E-G-D-F[sup]#[/sup]-A-G-B-D-C-E-G-
C-E-Am-C[sup]7[/sup]-
C-E-G-E-G[sup]#[/sup]-B-A-C-E-C-E-G-B[sup]b[/sup]-
Am-Fm-C-E-
A-C-E-F-A[sup]b[/sup]-C-C-E-G-E-G[sup]#[/sup]-B-
A-D-G-C
A-C[sup]#[/sup]-E-D-F[sup]#[/sup]-A-G-B-D-C-E-G

[tr]

[mp3]http://www.bandcoach.org/fp/audio/auraLee.mp3[/mp3]

In the following accidentals or other interesting features are highlighted in different colours.

The first highlighted section shows the melody notes C-B-C being mimicked in the harmony (chords) as G-F[sup]#[/sup]-G

The next section highlighted shows a semitone (half-step) run from G-G[sup]#[/sup]-A-B[sup]b[/sup]-A-A[sup]b/sup]-G in the harmony (this could just as easily have been written as G-G[sup]#[/sup]-A-A[sup]#[/sup]-A-G[sup]#/sup]-G or G-A[sup]b[/sup]-A-B[sup]b[/sup]-A-A[sup]b/sup]-G, but the chords in use dictate the naming of the accidental notes).

The last section uses three colours to show the harmonic direction that each accidental provides:
G#-A
C#-D
F#-G


The last push from B->C has been left out as it is not borne of accidental usage. However, in each case the push felt in the harmony is similar to that of the B->C movement - leading tone to tonic, so in a sense we find ourselves in a situation where the key seems to shift temporarily. A better explanation for this harmonic push is that we are using secondary dominant chords - chords that are acting as chord V to the chord that follows....

auraLee.png
 
Wow. What a superb response bandcoach. Using some notation also makes it easier for people to understand theory.
 
Accidentals are often inconsequential to the key of a piece if played "in passing".

Some chords with accidentals have a certain character when played during a key. e.g. augmented chords and suspense.
 
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