Scale and Chord Formulae Flashcards
What is a degree?
The position of a particular note on a scale relative to the tonic.
What is a whole-tone?
An interval of 2 degrees
What is a semitone?
An interval of 1 degree
What is a musical scale?
Any graduated sequence of notes, tones, or intervals dividing what is called an octave.
What is a key signature?
The main group of pitches, or notes, that form the harmonic foundation of a piece of music.
Every key signature contains a major and minor key called relative keys. How do you determine the relative key for any given key signature?
The minor key is always three semitones below the major key or five semitones above.
What does tonic mean/refer to?
The first note/degree of any diatonic scale (major or minor scale.)
What are the steps in a Major Scale?
Whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half
What are the steps in a Minor Scale?
Whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole
What is the formula for a Pentatonic Major Scale?
Remove the 4th and 7th degree of a major scale
What are the six triads of a major scale?
Major, minor, minor, major, major, minor
What is the formula for a Major Third?
Tonic note and 4 semitones/half steps up/two whole steps
What is the formula for a Minor Third?
Tonic note and 3 semitones/half-steps up or one whole step and one half step up
What is the formula for a Major Triad?
Major third with a minor third added
What is the formula for a Minor Triad?
Minor third with a major third added
