RepetoWhich major key has exactly B♭ and E♭ in its key signature?
B♭ major.
Music theory: intervals and chords
180 questions in English on Western tonal theory: scales, intervals, chords and inversions.
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Using the raised leading tone, spell V7 in D minor.
A–C♯–E–G.
Does the dominant-seventh quality alone prove that a chord is V7 of the currently established key?
No. Quality describes the chord's intervals; its root and tonal context determine its function in the key.
If a complete triad keeps the same bass note but exchanges its upper notes between octaves, does its inversion change?
No. Inversion depends on which chord member is lowest, not on the ordering of upper voices.
Spell vi in A♭ major in root–third–fifth order.
F–A♭–C, an F-minor triad.
What is the relative minor of E♭ major?
C minor; both key signatures have B♭, E♭ and A♭.
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Question Answer
Which major key has exactly B♭ and E♭ in its key signature? B♭ major.
Using the raised leading tone, spell V7 in D minor. A–C♯–E–G.
Does the dominant-seventh quality alone prove that a chord is V7 of the currently established key? No. Quality describes the chord's intervals; its root and tonal context determine its function in the key.
If a complete triad keeps the same bass note but exchanges its upper notes between octaves, does its inversion change? No. Inversion depends on which chord member is lowest, not on the ordering of upper voices.
Spell vi in A♭ major in root–third–fifth order. F–A♭–C, an F-minor triad.
What is the relative minor of E♭ major? C minor; both key signatures have B♭, E♭ and A♭.
An F♯ is replaced by F♮. What pitch is now required? F natural; the natural sign cancels the sharp alteration.
Under the conventional inversion-number rule, what does a perfect unison invert to? A perfect octave.
In Western common-practice harmony, what does a predominant harmony typically prepare? A dominant harmony, often as part of motion toward a cadence.
What does a flat do to a natural letter-name pitch? It lowers that pitch by one semitone; for example, B becomes B♭.
Which intervals above the root define an augmented triad? A major third and an augmented fifth.
Which harmonic motion underlies an authentic cadence in common-practice major and minor keys? Dominant to tonic: V or V7 to I in major, or to i in minor.
Spell an F♯ half-diminished seventh chord in root–third–fifth–seventh order. F♯–A–C–E.
What quality does B°7 indicate, with ° used as the diminished sign? B fully diminished seventh: B–D–F–A♭.
What is the quality-sensitive Roman-numeral sequence for triads built entirely from a major scale, in degree order? I–ii–iii–IV–V–vi–vii°.
In D major, V is A–C♯–E. Spell the usual vi destination of a deceptive cadence. B–D–F♯, a B-minor triad.
Spell ii in E major in root–third–fifth order. F♯–A–C♯, an F♯-minor triad.
Which chord member is in the bass of a first-inversion triad? The third.
Which chord member is in the bass of a root-position triad? The root.
What is the quality of the diatonic seventh chord on scale degree 7 in a major key? Half-diminished seventh, written viiø7 in quality-sensitive notation.
Relative to natural minor, which degrees are raised in the conventional ascending classical melodic-minor scale? Scale degrees 6 and 7, each by one semitone.
Does enharmonic spelling alone guarantee identical frequency in every tuning system? No. Identical sound for spellings such as C♯ and D♭ is assumed here only in twelve-tone equal temperament, in the same register.
In ordinary 3/4 counted with quarter-note beats, how many beats are in a full measure? Three quarter-note beats, normally each divisible into two eighth notes.
Spell an E♭ major-seventh chord in root–third–fifth–seventh order. E♭–G–B♭–D.
What two components make a specific tonal interval name such as minor sixth? Its generic size, sixth, and its quality, minor.
Two pitches sound one after the other. What kind of interval do they form: melodic or harmonic? A melodic interval.
What is the most familiar deceptive-cadence progression in a major key? V or V7 to vi, replacing the expected tonic arrival with the submediant.
Using the raised leading tone, spell vii° in G minor. F♯–A–C.
Which simple interval sizes belong to the perfect family? Unison, fourth, fifth and octave; their normal quality is perfect rather than major or minor.
Spell ascending E harmonic minor through the repeated tonic. E–F♯–G–A–B–C–D♯–E.
What is scale degree 4 of G♭ major, correctly spelled? C♭.
With ordinary treble clef and no accidentals, what pitch lies on the second staff line from the bottom? G4, the G above middle C.
A phrase ends V–I in C major with both chords in root position, but the final melody note is E. Is it a perfect or imperfect authentic cadence? Imperfect authentic: the final melody note is scale degree 3 rather than tonic.
