Chapter 4: The Organization of Musical Sounds

Question 1

Half step

Answer 1

Smallest interval used in the Western system; the octave divides into 12 such intervals. On the piano, the distance between any two adjacent keys, whether black or white; aka semitone; two half steps make up a whole step

Question 2

Whole step

Answer 2

Interval consisting of two half steps

Question 3

Chromatic

Answer 3

Melody or harmony built from many if not all 12 pitches of the octave; this kind of scale consists of an ascending or descending sequence of 12 half steps

Question 4

Diatonic

Answer 4

Melody or harmony built from the 7 pitches of a major or minor scale; this kind of scale encompasses patterns of 7 whole steps and half steps

Question 5

Sharp sign (♯)

Answer 5

Musical symbol that indicates raising a pitch by a half step

Question 6

Flat sign (♭)

Answer 6

Musical symbol that indicates lowering a pitch by a half step

Question 7

Tonic chord

Answer 7

Triad built on the first scale note, the I chord

Question 8

Active chords

Answer 8

In the diatonic system, chords that need to resolve the tonic chord. These include the dominant and subdominant chords.

Question 9

Dominant

Answer 9

The fifth scale step, “sol”

Question 10

Subdominant

Answer 10

The fourth scale step, “fa”

Question 11

Key

Answer 11

Defines the relationship of pitches with a common center, or tonic.

Question 12

Transposition

Answer 12

The shifting of a piece of music to a different pitch level.

Question 13

Modulation

Answer 13

The process of changing from one key to another.

Question 14

True or false: Virtually all Western music is made up of the same 12 pitches and their duplications in higher and lower octaves.

Answer 14

True

Question 15

Name the intervals
2 half steps =
C - C♯ =
C♯ - D = 
C - D = 
12 half steps =

Answer 15

1 whole step
1 half step
1 half step
1 whole step
1 octave

Question 16

Within each major scale, there are certain relationships between pitches. What are these relationships based on?

Answer 16

Tension and resolution

Question 17

What are the two poles of traditional harmony?

Answer 17

The tonic (point of ultimate rest) and the dominant (represents the active harmony)

Question 18

What is a basic progression of harmony in Western music?

Answer 18

Tonic going to dominant and returning to tonic

Question 19

In _____ music, both the melody and harmony are firmly rooted in the key.

Answer 19

Diatonic

Question 20

Composers from which era explored chromaticism in their music?

Answer 20

Romantic era

Question 21

Pentatonic scale

Answer 21

Five-note pattern used in some African, Far Eastern, Central European, and Native American music; can also be found in Western music as an example of exoticism

Question 22

Microtone

Answer 22

Musical interval smaller than a half step (semitone), prevalent in some non-Western music and modern music

Question 23

Inflection

Answer 23

Small alteration of the pitch by a microtonal interval.

Question 24

Rest chord

Answer 24

A chord that achieves a sense of resolution or completion, normally the tonic

Question 25

Dominant chord

Answer 25

Chord built on the fifth scale step, the V chord

Question 26

Subdominant chord

Answer 26

Chord built on the fourth scale step, the IV chord