Scales, Chords, Intervals

Question 1

Name the half step distances for each major interval:

2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th

Answer 1

maj 2nd - 2
maj 3rd - 4
maj 6th - 9
maj 7th - 11

Question 2

Name all of the half step distances for each 4th/5th interval

perfect 4th, aug 4th, dim 5th, perfect 5th

Answer 2

perfect 4th - 5
aug 4th - 6
dim 5th - 6
perfect 5th - 7

(aug or dim depends on which main note key is referenced)

*also known as tritone
*no min/maj for 4th and 5th

Question 3

Name the half step distances for each minor interval:

2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th

Answer 3

min 2nd - 1
min 3rd - 3
min 6th - 8
min 7th - 10

Question 4

Minor Scale Formula (in whole/half steps)

Chord Order

Answer 4

WHWWHWW

Min, Dim, Maj, Min, Min, Maj, Maj

Question 5

Minor chords have what intervals?

Diminished chords have what intervals?

Answer 5

Minor - min 3rd and perf 5th

Diminished - min 3rd and dim 5th

Question 6

What are relative scales?

How to find the major relative scale from a minor and vice versa?

Answer 6

Different scales (maj/min) that use the same notes

For major scale the 6th note is the minor scale

For minor scale the 3rd note is the major scale

Question 7

Major Scale Formula (in whole/half steps)

Chord Order

Answer 7

WWHWWWH

Maj, Min, Min, Maj, Maj, Min, Dim

Question 8

What is a diatonic chord?

What labeling are they usually described in?

Answer 8

Any chord that uses notes that are in the scale its played in

Roman Numerals - uppercase for maj and lower case for min: “i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii

Question 9

What are the different types of 7th Chords?

Answer 9

Maj 7th (Maj7) - Maj triad Maj 7
Min 7th (m7) - min triad min 7th
Dominant 7th (7) - Maj triad min 7th

Question 10

What are chord inversions and specify what the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd inversions are.

Answer 10

When a chord is played without root as the lowest note.

1st inversion - root note is the highest note
2nd inversion - root note is the middle note
3rd inversion - root chord + 7th as the lowest note

*when inverting intervals they become the opposite quality as the original (minor/major)

Question 11

What is voice leading?

Answer 11

When you utilize chord inversions to keep playing the common notes between chords - makes smoother transitions

Connects chords reducing movement in changing chords

Question 12

What are slash cords? What does it determine?

Answer 12

A way to refer to “bassline inversions”

When written on a tab or sheet music sometimes there are two chords listed with the first letter being the main chord and the second letter indicating the bass inversion

EX: C/G

Main C chord but playing G for the bassline

Question 13

For minor triads - what is the step distance between root + 2nd note?

2nd + 3rd note?

Answer 13

3 semitones + 4 semitones = perf 5th

(Root note + minor 3rd + perf 4th)

Question 14

For major triads - what is the step distance between root + 2nd note?

2nd + 3rd note?

Answer 14

4 semitone + 3 semitones = perf 5th

(Root note + major 3rd + min 3rd)

Question 15

Name the minor chord groups that have the same shape

What are the B/W keys for D#, A# and B?

Answer 15

• C F G
• C# F# G#
• D E A

D# - all black
A# - BBW
B - BWW

Question 16

Name the major chord groups that have the same shape

What are the B/W keys for F#, Bb and B?

Answer 16

• C F G
• Db Eb Ab
• D E A
• F# - all black
• Bb -BWW
• B - BBW

Question 17

Name the diminhed chord groups that have the same shape

What are the key colors for each?

Answer 17

• C# F# G# (BWW)
• D E A (WWB)
• C D (WBB)
• D# A# (BBW)
• F , B (WBW)

Question 18

What is a suspension?

What does it mean when there is a 4-3 chord suspension?

Answer 18

Taking a note from a previous chord and hold it when playing notes in the next chord.

In the chord change - the 4th note of the root chord is held and then it resolves to the 3rd note.

4-3 is the most common and effective
*it is better to invert chords before adding suspension to see how the chords relate to each other

Question 19

What is anticipation?

Answer 19

Playing the first chord with a note from the next chord before resolving.

Question 20

What are sus chords?

What determines their name?

Answer 20

Chords where the 3rd note in the triad is replaced with another note interval to create a “suspension”

Sus 2 - replacing 3rd interval with 2nd interval
Sus 4 - replacing 3rd interval with 4th interval

Question 21

What is a neighboring tone?

Answer 21

Playing a note in the main chord - going to a tone next to it and then moving back to the original note

Question 22

What is a passing tone?

Answer 22

Playing a note in the main chord, playing a tone next to it and then “passing” to the next tone

whereas neighboring you go back

Question 23

What are add note chords?

What is a C maj Add 2 chord? C maj Add 9?

Answer 23

harmonies that include neighboring/passing tones

CmajAdd2 = CDEG
CmajAdd9 = same as Add2 but D can be played outside the triad

Question 24

What are the step amounts between each note for the following triads?

Major
Minor
Diminshed

Answer 24

Major - Root + 4 + 3
(maj 3rd + min 3rd)
*from root - maj 3rd perf 5th

Minor - Root + 3 + 4
(min 3rd + maj 3rd)
*from root - min 3rd perf 5th

Diminshed - Root + 3 + 3
(min 3rd + min 3rd)
*from root - min 3rd dim 5th