Music Theory Flashcards
7 cards from real BM or BMus Bachelor of Music practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Music Theory flashcards as text
What is the term for a chord progression where the bass moves in descending thirds?
Answer: Descending thirds sequence
A descending thirds sequence (also called a mediant sequence) moves the bass through consecutive thirds downward.
In 12-tone (serial) technique, what is a 'retrograde inversion'?
Answer: The row played backwards and upside-down
Retrograde inversion combines both operations: the intervals of the row are inverted (flipped) and then the result is played in reverse order.
Which term describes two or more melodically independent voices sounding simultaneously?
Answer: Polyphony
Polyphony refers to musical texture in which two or more independent melodic lines are performed simultaneously.
What is the function of a 'bridge' section in a standard 32-bar AABA song form?
Answer: It provides contrast before the final A section returns
The B section (bridge) contrasts with the A sections harmonically and melodically before the final A section recaps the main theme.
Which of the following best defines 'hemiola'?
Answer: A rhythmic pattern that implies a 3:2 ratio against the prevailing meter
Hemiola is a rhythmic device where three beats are grouped in a way that implies two beats (or vice versa), creating a 3:2 cross-rhythm.
What does an 'augmented sixth' chord (e.g., Italian, French, German) typically resolve to?
Answer: The dominant chord (V)
Augmented sixth chords resolve outward by half step to the dominant (V), with the augmented sixth interval expanding to an octave.
In species counterpoint, which species allows only note-against-note writing?
Answer: First species
First species counterpoint places one note in the added voice against each note of the cantus firmus (note-against-note).