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=====Key structure=====
The highest level of pitch organization can be seen in [[key (music)|key structure]]. In Western European tonal music the key is based on a scale with its associated chords and chord relations. Scales can be built up as minor or major scales (differing in the succession of intervals between the scale tones) on each of the 12 pitch classes and therefore there are 24 possible keys in tonal music. Analysing [[key (music)|key]] structure in context of musical syntax means to examine the relationship between keys in a piece of music. Usually, not only one key is used to build up a composition, but also so-called key "[[modulation]]s" (in other words the alteration of keys) are utilized. In these modulations a certain recurring pattern can be perceived. Switches from one key to another are often found between related keys. Three general principles for relationship between keys can be postulated on the basis of perceptual experiments and also neural evidence for implicit knowledge of key structure. Looking at the C-major key as an example, there are three close related keys: G-major, A-minor and C-minor. C-major and G-major are keys whose 1st scale degrees are separated by a musical fifth (the pattern of relations is represented in the [[circle of fifths]]" for major keys). A-minor and C-major share the same notes of the scale but with a different tonic (so-called [[relative minor key]], i.e. C-major and A-minor). And C-major and C-minor have the same tonic in their scales.
All in all it can be said that music like the human language has a considerable multi layered organization.
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