2/9 2. Pitch, Scales, and Key Signatures Free Online FlashCards

What is pitch?

Pitch is the perceived highness or lowness of a sound.

What is a half step?

A half step, or semitone, is the smallest commonly used distance between adjacent keys or pitches in the twelve-tone system.

How large is a whole step?

A whole step equals two half steps.

What are enharmonic equivalents?

Enharmonic equivalents are written notes that sound the same in equal temperament but have different spellings, such as C♯ and D♭.

What is the major-scale step pattern?

The major-scale pattern is W–W–H–W–W–W–H.

Write the D major scale.

D major is D–E–F♯–G–A–B–C♯–D.

What is the natural-minor step pattern?

The natural-minor pattern is W–H–W–W–H–W–W.

How does harmonic minor differ from natural minor?

Harmonic minor raises scale degree 7 of the natural minor by one half step, creating a leading tone.

How does traditional melodic minor change ascending and descending?

Traditional ascending melodic minor raises scale degrees 6 and 7; descending melodic minor returns to the natural-minor form.

What defines relative keys?

Relative keys share a key signature but have different tonics, such as C major and A minor.

What is the order of sharps in key signatures?

The sharp order is F♯–C♯–G♯–D♯–A♯–E♯–B♯.

How do you identify a major key from flats?

For a flat signature, the second-to-last flat names the major key; the one-flat exception is F major.