Music Theory and Analysis
Music Theory and Analysis
The Music Theory and Analysis domain checks whether you can read, spell, and explain tonal and post-tonal structures quickly enough to teach them. Expect items on clefs, key signatures, intervals, scales and modes, chord quality and inversion, Roman-numeral function, cadences, phrase structure, and common forms; some questions ask for error detection in a notated line.
Core rules
- Key signatures: order of sharps F–C–G–D–A–E–B; flats B–E–A–D–G–C–F. The last sharp is the leading tone of the major key; the next-to-last flat names the major key.
- Interval quality depends on a major-scale reference: major, minor, perfect, augmented, diminished. Invert intervals by subtracting from 9 and reversing quality (M↔m, P↔P, A↔d).
- Triads: major (M3 + m3), minor (m3 + M3), diminished (m3 + m3), augmented (M3 + M3). Seventh chords add a seventh above the root.
- Roman numerals show scale-degree roots and quality; inversion figures (6, 6/4, 7, 6/5, 4/3, 4/2) show bass position.
- Cadences: PAC (V–I, soprano on tonic), IAC (V–I, soprano not on tonic), HC (ends on V), PC (IV–I).
Worked example
In A minor, spell the chord G♯–B–D–F and label it. A minor's key signature has no sharps or flats, but harmonic minor raises scale degree 7 (G to G♯). G♯ is the leading tone; a diminished triad on G♯ is G♯–B–D, and adding F (scale degree 6) makes a fully diminished seventh chord. Label: vii°7. If the bass were B, the figure would be 6/5, not root position.
Traps
Do not call every minor-key dominant chord major: natural minor gives v, harmonic minor gives V. Do not confuse relative keys (same signature) with parallel keys (same tonic). Inversion figures describe the bass, not the root. A secondary dominant is labeled V/x, not a new tonic without confirmation.