9th-Grade Study Guide 4

Music Theory

Download a Microsoft Word version HERE.

1. The building block of western harmony is the third.
2. A third is the interval formed between two notes that lie on consecutive lines or spaces.
3. The two most commonly used thirds are major and minor.
4. A major third consists of four half steps.
5. A minor third consists of three half steps.
6. Three notes on consecutive lines or spaces form a triad.
7. Four notes on consecutive lines or spaces form a seventh chord.
8. Five notes on consecutive lines or spaces form a ninth chord.
9. Six notes on consecutive lines or spaces form an eleventh chord.
10. Seven notes on consecutive lines or spaces form a thirteenth chord.
11. When analyzing a chord or triad you must first arrange the notes so they lie on consecutive lines or spaces.
12. Once the notes of a chord or triad are arranged on consecutive lines or spaces, the lowest note is the tonic or letter name.
13. The quality of a chord is determined by the arrangement of major and minor thirds found within the chord.
14. To determine the quality of a triad, compare the notes to the major scale as follows:
    • no change = major
    • flat 3 = minor
    • flat 3 & 5 = diminished
    • sharp 5 = augmented
15. To determine the quality of a seventh chord, compare the notes to the major scale as follows:
    • no change = MM7
    • flat 7 = Mm7
    • flat 3 & 7 = mm7
    • flat 3, 5, & 7 = half diminished 7
    • flat 3, 5, & double flat 7 = fully diminished 7
16. The following diagrams illustrate the construction of the various triads and seventh chords. The large boxes represent major thirds, the small boxes represent minor thirds.
17. The major key signatures are as follows: C=0, F=1♭, B♭=2♭, E♭=3♭, A♭=4♭, D♭=5♭, G♭=6♭, C♭=7♭, G=1♯, D=2♯, A=3♯, E=4♯, B=5♯, F♯=6♯, C♯=7♯.
18. The minor key signatures are as follows: a=0, d=1♭, g=2♭, c=3♭, f=4♭, b♭=5♭, e♭=6b, a♭=7b, e=1♯, b=2♯, f♯=3♯, c♯=4♯, g♯=5#, d♯=6♯, a♯=7♯.
19. The order of the flats is B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭.
20. The order of the sharps is F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯.
21. A chord or triad is inverted by transposing one of more of the lower notes to a higher octave.
22. The names of the scale tones are as follows: 1(do) = tonic, 2(re) = supertonic, 3(mi) = mediant, 4(fa) = subdominant, 5(sol) = dominant, 6(la) = submediant, 7(ti) = leading tone.
23. The names of the modes are as follows: 1 = Ionian or major, 2 = Dorian, 3 = Phrygian, 4 = Lydian, 5 = Mixolydian, 6 = Aeolian, 7 = Locrian.
24. Ending a minor composition with a major chord is called a Picardy third.
25. The standard resolution of a seventh chord is as follows: 5(sol) resolves to 5(sol) or 1(do), 7(ti) resolves to 1(do), 9(re) resolves to 1(do) or 3(mi), and 11(fa) resolves to 3(mi).
26. Upper case Roman numerals are used to indicate major triads. Examples: V, IV, etc.
27. Lower case Roman numerals are used to indicate minor triads. Examples: ii, vi, etc.
28. Lower case Roman numerals with a degrees sign are used to indicate diminished triads. Example: viiº