Music Theory and Harmony Flashcards

How many sharps are in the key signature of D major?

Answer: Two (F# and C#)

D major has two sharps, F# and C#.

A 'turnaround' at the end of a verse most commonly does what?

Answer: Leads the harmony back to the start of the next section

A turnaround is a short progression that resolves back to the top so the next verse or chorus can begin smoothly.

Which scale would a songwriter use to write a bluesy guitar riff over a country shuffle?

Answer: Minor pentatonic / blues scale

The minor pentatonic with an added flat-five 'blue note' is the foundation of blues and country lead lines.

Playing a C major chord with E as the lowest note is an example of:

Answer: First inversion (C/E)

When the third (E) is in the bass, the chord is in first inversion, written C/E.

What is the primary harmonic function of the IV chord in a major key?

Answer: Subdominant — it moves away from tonic toward dominant

The IV (subdominant) chord pulls away from the tonic and typically sets up the dominant.

If a song modulates up a half step for the final chorus (a 'truck driver's gear change'), a song in C would move to:

Answer: C# (Db) major

A half-step modulation raises the key by one semitone, taking C to C#/Db major.

Which two notes form a tritone, the most dissonant interval often used to create tension?

Answer: B and F

B to F spans six semitones, an augmented fourth/diminished fifth known as the tritone.