Graces in Music depend upon the same reasoning as the structure of a single Tune. When skillfully applied, they greatly improve it by strengthening the memory of preceding Notes and the expectation of succeeding ones. The execution of these graces is left to the discretion of every Player.

Of SCHISMS and the Scale

of MUSIC.

There are schisms original: "schismes"; here referring to the small mathematical discrepancies or intervals that occur when tuning musical scales in Music because the Scale is naturally fitted to one Key. Although it will serve reasonably well for some other keys, it will not work for all of them.

The Scale of Music is not defined by any fixed quantities of whole Notes or half Notes, even though the intervals are commonly called by those names. Instead, the degrees in the Scale of Music are fixed by the Ear at those points where the pulses of the Tones are coincident original: "coincident"; meaning the vibrations of the two notes align or "lock" together in a pleasing way, without regard to the specific mathematical quantity. I shall endeavor to show how all the Notes enter the Scale through their relationships and importance. It will then be obvious why, for ease of instruction and convenience, the Scale of musical degrees is organized as Musicians currently present it.

Once the Key Note is established, the first Note in importance is the fifth above it, which must be placed perfectly. While the Tune remains in the Key, this note has the greatest emphasis; if there is any departure from the Key, this Note is the most likely to take its place. Therefore, once the Chords original: "Chords"; here referring to the harmonic intervals or related notes to the Key Note are set, the Chords related to this fifth note must be considered. Without them, there can be no variety, as this is the first step away from the Key.

The other Chords related to the Key are the minor and major third, the fourth, and the minor and major sixth original: "third b and #... sixth b and #"; the author uses "flat" (b) for minor and "sharp" (#) for major intervals.

The Chords related to the fifth above the Key are the 2nd, and the minor and major 7th, which function as the fifth and the minor and major thirds relative to that Note.