Which bass member and abbreviated figure identify first inversion of a seventh chord? The third is in the bass; the figure is 6/5.
Using raised degree 7 and unraised degree 6, spell vii°7 in D minor. C♯–E–G–B♭, a fully diminished seventh chord.
By how many semitones must a major third be narrowed to become a diminished third, keeping its generic size? Two semitones: major to minor, then minor to diminished.
What do the generic numbers of a simple interval and its octave inversion add up to? Nine, such as 2 + 7 or 4 + 5.
Which intervals above the root define a minor triad? A minor third and a perfect fifth.
What does a tie between adjacent notes of the same pitch tell the performer to do? Sustain one sound for their combined durations, without reattacking at the second note.
What figure normally abbreviates a root-position seventh chord in Roman-numeral analysis? 7, abbreviating 7/5/3 above the bass.
Using only E-natural-minor notes, spell the triad on scale degree 5. B–D–F♯, B minor, labeled v.
Name the ascending interval C♯4–F4 by size and quality. A diminished fourth: four letter names and four semitones.
In the conventional classical melodic-minor scale exercise, what form is used when descending? Natural minor: degrees 6 and 7 return to their unraised forms.
Is an ascending ninth a simple or compound interval? Compound, because it exceeds an octave.
With a fixed clef, what happens to the letter name when a note moves from a line to the immediately higher space? It advances one letter in the repeating A–B–C–D–E–F–G cycle; accidentals still determine the exact pitch.
On what harmony does a conventional common-practice half cadence end? V, the major dominant triad, producing an open ending.
Does putting F in the bass of G–B–D–F change the chord's root to F? No. It remains G7, now in third inversion.
Spell an F♯-minor triad in root–third–fifth order. F♯–A–C♯.
Transpose the two-note melody F♯4–A4 up a major second, preserving each interval's spelling. G♯4–B4.
In an inverted triad, are the root and bass necessarily the same pitch class? No. The root names the chord; the bass is its lowest sounding note and may be the third or fifth.
What triad and root-to-seventh interval define a minor-seventh chord? A minor triad plus a minor seventh above its root.
In twelve-tone equal temperament, does an augmented triad's sound alone uniquely establish its written root? No. Its equal major-third divisions permit enharmonic reinterpretations; spelling and harmonic context establish the intended root.
Which two diatonic triads are common predominant choices in a major key? ii and IV; their actual role depends on the progression.
Does changing D to D♯ alter the generic size of ascending B3–D4? No. B–C–D still spans a third; the accidental can change its quality.
How is the D-major triad labeled in G major versus D major? V in G major; I in D major. Its root and quality stay the same while its relation to the tonic changes.
For a V-to-I or V-to-i phrase ending to be a perfect authentic cadence, what bass and final-melody conditions are required? Both chords are in root position, and the final melody note is tonic.
Name the ascending interval B3–F4 by size and quality. A diminished fifth: five letter names and six semitones.
Using natural-minor degree 7, spell VII in G minor. F–A–C, an F-major triad.
In what order are flats added to conventional key signatures? B, E, A, D, G, C, F.
Name the ascending interval D4–F5 by size and quality. A minor tenth: the minor third D4–F4 extended by one octave.
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What is the generic size of C4 to C♯4, despite the sounding pitch change? A unison, because the written letter and octave position are unchanged; its specific quality is augmented.
What pitch is a major third below A4, correctly spelled? F4.
In ordinary 6/8 felt in two, what is the beat unit? A dotted quarter note; each of the two beats divides into three eighth notes.
Which adjacent natural-letter pairs are a semitone apart within C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C? E–F and B–C; the other adjacent pairs are whole steps.
Why cannot semitone count alone distinguish an augmented second from a minor third? Both span three semitones, but one spans two letter names and the other three.
Spell an E♭-major triad in root–third–fifth order. E♭–G–B♭.
A root-position triad has a minor third from root to third, then a major third from third to fifth. What is its quality? Minor; the outer interval is a perfect fifth.
In a conventional dominant-to-tonic cadence, where does the leading tone normally resolve? Up by semitone to tonic, especially in an outer voice.
A phrase in C minor ends G–B–D to C–E♭–G. Why is the dominant chord major? Its B natural is the raised leading tone, supporting the dominant-to-tonic cadence in minor.
In twelve-tone equal temperament, do C♯4 and D♭4 sound at different heights? No. They are enharmonic spellings of the same sounding pitch, though their notated roles can differ.
