All Flashcards
Identify: Natural minor scale.
Sad or melancholy sound; no strong leading tone.
Identify: Harmonic minor scale.
Dramatic sound; strong leading tone.
Identify: Melodic minor scale.
Smooth sound; different ascending and descending.
Define 'parallel key'.
Major and minor key sharing the same tonic.
Define 'relative minor'.
Minor key sharing the same key signature as a major key; tonic is a minor third below the major key's tonic.
What is a natural minor scale?
A minor scale with the pattern W-H-W-W-H-W-W.
What is a harmonic minor scale?
A natural minor scale with a raised 7th scale degree.
What is a melodic minor scale?
A minor scale with raised 6th and 7th degrees ascending, and reverts to natural minor descending.
Define 'leading tone'.
The 7th scale degree of a scale, especially when it is a half step below the tonic.
What is the tonic?
The first scale degree; the tonal center.
What is the supertonic?
The second scale degree.
What is the mediant?
The third scale degree.
What is the subdominant?
The fourth scale degree.
What is the dominant?
The fifth scale degree.
What is the submediant?
The sixth scale degree.
What alterations create a natural minor scale from its parallel major?
Flatten the 3rd, 6th, and 7th scale degrees.
How is a harmonic minor scale constructed?
Raise (sharp) the 7th scale degree of the natural minor scale.
Describe the ascending form of the melodic minor scale.
Raise (sharp) both the 6th and 7th scale degrees of the natural minor scale.
Describe the descending form of the melodic minor scale.
Use the natural minor scale (cancel the sharps from the ascending form).
What is the i chord in a minor key?
A minor chord.
What is the ii chord in a minor key?
Usually a fully diminished chord (ii°), but sometimes half-diminished (iiø) if the 6th is raised.
What is the III chord in a minor key?
Usually a major chord (III).
What is the V chord in a minor key?
A major chord (V) created by sharping the 7th degree of the scale.
What is the solfege for the 3rd degree in a minor key?
"Me" (flat 3rd)
What is the solfege for the 6th degree in a minor key?
"Le" (flat 6th)
What is the solfege for the raised 6th degree in a melodic minor key?
"La"