Music Transcription Melodic and Interval Recognition 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A melody leaps from C4 up to A4. What interval is this?
- Major 6th (Correct answer)
- Minor 6th
- Major 7th
- Perfect 5th
Correct answer: Major 6th
C to A spans 6 letter names and contains 9 half steps, making it a Major 6th.
Question 2: Which interval is known as a 'tritone' and divides the octave exactly in half?
- Augmented 4th (Correct answer)
- Perfect 4th
- Minor 6th
- Major 3rd
Correct answer: Augmented 4th
The augmented 4th (also called diminished 5th) spans 6 half steps, perfectly bisecting the octave.
Question 3: When transcribing a melody and you hear a stepwise ascending motion by half step, which interval are you notating?
- Minor 2nd (Correct answer)
- Major 2nd
- Diminished 3rd
- Augmented Unison
Correct answer: Minor 2nd
A half-step motion between adjacent pitches is a Minor 2nd (also called a semitone).
Question 4: A phrase ends on the same pitch it began. What is the interval formed between the first and last note?
- Perfect Unison (Correct answer)
- Perfect Octave
- Major 2nd
- Diminished Unison
Correct answer: Perfect Unison
When two identical pitches are sounded in succession or simultaneously, the interval is a Perfect Unison (0 half steps).
Question 5: In ear training, which interval is classically associated with the opening of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'?
- Octave (Correct answer)
- Perfect 5th
- Major 6th
- Minor 7th
Correct answer: Octave
The opening 'Some-where' leap in 'Over the Rainbow' is a Perfect Octave ascending.
Question 6: A melody in C major descends: G4 → E4. What interval does the transcriber notate?
- Minor 3rd
- Major 3rd (Correct answer)
- Perfect 4th
- Major 2nd
Correct answer: Major 3rd
G down to E spans 3 letter names and 4 half steps, making it a descending Major 3rd.
Question 7: Which of the following intervals is considered dissonant in traditional Western tonal harmony?
- Minor 2nd (Correct answer)
- Perfect 5th
- Perfect 4th
- Major 3rd
Correct answer: Minor 2nd
The Minor 2nd (1 half step) creates strong dissonance due to the close acoustic clash between its pitches.
Music Transcription Melodic and Interval Recognition 2
A melody leaps from C4 up to A4.
What interval is this?