Melodic and Rhythmic Dictation Flashcards

You hear a melody in a minor key whose sixth and seventh scale degrees are both raised. Which minor scale form is being used?

Answer: Melodic minor (ascending)

The ascending form of the melodic minor scale raises both scale degrees 6 and 7 to smooth the melodic line toward the octave.

In a rhythmic dictation, you hear a syncopated pattern where the accent falls between the beats. The note on the off-beat is tied to the following downbeat. This is an example of:

Answer: Syncopation

Syncopation places emphasis on normally weak beats or off-beats, often by tying a note across a strong beat.

A melodic dictation passage uses the pitches C-E-G-B. Assuming C is the tonic, these pitches outline which chord quality?

Answer: Major seventh

C-E-G-B forms a major triad with a major seventh, creating a major seventh chord (Cmaj7).

You are transcribing a melody and notice it uses only the five pitches of a pentatonic scale. Which scale degree is typically omitted from a major pentatonic scale?

Answer: Scale degrees 4 and 7

The major pentatonic scale omits scale degrees 4 and 7, eliminating the tritone and half-step tensions.

During melodic dictation, you hear a chromatic passing tone between two diatonic pitches. The chromatic pitch appears:

Answer: On a weak beat, filling a half-step gap

Chromatic passing tones occur on weak beats, moving by half step between two diatonic pitches a whole step apart.

In 5/4 meter, a rhythmic dictation phrase typically subdivides into which two common groupings?

Answer: 3+2 or 2+3

5/4 is most naturally grouped as either 3+2 or 2+3, felt as a long group plus a short group of beats.

You are writing melodic dictation and the phrase ends on scale degree 2 over a dominant chord. This creates a feeling of:

Answer: Incomplete cadence or half cadence

Ending on scale degree 2 (a non-tonic pitch) over the dominant harmony creates an unresolved, half-cadential feeling.