In the common-practice cadential pattern I6/4–V–I, does I6/4 ordinarily function as a settled tonic arrival? No. The cadential six-four ordinarily has dominant function over scale degree 5 in the bass; its 6 and 4 resolve to 5 and 3 over the same bass.
What is the octave inversion of an augmented fourth? A diminished fifth.
How can a simple ascending interval be inverted within an octave? Move its lower note up one octave, preserving the spellings. The note order reverses; at the octave boundary, an octave becomes a unison.
Which adjacent scale degrees form an augmented second in an ascending harmonic-minor scale? Degrees 6 and 7: the unraised sixth to the raised seventh.
What is the octave inversion of a diminished seventh? An augmented second.
What quality does a major interval become under octave inversion? Minor.
If C–E–G is voiced as C3–G3–E4–C5, does the doubled C turn it into a seventh chord? No. It still contains only the three pitch classes of a C-major triad.
Name the ascending interval B3–A♭4 by size and quality. A diminished seventh: seven letter names and nine semitones.
How far below B natural is B double-flat? Two semitones. In twelve-tone equal temperament it sounds like A natural, but retains the letter B.
In a conventional V7-to-I or V7-to-i resolution, how does the chordal seventh normally move? Down by step, typically from scale degree 4 to scale degree 3.
What is the quality of the seventh chord built entirely from a major scale on its tonic? Major seventh. The root-to-seventh interval is major.
Does a key signature of no sharps or flats by itself distinguish C major from A minor? No. They share the signature; tonal context must establish the tonic and mode.
Is G♯ normally included in A minor's key signature merely because V may require it? No. A minor has no key-signature sharps or flats; G♯ is supplied as an accidental when needed.
The sounding pitches from low to high are C4–E4–A4. Name the triad and its inversion. A minor in first inversion: C is its third and is in the bass.
What quality does Bø7 indicate, with ø used as the half-diminished sign? B half-diminished seventh: B–D–F–A.
In a conventional G7-to-C-major resolution, where does the chordal seventh F normally move? Down to E.
In Western common-practice harmony, toward what does dominant function typically direct motion? Tonic, especially through V or V7 resolving to I in major or i in minor.
Spell an A dominant-seventh chord in root–third–fifth–seventh order. A–C♯–E–G.
In minor, how does the leading tone differ from the subtonic? The leading tone is a semitone below tonic; the subtonic is a whole step below tonic.
Can the single chord A–C–E uniquely identify a passage's key? No. It could be i in A minor, vi in C major, or serve other roles; surrounding harmony and tonal emphasis are needed.
What triad and root-to-seventh interval define a major-seventh chord? A major triad plus a major seventh above its root.
Must every ascending passage in a minor-key composition use raised degrees 6 and 7? No. The melodic-minor exercise summarizes a common pattern; actual choices depend on melody and harmony.
Which major key has exactly F♯, C♯ and G♯ in its key signature? A major.
Which intervals above the root define a major triad? A major third and a perfect fifth.
If a third is widened by one octave without respelling either pitch class, what is its new generic size? A tenth. Adding an octave adds seven to the generic number.
What alteration changes E minor's B–D–F♯ chord from v to the common-practice major V? Raise D to D♯, the leading tone of E minor.
What is the common-practice functional sequence abbreviated T–PD–D–T? Tonic–predominant–dominant–tonic; it is a common model, not a requirement for every phrase.
What is the common minor-key counterpart of major-key V–vi deceptive motion? V–VI, with a major submediant triad on natural-minor degree 6.
Name the ascending interval F4–B4 by size and quality. An augmented fourth: four letter names and six semitones.
Using only A-harmonic-minor notes, what triad is built on degree 3? C–E–G♯, C augmented, labeled III+ under the minor-scale-relative convention.
In ordinary chord-symbol notation, how do D7 and Dmaj7 differ? D7 has C natural as its seventh; Dmaj7 has C♯. Both contain the D-major triad D–F♯–A.
Under quality-sensitive notation, what does vii° specify in a major key? A diminished triad rooted on scale degree 7, the leading tone.
What Roman-numeral progression is conventionally called plagal motion in a major key? IV–I. Whether it acts as a cadence or follows another cadence depends on the phrase context.
Name the ascending intervals C4–D♯4 and C4–E♭4, in that order. Augmented second; minor third. Each spans three semitones, but the spellings give different generic sizes.
Spell iv in B minor, using the ordinary unraised sixth degree of the key. E–G–B, an E-minor triad.
