Music Transcription Chord Quality and Inversions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which note is in the bass when a major triad is in second inversion?
- The root
- The third
- The fifth (Correct answer)
- The seventh
Correct answer: The fifth
Second inversion places the fifth in the bass, with the root and third above it.
Question 2: A diminished seventh chord is built by stacking which interval repeatedly?
- Major thirds
- Minor thirds (Correct answer)
- Perfect fourths
- Augmented seconds
Correct answer: Minor thirds
A diminished seventh chord consists entirely of stacked minor thirds (three minor thirds above the root).
Question 3: What chord quality results from a root, major third, and augmented fifth?
- Major
- Augmented (Correct answer)
- Dominant seventh
- Minor
Correct answer: Augmented
A root, major third, and augmented fifth (raised fifth) define an augmented triad.
Question 4: In figured bass notation, the symbol '6/4' indicates which inversion?
- Root position
- First inversion
- Second inversion (Correct answer)
- Third inversion
Correct answer: Second inversion
The 6/4 figure represents second inversion, with intervals of a sixth and fourth above the bass note.
Question 5: Which chord contains a tritone between its root and fifth?
- Major triad
- Minor triad
- Diminished triad (Correct answer)
- Augmented triad
Correct answer: Diminished triad
A diminished triad has a diminished fifth (tritone) between its root and fifth.
Question 6: A half-diminished seventh chord (ø7) differs from a fully diminished seventh chord in which way?
- It has a major third
- It has a minor seventh instead of a diminished seventh (Correct answer)
- It has an augmented fifth
- It has a major seventh
Correct answer: It has a minor seventh instead of a diminished seventh
A half-diminished seventh (ø7) has a minor seventh on top, while fully diminished (°7) has a diminished seventh.
Question 7: When transcribing a chord in first inversion, how does the bass note relate to the chord root?
- The bass note is the same as the root
- The bass note is a third above the root (Correct answer)
- The bass note is a fifth above the root
- The bass note is a seventh above the root
Correct answer: The bass note is a third above the root
In first inversion, the third of the chord appears in the bass, making it a third above the root.
Music Transcription Chord Quality and Inversions 2
Which note is in the bass when a major triad is in second inversion?