Scales and Progressions

Question 1

Natural minor scale

Answer 1

Both 6 and 7 lowered

Question 2

Harmonic minor scale

Answer 2

6 lowered, 7 heightened

Question 3

Melodic minor scale

Answer 3

Ascending: 6 and 7 high
Descending: 6 and 7 low

Question 4

Diatonic Major Chord Progression Pattern

Answer 4

1 Major
2 Minor
3 Minor
4 Major
5 Major
6 Minor
7 Diminished

Question 5

Diatonic Minor Chord Progression Pattern

Answer 5

1 Minor
2 Diminished
3 Major
4 Minor
5 Minor
6 Major
7 Major

Question 6

Modes are just

Answer 6

Different starting points in a diatonic scale

Question 7

The 7 modes are…

Answer 7

// I Don’t Particularly Like Modes A Lot //
I Ionian (major)
ii Dorian
iii Phrygian
IV Lydian
V Mixolydian
vi Aeolian (minor)
vii Locrian

Question 8

Dorian: how to get there quickly?

Answer 8

Minor scale with raised 6th

Question 9

Phrygian: how to get there?

Answer 9

Minor with lowered 2nd

Question 10

Lydian: how to get there?

Answer 10

Major with raised 4th

Question 11

Mixolydian: how to get there?

Answer 11

Major with lowered 7th (blues-like)

Question 12

Locrian: how to get there?

Answer 12

Minor with lowered 2nd and lowered 5th

Question 13

Melodic vs. harmonic interval

Answer 13

Harmonic means played at the same time

Question 14

Major intervals always invert to

Answer 14

Minor intervals

Question 15

Simple vs compound interval

Answer 15

Simple = everything up to an octave

Question 16

Diatonic means

Answer 16

Involving only the notes in a certain key

Question 17

Is it: diminished minor third, or just diminished third?

Answer 17

Diminished third!

Question 18

Can a tritone also be a diminished fifth?

Answer 18

Yes

Question 19

What are the perfect consonant intervals?

Answer 19

Unison, fourth, fifth, and octave

Question 20

What are the imperfect consonant intervals?

Answer 20

The third and the sixth

Question 21

What are the dissonant intervals?

Answer 21

Major and minor second, major and minor seventh, and any aug. or dim. intervals

Question 22

What does resolution mean?

Answer 22

We go from dissonance to a corresponding consonance

Question 23

Dissonant intervals always want to…

Answer 23

resolve

Question 24

What is the cantus firmus?

Answer 24

The line you can’t change and have to harmonize (“fixed melody”)

Question 25

Step, skip, leap?

Answer 25

Step - second
Skip - third
Leap - greater

Question 26

First species counterpoint: 6 rules for a single melody

Answer 26

1. Begin on 1, 5, or 8.
2. Give all notes the same length.
3. Prefer steps and skips, leap only occasionally.
4. No more than 2 skips in a row.
5. Never leap by tritone or seventh.
6. End on 1 or 8.

Question 27

First species counterpoint: 3 rules for the second melody

Answer 27

1. All intervals between voices are consonant.
2. Parallel perfect consonant interval motion is forbidden (no unisons, fourths, fifths, octaves).
3. Second to last chord should be 6th or 3rd, resolve to octave or unison.

Question 28

First species counterpoint: the 4 types of contrapuntal motion

Answer 28

1. Parallel (same interval)
2. Similar (different intervals, same direction)
3. Oblique (one stays still, other has interval)
4. Contrary (different direction)

Question 29

Is it possible to get parallel octaves through contrary motion?

Answer 29

Yes, by inversions. Avoid!

Question 30

What is hidden parallel motion?

Answer 30

When you skip or leap and one of the notes in-between which would form a parallel between lines

Question 31

What extra rule is there in first species counterpoint for minor scales?

Answer 31

Use the melodic variant (up / down = different)

Question 32

What’s the big thing of second species counterpoint?

Answer 32

2 notes vs. 1 long note in the base

Question 33

What intervals are allowed in second species counterpoint?

Answer 33

On the offbeat, you can have all the dissonances you want (even tritone)

Question 34

In second species counterpoint, dissonant passing tones always…

Answer 34

Have to be stepped in an out of

Question 35

In second species counterpoint, leaps should preferably be placed…

Answer 35

Between on and off beats

Question 36

4 main rules of second species counterpoint

Answer 36

1. All rules of first species apply.
2. Metric accents (1 more important).
3. Dissonants are allowed in the correct place (offbeat).
4. A set of consonant offbeat rules.