Music Transcription FREE Music Transcription Harmonic Dictation and Analysis Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When transcribing a harmonic dictation, which chord typically precedes the tonic in a half cadence?
- The dominant chord (Correct answer)
- The subdominant chord
- The mediant chord
- The supertonic chord
Correct answer: The dominant chord
A half cadence ends on the dominant chord (V), which creates a sense of incompleteness before resolving to the tonic.
Question 2: In harmonic analysis, what Roman numeral represents a secondary dominant resolving to the supertonic in a major key?
- V/ii (Correct answer)
- V/IV
- V/vi
- V/iii
Correct answer: V/ii
V/ii is the secondary dominant that tonicizes the supertonic chord, functioning as a temporary dominant of ii.
Question 3: During a harmonic dictation in C major, you hear the bass notes C-F-D-G-C; what is the most likely harmonic progression?
- I-IV-ii-V-I (Correct answer)
- I-IV-V-ii-I
- I-ii-IV-V-I
- I-vi-ii-V-I
Correct answer: I-IV-ii-V-I
The bass notes C-F-D-G-C correspond to the roots of I-IV-ii-V-I, a standard diatonic progression.
Question 4: Which interval in the bass voice most reliably signals a deceptive cadence when transcribing a four-part chorale?
- The bass moves up a step from the dominant root (Correct answer)
- The bass leaps down a fifth from the dominant root
- The bass remains on the same pitch
- The bass moves down a step from the dominant root
Correct answer: The bass moves up a step from the dominant root
In a deceptive cadence, the bass typically moves up by step from scale degree 5 to scale degree 6 (V to vi).
Question 5: When analyzing a Neapolitan sixth chord in a harmonic dictation, which scale degree is found in the bass?
- The fourth scale degree (Correct answer)
- The lowered second scale degree
- The sixth scale degree
- The fifth scale degree
Correct answer: The fourth scale degree
The Neapolitan sixth chord is in first inversion, placing the fourth scale degree in the bass.
Question 6: In a harmonic dictation, how can you best distinguish between a French augmented sixth chord and a German augmented sixth chord?
- The French has an augmented fourth above the bass while the German has a perfect fifth (Correct answer)
- The French resolves to I while the German resolves to V
- The French uses a minor third above the bass while the German uses a major third
- The French is found only in major keys while the German is found only in minor keys
Correct answer: The French has an augmented fourth above the bass while the German has a perfect fifth
The French augmented sixth chord contains an augmented fourth above the bass, while the German augmented sixth has a perfect fifth above the bass.
Music Transcription FREE Music Transcription Harmonic Dictation and Analysis Questions and Answers 2
When transcribing a harmonic dictation, which chord typically precedes the tonic in a half cadence?