Under quality-sensitive Roman-numeral notation, what is the difference between IV and iv? IV is a major triad and iv a minor triad, both rooted on scale degree 4.
What is the generic interval from ascending E4 to D5? A seventh: E–F–G–A–B–C–D.
In tonal Roman-numeral analysis, what does the numeral's value identify? The scale degree of the chord's root in the stated key, not necessarily the bass degree.
Spell iii in B♭ major in root–third–fifth order. D–F–A, a D-minor triad.
In triadic Roman-numeral notation, what inversion does 6/4 indicate? Second inversion, with the fifth of the chord in the bass.
In the key of C major, what is the chordal seventh of G7, and is it scale degree 7 of the key? F; it is scale degree 4 of C major. A chordal seventh is measured from the chord root.
What pitch is a major third above C♯4, with correct interval spelling? E♯4. F4 sounds the same in twelve-tone equal temperament but spells a fourth above C♯.
Two pitches sound at the same time. What kind of interval do they form: melodic or harmonic? A harmonic interval.
Spell a G♯ fully diminished seventh chord in root–third–fifth–seventh order. G♯–B–D–F.
Invert E♭4–G4 by moving E♭4 up an octave. Name the resulting interval. G4–E♭5, a minor sixth.
What are the four members of a tertian seventh chord, named relative to its root? Root, third, fifth and seventh.
What is the ascending whole-step/half-step pattern of natural minor through the octave? W–H–W–W–H–W–W.
In the usual tonal classification, what is the largest simple interval size? An octave; larger intervals are compound.
What is the generic size of the descending interval G4 to C4? A fifth: count G–F–E–D–C downward.
Spell a C♯-diminished triad in root–third–fifth order. C♯–E–G.
With ordinary bass clef and no accidentals, what pitch lies on the fourth staff line from the bottom? F3, the F below middle C.
Why is the third of an A-major triad spelled C♯ rather than D♭? A to C is a third by letter count. D♭ would give a diminished fourth, even though C♯ and D♭ sound alike in twelve-tone equal temperament.
To find generic interval size, do you count both the starting and ending letter names? Yes. For example, D–E–F–G includes four letters, so D up to G is a fourth.
What does the symbol B♭/D specify when B♭ denotes a major triad? A B♭-major triad with D in the bass, so it is in first inversion.
How far above F natural is F double-sharp? Two semitones. In twelve-tone equal temperament it sounds like G natural, but retains the letter F.
What is the octave inversion of a perfect fourth? A perfect fifth.
Keeping the lower pitch and generic size fixed, how does lowering the upper note of a major interval by one semitone change its quality? It becomes minor.
What sequence of whole steps (W) and half steps (H) builds an ascending major scale from tonic to octave? W–W–H–W–W–W–H.
How many eighth-note durations equal one dotted quarter note? Three: a quarter note contributes two and the dot adds one.
Which pitch does the fourth line from the bottom represent in ordinary tenor clef? Middle C, or C4.
Why are ordinary 3/4 and 6/8 metrically different even though each full bar totals six eighth notes? 3/4 groups them as three beats of two; 6/8 groups them as two beats of three.
In twelve-tone equal temperament, which B-natural pitch sounds the same as C♭4? B3. The octave number in C♭4 follows the written C, even though its sound lies below C4.
In a major or minor key, which scale degree is called the dominant? Scale degree 5. The name identifies a scale degree; chord function requires harmonic context.
Which chord member is in the bass of a second-inversion triad? The fifth.
The pitches from low to high are B2–D3–E3–G3. Name the seventh chord and inversion. E minor seventh in second inversion, because B is its fifth.
Which intervals above the root define a diminished triad? A minor third and a diminished fifth.
Which pitch does the middle line represent in ordinary alto clef? Middle C, or C4.
Spell the conventional ascending C melodic-minor scale through the repeated tonic. C–D–E♭–F–G–A–B–C.
Which bass member and abbreviated figure identify second inversion of a seventh chord? The fifth is in the bass; the figure is 4/3.
Does every V–I progression automatically constitute a cadence? No. A cadence articulates a phrase ending; the same chords can occur within a phrase.
What triad and root-to-seventh interval define a fully diminished seventh chord? A diminished triad plus a diminished seventh above its root.
Using natural-minor notes, what quality is the triad on degree 2? Diminished; it is labeled ii°.
A phrase in A minor ends on E–G♯–B. What basic cadence type is this? A half cadence, ending on the major dominant V.
