Music Theory and Harmony Flashcards
7 cards from real Songwriters 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 and Harmony flashcards as text
What is the relative minor of G major?
Answer: E minor
The relative minor sits on the sixth degree of the major scale, which is E in G major, and shares the same key signature.
A 'secondary dominant' such as V/V in the key of C would most likely be which chord?
Answer: D major (D7)
V/V is the dominant of the dominant; the dominant is G, and G's dominant is D major.
Which time signature would a songwriter choose for a classic waltz feel?
Answer: 3/4
A waltz has a strong three-beat pulse, notated as 3/4 with one beat per quarter note.
What distinguishes a suspended (sus4) chord from a major chord?
Answer: The third is replaced by the fourth
A sus4 chord replaces the major or minor third with the perfect fourth, creating an unresolved, open sound.
In the Nashville Number System, the number '4' in a song written in the key of A refers to which chord?
Answer: D
The 4 chord is built on the fourth scale degree; in A major that is D.
Which cadence (V to I) gives the strongest, most conclusive sense of ending?
Answer: Authentic (perfect) cadence
A perfect authentic cadence moves dominant to tonic with both chords in root position, giving the most final resolution.
A songwriter adds a 'flat seven' to a major chord to make it lead toward the IV chord. This new chord functions as a:
Answer: Dominant seventh acting as a secondary dominant
Adding a flat seven to the tonic turns it into a dominant seventh that pulls toward IV, a common blues and country move.