Music Transcription Harmonic Dictation and Analysis 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In harmonic dictation, how is the German augmented sixth chord (Ger+6) different from the Italian augmented sixth (It+6)?
- The German has a perfect fifth above the bass; Italian does not (Correct answer)
- The German omits the fifth; Italian includes it
- The German uses a tritone; Italian uses a perfect fourth
- They are identical in pitch content
Correct answer: The German has a perfect fifth above the bass; Italian does not
The German augmented sixth chord adds a perfect fifth above the bass compared to the Italian, giving it four pitches total.
Question 2: What harmonic function does the ii chord serve in a typical tonal progression?
- Tonic function
- Dominant function
- Pre-dominant function (Correct answer)
- Mediant function
Correct answer: Pre-dominant function
The ii chord serves a pre-dominant function, often moving to V or V7 to set up the dominant-to-tonic resolution.
Question 3: When you hear a bass line descending chromatically from tonic to dominant, this progression is called what?
- A lament bass (Correct answer)
- A ground bass
- A walking bass
- A basso continuo
Correct answer: A lament bass
A lament bass is a descending chromatic bass line from tonic to dominant, historically associated with expressions of grief in Baroque music.
Question 4: In analysis, what does the symbol 'CT°7' refer to?
- A common-tone diminished seventh chord (Correct answer)
- A cadential tonic diminished seventh
- A chromatic tritone seventh chord
- A complete tonic seventh chord
Correct answer: A common-tone diminished seventh chord
CT°7 stands for common-tone diminished seventh, a chord that shares one pitch with the chord it embellishes.
Question 5: Which Roman numeral represents a major chord built on the third scale degree in a minor key (raised)?
- III (Correct answer)
- iii
- III+
- bIII
Correct answer: III
In a minor key, the chord built on the third scale degree using the natural minor scale is a major triad, labeled III.
Question 6: A chord progression of I–V6–I6–IV is an example of which type of harmonic pattern?
- A sequence
- A bass arpeggiation with harmonization (Correct answer)
- A modulation
- A secondary dominant chain
Correct answer: A bass arpeggiation with harmonization
This progression arpeggiate the tonic chord through inversions while harmonizing the bass with passing chords.
Question 7: In harmonic dictation, what clue helps distinguish a IV chord from a ii6 chord when the bass is the same note?
- The bass note pitch
- The upper voice notes and overall chord quality (Correct answer)
- The rhythmic placement
- The dynamic level
Correct answer: The upper voice notes and overall chord quality
IV and ii6 share the same bass note but differ in their upper voices: IV has root-third-fifth while ii6 has third-fifth-root of the ii chord.
Music Transcription Harmonic Dictation and Analysis 5
In harmonic dictation, how is the German augmented sixth chord (Ger+6) different from the Italian augmented sixth (It+6)?