Music Transcription Melodic and Interval Recognition 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A melody in a minor key leaps from A4 up to F5. What interval is formed?
- Minor 6th (Correct answer)
- Major 6th
- Perfect 5th
- Augmented 5th
Correct answer: Minor 6th
A to F spans 6 letter names and 8 half steps, which is a Minor 6th.
Question 2: In a transcription exercise, you hear a descending leap that sounds like the opening of 'Joy to the World.' What interval is it?
- Major 2nd (Correct answer)
- Perfect 4th
- Major 3rd
- Perfect 5th
Correct answer: Major 2nd
The opening descending leap of 'Joy to the World' moves by a Major 2nd (whole step) from the tonic downward.
Question 3: What is the quality of the interval formed between the 1st and 7th scale degrees in a natural minor scale?
- Minor 7th (Correct answer)
- Major 7th
- Diminished 7th
- Augmented 6th
Correct answer: Minor 7th
In natural minor, the 7th scale degree is a whole step below the octave, forming a Minor 7th from the tonic.
Question 4: A transcriber hears a melody jump from C4 to Eb4. How should this interval be labeled?
- Minor 3rd (Correct answer)
- Diminished 3rd
- Augmented 2nd
- Major 2nd
Correct answer: Minor 3rd
C to Eb spans 3 letter names and 3 half steps, which is a Minor 3rd.
Question 5: Which interval quality is produced when a Perfect interval is decreased by one half step?
- Diminished (Correct answer)
- Minor
- Augmented
- Flat
Correct answer: Diminished
Lowering a Perfect interval (unison, 4th, 5th, octave) by a half step creates a Diminished interval.
Question 6: When transcribing a melody that uses a raised 6th and 7th in minor, which scale form is most likely being used?
- Melodic minor (ascending) (Correct answer)
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor
- Dorian mode
Correct answer: Melodic minor (ascending)
Melodic minor raises both the 6th and 7th scale degrees ascending to avoid the augmented 2nd interval in harmonic minor.
Question 7: A melody note is C#5 followed by D5. What interval is this ascending motion?
- Minor 2nd (Correct answer)
- Major 2nd
- Augmented Unison
- Diminished 2nd
Correct answer: Minor 2nd
C# to D spans 2 letter names and 1 half step, which is a Minor 2nd (diatonic half step).
Music Transcription Melodic and Interval Recognition 5
A melody in a minor key leaps from A4 up to F5.
What interval is formed?