General Music Theory

Question 2

major key

Answer 2

The major scale is one of the most commonly used musical scales, especially in Western music. It is one of the diatonic scales

Like many musical scales, it is made up of seven notes: the eighth duplicates the first at double its frequency so that it is called a higher octave of the same note.

Question 3

minor key

Answer 3

In music theory, the minor scale has three scale patterns

1. the natural minor scale
2. the harmonic minor scale
3. the melodic minor scale – mirroring the major scale, with its harmonic and melodic forms

Question 4

relative minor

Answer 4

The relative minor of a particular major key, or the relative major of a minor key, is the key which has the same key signature but a different tonic

Question 5

diatonic scales

Answer 5

Diatonic scales are scales that have seven notes, consisting of five whole steps and two half steps

They are also called the basic scales or the “natural scales.”

Question 6

tonic

Answer 6

the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone that is commonly used in the final cadence in tonal classical music, popular music, and traditional music

Question 7

technical names

Answer 7

Tonic: 1st note (or degree) of the scale
Supertonic: 2nd degree
Mediant: 3rd degree
Subdominant: 4th degree
Dominant: 5th degree
Submediant: 6th degree
Leading tone: 7th degree

Question 8

semitone

Answer 8

a half step

Question 9

root note

Answer 9

A root note is the main note on which a chord is built. It is the foundation, or root, of the chord

For example, the three notes G, B, and D form a G major chord. The note G is the chord’s root note

Question 10

circle of fifths

Answer 10

In music theory, the circle of fifths is a way of organizing the 12 chromatic pitches as a sequence of perfect fifths

If C is chosen as a starting point, the sequence is: C, G, D, A, E, B, F♯, C♯, A♭, E♭, B♭, F