Chord Identification

Question 1

C Major

Answer 1

C E G

Question 2

Name the two elements needed to identify a triad.

Answer 2

1. the root of the triad; and

2. the quality of the triad itself

Question 3

Describe the steps needed to identify a triad.

Answer 3

1. Determine the root by bringing the triad in root position - where the lowest tone is the root and the third and fifth are stacked on top. The root names the triad.
2. Determine the quality of the third and fifth.

Question 4

What is a Major chord?

Answer 4

A chord with a root, Major third and a perfect fifth. Also called a Major triad.

Question 5

What is another way of describing a Major triad?

Answer 5

A Major third interval with a minor third interval on top.

Question 6

What is a minor chord?

Answer 6

A chord with a root, minor third and a perfect fifth. Also called a minor triad.

Question 7

What is another way of describing a minor triad?

Answer 7

A minor third interval with a Major third interval on top.

Question 8

What is a diminished triad?

Answer 8

A triad consisting of two minor thirds above the root.

Question 9

What does a diminished triad resemble?

Answer 9

A minor triad with a lowered (flattened) fifth.

Question 10

Where does a diminished triad occur in a Major scale?

Answer 10

Only on the seventh scale degree. ie in the scale of C - triad built on B is a B diminished triad (B D F).

Question 11

What is another name for a triad built on the seventh scale degree?

Answer 11

Leading-tone triad

Question 12

Where does the leading-tone triad occur?

Answer 12

1. A triad built on the seventh scale degree.

2. In the seventh chord built on the fifth degree - i.e. in C - G dominant seventh (G B D F)

Question 13

Where does the diminished triad occur in a minor scale?

Answer 13

On the second scale degree - in the key of C minor, this is the D diminished triad (D F Ab)

Question 14

What is another name for a minor triad built on the second scale degree?

Answer 14

Supertonic diminished triad.

Question 15

What is a augmented triad?

Answer 15

A triad or chord consisting of two major thirds (a major third and an augmented fifth

Question 16

What does a augmented triad resemble?

Answer 16

A major chord whose top note (fifth) is raised or augmented.

Question 17

What is the difference between a Major triad and an augmented triad?

Answer 17

A major triad contains a major third and a minor third (a perfect fifth). An augmented triad sharpens that fifth - the top note is raised a half step.

Question 18

How does the augmented triad differ from the other kinds (major, minor, diminished)?

Answer 18

An augmented triad does not naturally arise in a diatonic scale (although it could be conceptualized as a triad built on the third degree of a harmonic minor scale or melodic minor scale - it virtually never occurs this way).

Question 19

What does the name of a chord depend on?

Answer 19

The intervals between the notes when the chord is in root position.

Question 20

Where does the difference in a chord’s sound come from?

Answer 20

The intervals between the root-position notes of the chord.

Question 21

What do all major or minor chords have in common?

Answer 21

An interval of a perfect fifth between the root and the fifth of the chord.

Question 22

What can a perfect fifth e divided into?

Answer 22

A major third (4 half steps) and a minor third (3 half steps).

Question 23

What is the difference between a major chord and a minor chord?

Answer 23

The location of the major internal and minor interval. If the interval between the root and third is major and between the third and fifth is minor then it is a Major chord. If the interval between the root and third is minor and between the third and fifth is major then it is a minor chord.

Question 24

What is an augmented chord built from and what does it add up to?

Answer 24

Two major thirds which add up to an augmented fifth.

Question 25

What is a diminished chord built from and what does it add up to?

Answer 25

Two minor thirds which add up to a diminished fifth.

Question 26

What happens to the chord’s name if you change the spelling of a chord’s notes (ie writing the note on a different space or line)?

Answer 26

You change the chord’s name.

Question 27

C E G

Answer 27

C Major

Question 28

C E G

Answer 28

C Major