Deterioration (musical theory)

See also: Deterioration

nine deteriorations modifying the height of notes

In the Musical theory, the word deterioration can mean three things.

  • a deterioration returns first of all to the modification of the initial height of a note, in other words, with the fact of making this note more serious or more acute, and this, whatever the reasons of this change: modulation, Transposition, ornamentation…

  • Then, on the partition, and more precisely, on the carried, a deterioration indicates the symbol charged to indicate the aforementioned modification. These is especially the second direction which will hold our attention in this article.

  • Lastly, and by extension, it is also possible to consider that a deterioration represents the news note thus modified, in other words, the “ affected note of a deterioration”.

As a figure indicating the modification primitive height of a note, deterioration is placed on the range, very precisely on the line or in the lead of the note which it affects.

Various figures of deteriorations

One distinguishes the simple deteriorations and the double deteriorations , the first being most current.

Simple deteriorations

They are three: the Sharp, the Flat and the Natural sign.

  • the sharp ( \ sharp) is the deterioration which raises the note of a chromatic Demi-ton.

  • the flat ( \ flat) is the deterioration which lowers the note of a chromatic Demi-ton.
  • the natural sign ( \ natural) cancels the effect of all preceding deteriorations (which they are simple or double, constitutive or accidental) and returns to a note its natural height.
the word sharp comes from the Greek diesis who, at the time of the ancient Greece, had about the same direction. The origin of the words flat and natural sign goes back to the Moyen-âge, and refer to the note if , which was the first with being affected of a flat in certain circumstances. Thus flat means étymologiquement B soft - i.e., if round , indicating current the B flat -, and natural sign, B square (indicating in its turn the so natural ).

Double deteriorations

There exist two double deteriorations in modern musical theory: the double-sharp and the double flat .

  • the double-sharp is the deterioration which raises the note of two chromatic semitones.

  • the double flat \ flat \ flat is the deterioration which lowers the note of two chromatic semitones.

With an aim of exhaustiveness, let us mention that there were also three other double deteriorations, now fallen in disuse because the natural sign which composes them is superfluous: the double natural sign , the natural sign-sharp and the natural sign-flat .

  • the double natural sign \ natural \ natural was the deterioration which made its height primitive to a note doubly diésée or doubly bemolized - i.e. affected of a double-sharp or a double flat. Today, by definition, a natural sign alone is enough.

  • the natural sign-sharp \ natural \ sharp was the deterioration which changed a note doubly diésée into a simply diésée note. Today, a sharp alone is enough.
  • the natural sign-flat \ natural \ flat was the deterioration which changed a note doubly bemolized into a simply bemolized note. Today, a flat alone is enough.

Exotic deteriorations

  • the flat barred ♭ corresponds to a " half bémol" used to lower the note of a Quarter tone.
  • the sharp barred ♯ corresponds to a " half dièse" used to raise the note of a Quarter tone.

Effect of deteriorations

The effect of a deterioration is different according to whether this one is in the piece - accidental weathering - or with the key - constitutive deterioration.

It is appropriate to notice that a faded note is named before its deterioration, but is noted after . For example, a affected C of a Dièse will be called “ C sharp ”, but, on the partition, the sharp will be written before the C - “ sharp C ”, all in all -, this, in order to avoid playing by error a C before realizing that it was in fact a C sharp that it would have been necessary to play.

Accidental weatherings

A accidental weathering - called more simply accident - intervenes in the current of the piece, and relates to all the notes of the same name and of the same height which is after it. It prevails on any preceding deterioration affecting the note, and continues until next the Barre of measurement except, of course, so meanwhile appears another accident modifying the precedent. The effect of the accidental weathering is thus temporary.
Example:

In the example above, the first accidental sharp affects the notes n°2 and n°4, the second sharp accidental affects the note n°6, the third accidental sharp affects the note n°8 and the accidental natural sign affects the note n°5.

  • One can thus consider that the bar of measurement cancels the effect of all the accidents which preceded.

Some Type-setter S however, probably thinking that “ one good forewit is worth two afterwits ”, add, after the Barre of measurement and in front of the note concerned, deterioration restoring the initial height of a given note which had been modified accidentally during a preceding measurement. Such an accidental weathering, which is not really essential, is then called “ deterioration of precaution ”, precisely.

  • This rule comprises a small exception however. When two notes, of the same height and affected of the same accident , are joined together by a Liaison of prolongation, and that a Barre of measurement passes between the two notes in question, one does not write deterioration in front of the second note. Example:

Constitutive deteriorations

A constitutive deterioration is valid during all the carried, for all the of the same notes name - even of different height, this time -, except of course, so meanwhile intervenes a accident modifying the height of the note in question.

  • Example:

In the example above, the mi \ flat (constitutive flat) affects all the notes except the notes n°4 and n°6 because of the accidental Bécarre.

  • Placed at the beginning of the range, just after the key, constitutive deteriorations form a what is called braces , or armor - for more details, to consult the article Armure (music).

Intermediate notes

A intermediate note is, in each your of the basic diatonic scale, a its addition by means of a deterioration which divides this tone into two Demi-ton S: thus the diatonic scale becomes chromatic scale, which one can define as “the diatonic scale amplified by the intermediate notes”:

Let us notice that contrary to the diatonic scale which does not contain that tons and semitones diatonic, the chromatic scale is exclusively made up of semitones - semitones chromatic, but also, semitones diatonic.

  • Example, in the octave do/do :

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • the notes, deteriorations, let us tons them, BA BA

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