One of the most common tasks of the music teacher is to correct students’ wrong notes. To a musically alert listener, a wrong note sticks out like a sore thumb.

But why?

After all, in the case of C major, we are typically only talking about errors with B (B flat) and F (F sharp).

Yes they sound wrong, and indeed are wrong, but have you every wondered why?

In a C major melodic line, the introduction of a B flat suggests a key change to F. Similarly the introduction of an F sharp suggests a key change to G.

It is this ambush that we object to, even in a single line melody. Seduced by an obviously tonal melody, we are shocked to be suddenly sent to another key. Our melody has delineated the tonality, even without additional simultaneous melody lines to describe harmony.

Melody

is the

Root

of all

Harmony