Music Theory I

Keith Weidner
keithw@iconcollective.com

Office Hours:
3PM - 4PM
Wednesdays
Music Theory I MIDTERM Study Guide
Question 1 Question 14
The formula to create any major scale is: If you begin at the top center of the Circle of Fifths [C major / A minor],
and move counterclockwise, the order of flats added to each successive
Question 2 key signature is: B________
The formula to build a minor scale is:
Question 15
Question 3 Which notes give you the G# minor scale?
Ascending Interval: C to Ab 
Question 16
Question 4 Which of the following series of notes gives you the B♭ minor scale?
The fourth chord in any major scale is always__________?
Question 17
Question 5
Which note of a chord determines whether a chord is major or minor in quality?
What tool can be useful in helping you understand the relationship
of different keys to each other?
Question 18
True or false: A major chord consists of a root note, a major 3rd,
Question 6
and a perfect 5th
If you begin at the top center of the Circle of Fifths [C major / A minor], and
move clockwise, the order of sharps added to each successive key signature is:
Question 19
F______
True or false: A minor chord consists of a root note, a minor 3rd,
and a diminished 5th.
Question 7
What is an example of a perfect 4th?
Question 20
What are the 3 notes in a G Major Triad
Question 8
Which notes give you the D Major scale?
Question 21
What are the 3 notes in a Eb Major Triad?
Question 9
The second chord of any minor scale is what type of chord?
Question 22
What kind of chord is a IV Chord?
Question 10
What is an example of a Major 6th?
Question 23
What kind of chord is a vii° Chord?
Question 11
What is an example of a Minor 3rd?
Question 24
What kind of chord is a i Chord?
Question 12
How many unique notes are in the major scale?
Question 25
What are the 3 notes in a C# minor Triad
Question 13
Between the C major and C minor scales, which scale degrees are different?
 B. E. A. D. Greatest Common Factor

Order of Sharps
Order of Flats

2nd to last flat =

major key

1/2 step above

Last sharp=
major key

Fat Cows Go Down And Eat Berries

 Order of Flats:
BEADGCF
B. E. A. D. Greatest Common Factor
Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’
Father
Order of Sharps:
FCGDAEB
Fat Cows Go Down And Eat Berries
Father Charles Goes Down And Ends
Battle
 Triads

Triad = A chord made up of three notes

Kinds of triads:
Major
Minor
Diminished
(Augmented)

“Diatonic” = notes in a scale

 Triads
Major: Root + M3 + P5
____________________
Minor: Root + m3 + P5
____________________
Diminished: Root + m3 + Dim 5
 If Triads were tacos LOL
Major: Root M3 P5
____________________
Beef Taco w/ pico: Torilla
+ Beef + Pico

Minor: Root m3 P5
____________________
Chicken Taco w/ pico:Torilla
+ Chicken + Pico

Diminished: Root m3 Dim 5

Chicken Taco w/ jalapeño:Torilla + Chicken + Jalapeño
 Major Triad Chord
Major Triads are “4 half steps - 3 half steps” 5 Perfect Fifth
3 Major Third
1 Root
C Major triad

C D E F G A B C

1, 4 & 5 chords in Major (I, IV, V)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 3, 6 & 7 chords in minor (III, VI, VII)
W W H W W W H Major scale formula
 Minor Triad Chord
Minor Triads are “3 half steps - 4 half steps” 5 Perfect Fifth
3 Minor Third
1 Root
a minor triad

A B C D E F G A

2, 3 & 6 chords in Major (ii, iii, iv)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
1, 4 & 5 chords in minor (i, iv, v)
Minor scale formula: W H W W H W W
 Diminished Triad Chord
5 Diminished Fifth Diminished Triads are “3 half steps - 3 half steps”
3 Minor Third
1 Root
b diminished triad

A B C D E F G A

7 chord in Major (viiº)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
2 chord in minor (iiº)
Minor scale formula: W H W W H W W
 Major
1 MAJOR (Ionian):
WWHWWWH
C Major:
CDEFGAB “Diatonic” = in the key of
“Triads” = a set of three notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C dm em F Maj G Maj am b dim
Major Minor minor Major Major minor bº
diminished