What information does C4 supply that the pitch-class name C omits? Its octave register: C4 is middle C in scientific pitch notation.
In F major, what Roman numeral labels the root-position chord C–E–G–B♭? V7, the dominant seventh.
In scientific pitch notation, what natural note comes immediately above B3? C4. The octave number changes at C, not at A.
Which degree of natural minor is raised to form harmonic minor? Scale degree 7 is raised by one semitone.
In what order are sharps added to conventional key signatures? F, C, G, D, A, E, B.
Spell vii° in D major in root–third–fifth order. C♯–E–G, a C♯-diminished triad.
In Western common-practice harmony, what is the basic role of tonic function? To establish or return to the key's center of stability, most directly through I in major or i in minor.
Which simple interval sizes can normally have major or minor quality? Seconds, thirds, sixths and sevenths.
What makes a three-pitch-class chord a triad in tertian harmony? Its pitch classes can be arranged as a root with a third and a fifth above it, forming two stacked thirds.
Keeping generic size fixed, what quality results from widening a major or perfect interval by one semitone? Augmented.
What is the octave inversion of a minor second? A major seventh.
Spell the ascending E♭-major scale through the repeated tonic. E♭–F–G–A♭–B♭–C–D–E♭.
What triad and root-to-seventh interval define a half-diminished seventh chord? A diminished triad plus a minor seventh above its root.
Spell a D♯-major triad in root–third–fifth order. D♯–F double-sharp–A♯. The third needs the letter F, even though F double-sharp sounds like G in twelve-tone equal temperament.
Spell a D-augmented triad in root–third–fifth order. D–F♯–A♯.
Where is C4 written relative to an ordinary treble staff? On the first ledger line below the staff.
The pitches from low to high are G3–A3–C♯4–E4. Name the seventh chord and inversion. A dominant seventh in third inversion, because G is its seventh.
What triad and root-to-seventh interval define a dominant-seventh chord quality? A major triad plus a minor seventh above its root.
With the ordinary unraised sixth degree, which triads commonly serve as predominants in a minor key? ii° and iv; ii° commonly appears in first inversion.
What do relative major and minor keys share? A key signature and the natural-minor/major pitch collection, while having different tonics.
In G major, the pitches low to high are E3–G3–C4. Give the Roman numeral with an inversion figure. IV6: C major in first inversion.
When spelling a conventional seven-note major scale, how are the seven letter names used? Use each letter once before repeating the tonic letter at the octave; choose accidentals to fit the major step pattern.
Are the numbers in figured bass measured above the chord root or above the sounding bass? Above the sounding bass, with compound intervals ordinarily reduced to their simple equivalents.
What makes D major and D minor parallel keys? They have the same tonic, D, but different modes and key signatures.
The sounding pitches from low to high are A3–D4–F♯4. Name the triad and its inversion. D major in second inversion: A is the chord's fifth and is in the bass.
In triadic Roman-numeral notation, what inversion does the figure 6 normally indicate? First inversion; 6 abbreviates the intervals 6/3 above the bass.
What does harmonic rhythm measure? The rate or pattern of chord changes, rather than the durations of every note in a melody.
Why is the seventh of B fully diminished seventh spelled A♭ rather than G♯? The seventh above B must use the letter A. G♯ would spell a sixth, despite being enharmonically equivalent to A♭ in twelve-tone equal temperament.
Keeping generic size fixed, what is a perfect fifth narrowed by one semitone called? A diminished fifth.
Using only A-natural-minor notes, spell iiø7. B–D–F–A, a half-diminished seventh chord.
What does a sharp do to a natural letter-name pitch? It raises that pitch by one semitone; for example, F becomes F♯.
Which chord member changes when an E-major triad becomes E minor while keeping the root and fifth? The third lowers from G♯ to G natural; E and B stay unchanged.
Which bass member and abbreviated figure identify third inversion of a seventh chord? The seventh is in the bass; the figure is 4/2, sometimes shortened to 2.
Spell a C♯ minor-seventh chord in root–third–fifth–seventh order. C♯–E–G♯–B.
Spell the ascending C♯-major scale through the repeated tonic. C♯–D♯–E♯–F♯–G♯–A♯–B♯–C♯.
Why does F♯ major contain E♯ rather than F natural? Its seventh degree must use the letter E and lie a semitone below F♯. E♯ meets both conditions.
Using only natural-minor notes and naming roots relative to that minor scale, what is the triad sequence by degree? i–ii°–III–iv–v–VI–VII. Here III, VI and VII refer to the natural-minor degrees without prefixed flats.
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