Melody/Harmony

Question 0

Melody/Harmony

What is: mode/modal?

Answer 0

Mode: usually refers to any of the early scales called modes, eg: Dorian mode. It can also be used more generally as a reference to major mode (in a major key) or minor mode (in a minor key).
Modal: Term used to desribe music based on a mode, a type of early scale used before major and minor keys were developed. Modes are used in jazz and pop music for improvising.

Question 1

Melody/Harmony

What is: Relative major/minor?

Answer 1

Relative major: A change from minor to major key with the same key signature found three semitones higher, eg D minor to F major.
Relative minor: A change from mojor to minor key with the same key signature found three semitones lower, eg C major to A minor.

Question 2

Melody/Harmony

What is: Interval?

Answer 2

The distance in pitch between two notes, eg C-F is a fourth. The excerpt contains all the intervals starting on C and using all the white notes on a keyboard for one octave.

Question 3

Melody/Harmony

What is: Obbligato. (Instrumental)?

Answer 3

A prominent solo instrument part in a piece of vocal music.

Question 4

Melody/Harmony

What is: Acciaccatura?

Answer 4

An ornament which sounds like a crushed note played very quickly on the beat or just before it.

Question 5

Melody/Harmony

What is: mordent/inverted mordent?

Answer 5

An ornament which sounds the main note, the note above and then the main note again. An inverted mordent sounds the main note, the note below and the main note again.

Question 6

Melody/Harmony

What is: Plagal cadence?

Answer 6

A cadence is formed by two chords at the end of a phrase. A plagal cadence is the subdominant to tonic chords (IV-I). In the key of C major, chords F to C

Question 7

Melody/Harmony

What is: Interrupted Cadence?

Answer 7

An interrupted cadence is usually formed by the chords V-VI.in the key of C major, chords G to A minor.) This is known also as the suprise cadence as the listener may be expecting V-I which has a more final sound.

Question 8

Melody/Harmony

What is: Tierce de Picardie?

Answer 8

The final chord of a piece of music in the minor key is changed to major

Question 9

Melody/Harmony

What is: Dominant 7th?

Answer 9

Chord built on the dominant (5th) note of a key which adds the 7th note above its root. It is sometimes written as V7 or, in the key of C major, G7(GBDF)

Question 10

Melody/Harmony

What is: Diminished 7th?

Answer 10

A chord consisting of three intervals of a minor 3rd built one on top of the other, the interval between the lower and top note being a diminished 7th. This can be a very useful chord for modulation to distant keys.

Question 11

Melody/Harmony

What is: Added 6th?

Answer 11

Root, 3rd and 5th of a chord with the 6th added. This chord is used frequently in jazz and popular music.
Example is a C major with added 6th: CEGA

Question 12

Melody/Harmony

What is: Harmonic minor scale?

Answer 12

Scale which shares the same key signature as its relative major but raises the 7th note by a semitone.

Question 13

Melody/Harmony

What is: Melodic minor scale?

Answer 13

Scale which shares the same key signature as its relative major but raises the 6th and 7th notes by a semitone ascending, and similarly lowers them descending.

Question 14

Melody/Harmony

What is: Appoggiatura?

Answer 14

An ornament which sounds like a leaning note. It takes half the value of the main note that follows it or two thirds if the main note is dotted.

Question 15

Melody/Harmony

What is: Turn?

Answer 15

Four notes which turn round the main note with the note above, the main note, the note below, and the main note again. An inverted turn starts with the note below reversing the process.

Question 16

Melody/Harmony

What is: Suspension?

Answer 16

This effect occurs when a note from one chord is held over to the next chord creating a discord, and is then resolved by moving one step to make a concord.

Question 17

Melody/Harmony

What is: Tritone?

Answer 17

Interval of an augmented 4th, for example: C-F# or F-B. It is made up of three whole tones.

Question 18

Melody/Harmony

What is: Polytonality/Bitonality

Answer 18

The use of two or more keys played or sung at the same time, eg the melody might be in the key of C major whilst the accompaniment might be in E major. This device was used by many 20th-century composers, eg Bartok, Ives, Holst and Stravinsky.

Question 19

Melody/Harmony

What is: Tone row/Note row?

Answer 19

An arrangement of the 12 notes of the octave which forms the basis of a composition. Each note is as important as another; there are no important notes such as the tonic and dominant. The row can also be used in inversion or retrograde. See Serial.

Question 20

Melody/Harmony

What is: Augmented Triad

Answer 20

This chord is formed by a major triad in which the 5th degree is raised by a semitone.

Question 21

Melody/Harmony

What is: Chords I, IV, V and VI in major and minor keys?

Answer 21

Chords are built on the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of a major or minor scale. Chords I, IV, V and VI are considered to be the primary chords of any key. See your teacher about how to work these out.

Question 22

Melody/Harmony

What is: Chord II and 1st inversion (major keys only)

Answer 22

In an inverted chord, the root is not in the bass (i.e., is not the lowest note). The inversions are numbered in the order their bass tones would appear in a closed root position chord (from bottom to top).
In the first inversion of a C major triad the bass is E—the 3rd of the triad—with the 5th and the root stacked above it (the root now shifted an octave higher), forming the intervals of a minor 3rd and a minor 6th above the inverted bass of E, respectively.