I ii iii IV V vi viiº
Roman Numerals
 Major
1 I C Maj Beginning of a happy story
2 ii dm Enduring misery
3 iii em Sad resolution of plot point
4 IV F Maj A pleasing change of events
5 V G Maj Strong climactic change of emotion
6 vi am More sadness
7 viiº b dim A striking twist
1 I C Maj Happy Ending
 Minor
6 MINOR (Aeolian): “Diatonic” = in the key of
WHWWHWW

a minor:
ABCDEFG
“Triads” = a set of three notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
am b dim C maj dm em F Maj G Maj
minor diminished Major minor minor Major Major

i iiº III iv v VI VII

Roman Numerals
 Minor
1 i am Beginning of a sad story
2 iiº b dim A gripping plot twist

3 III C Maj A satisfying resolution

4 iv dm A somber plot twist
5 v em A terrible climax
6 VI F Maj Enjoying a moment,
7 VII G Maj A hopeful change, optimistic
1 i am A sorrowful return home
 Scale Formulas

Major:
W W H W WW H
minor:
WHWWHWW
1. FORMULA:
2. ALWAYS Alphabetical Order
NEVER skip letter or use same letter twice
* stay in “flat-land” OR “sharp-land”
Minor | Major
i Am
iiº Bº
III C I C
iv Dm ii Dm
v Em iii Em
VI F IV F
VII G VG
vi Am
viiº Bº
Minor | Major
i Am
iiº Bº
III C I C
iv Dm ii Dm
v Em iii Em
VI F IV F
VII G VG
vi Am
viiº Bº
Relative =
Same notes,
different ROOT Example:
C Major: C D E F G A B
A minor: A B C D E F G
3 half steps down from major = relative minor
The 6th scale degree from major = relative minor
The 3rd scale degree from minor = relative major
Parallel =
Same ROOT,
Example: different notes
C Major: C D E F G A B
C minor: C D Eb F G Ab Bb
3, 6 & 7 LOWERED 1/2 step from major to parallel minor
3, 6 & 7 RAISED 1/2 step from minor to parallel major
 Scale Formulas
Major:
1. FORMULA:
2. ALWAYS Alphabetical Order WWHWWWH
NEVER skip letter or use same letter twice
* stay in “flat-land” OR “sharp-land”
 Scale Formulas
minor:
1. FORMULA:
2. ALWAYS Alphabetical Order WHWWHWW
NEVER skip letter or use same letter twice
* stay in “flat-land” OR “sharp-land”
 Interval Cheat Sheet
Keith Weidner
Perfect Unison (PU) = 0 half-steps: Rihanna - Umbrella
Minor Second (m2) = 1 half-step: Jaws
Major Second (M2) = 2 half-steps: Happy Birthday
Minor 3rd (m3) = 3 half-steps: Lullaby
Major 3rd (M3) = 4 half-steps: Rocky
Perfect 4th (P4) = 5 half-steps: Wedding Song
Augmented 4th (A4/Tritone) = 6 half-steps:The Simpsons
Diminished 5th (D4/Tritone) = 6 half-steps:The Simpsons
Perfect 5th (P5) = 7 half-steps: Star Wars
Minor 6th (m6) = 8 half-steps: We are Young - Fun
Major 6th (M6) = 9 half-steps: NBC Theme
Minor 7th (m7) = 10 half-steps: Somewhere (West Side Story)
Major 7th (M7) = 11 half-steps: Take On Me
Perfect Octave (P8) = 12 half-steps: Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Rhythm Notation

$4 4 Beats

$2 2 Beats

$1 1 Beat

$.50 1/2 Beat

Tapping Rhythms
Time Signature

____________________

Top Number = Numerator 3

___
Beats per bar

Bottom Number = Denominator 4 Note that gets the beat

Notation

The Staff

5 4
4 3
3 2
2 1
1

Lines Spaces