NYSTCE: Music Content
Authentic Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer The dominant sounding cadence that goes from a five chord to
the tonic chord. This cadence is considered to be the strongest sounding cadence due to the presence of
the supertonic to tonic progression as well as the leading tone to tonic progression.
Perfect Authentic Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer Has both the roots of the five and one chords sounding
in the bass with the tonic as the highest-sounding note on the final chord.
Imperfect Authentic Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer This cadence may not have the tonic as the highest
pitch and may have an inverted chord.
Plagal Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer The subdominant sounding harmony that goes from a four chord to
the tonic chord. This cadence isn't considered to be as strong due to how it doesn't contain the leading
tone and is often used as an extension of the authentic cadence.
Deceptive Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer This dominant-sounding cadence is when the five chord goes to
the six chord. In this cadence, the tonic of the chord acts as the third or the fifth of the final chord
instead of the root. The purpose of this cadence is to avoid an ending and can also be used as a
transitional technique to a new section in music.
Half Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer Any harmony progressing to a dominant harmony. A common half
cadence is the I 6/4 chord going to the five chord. With is particular progression of the half cadence, the
bass note remains the same in both chords.
Phrygian half cadence - ✔✔ correct answer When the first inversion subdominant chord proceeds to the
dominant similarly in the Phrygian mode.
Lydian half cadence - ✔✔ correct answer When a first inversion subdominant chord is raised by a half
step and then resolved to the dominant.
Perfect Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer Applies to the authentic cadence and the plagal cadence and is
when both of the chords are in root position and the tonic pitch sounds in the highest voice.
, NYSTCE: Music Content
Circle of fifths - ✔✔ correct answer Describes the relationship and pattern of major and minor keys from
one to the next as they move up or down in fifths. The purpose of it is so that way, with enharmonic
naming, it goes through all twelve keys back to C as you go up a fifth starting at C.
What is the pattern of the minor scale? (whole steps and half steps) - ✔✔ correct answer Whole-half-
whole-whole-half-whole-whole.
Harmonic minor scale - ✔✔ correct answer When the natural minor scale has a raised seventh scale
degree.
Melodic minor scale - ✔✔ correct answer When the minor scale has a raised sixth and seventh scale
degree on the way up which are then lowered on the way down.
Whole tone scale - ✔✔ correct answer A scale that has a whole step in between every note. This scale is
usually used to give a feeling of vague suspiciousness.
Chromatic scale - ✔✔ correct answer When the scale has all twelve pitches of an octave with a half step
in between each pitch. This scale is usually used by composers as a tool to increase complexity.
Twelve-tone music - ✔✔ correct answer A method of composing that was developed by Arnold
Schoenberg (a leading Austrian composer) in the early 1920s, which is based off of a serial ordering of all
twelve pitches that stipulates the sequence in which those twelve pitches should appear in the
composition.
What does the term "fugue" mean and what are its origins? - ✔✔ correct answer It's a form of imitative
counterpoint. The term comes from the Latin fugere meaning "to flee" as each voice chases the previous
voice. In a "real answer" to a fugal subject the theme is transposed exactly note-to-note in the dominant
key. In a tonal answer, the theme is transposed loosely in the dominant key.
Describe the diatonic, chromatic and dia-chromatic tonal clusters. - ✔✔ correct answer 1. Diatonic tone
cluster- when only neighboring notes in the diatonic key are used.
2. Chromatic- when notes that are separated by a half-step are used.
3. Dia-chromatic- when both diatonic seconds and chromatic notes are used.
Authentic Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer The dominant sounding cadence that goes from a five chord to
the tonic chord. This cadence is considered to be the strongest sounding cadence due to the presence of
the supertonic to tonic progression as well as the leading tone to tonic progression.
Perfect Authentic Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer Has both the roots of the five and one chords sounding
in the bass with the tonic as the highest-sounding note on the final chord.
Imperfect Authentic Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer This cadence may not have the tonic as the highest
pitch and may have an inverted chord.
Plagal Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer The subdominant sounding harmony that goes from a four chord to
the tonic chord. This cadence isn't considered to be as strong due to how it doesn't contain the leading
tone and is often used as an extension of the authentic cadence.
Deceptive Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer This dominant-sounding cadence is when the five chord goes to
the six chord. In this cadence, the tonic of the chord acts as the third or the fifth of the final chord
instead of the root. The purpose of this cadence is to avoid an ending and can also be used as a
transitional technique to a new section in music.
Half Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer Any harmony progressing to a dominant harmony. A common half
cadence is the I 6/4 chord going to the five chord. With is particular progression of the half cadence, the
bass note remains the same in both chords.
Phrygian half cadence - ✔✔ correct answer When the first inversion subdominant chord proceeds to the
dominant similarly in the Phrygian mode.
Lydian half cadence - ✔✔ correct answer When a first inversion subdominant chord is raised by a half
step and then resolved to the dominant.
Perfect Cadence - ✔✔ correct answer Applies to the authentic cadence and the plagal cadence and is
when both of the chords are in root position and the tonic pitch sounds in the highest voice.
, NYSTCE: Music Content
Circle of fifths - ✔✔ correct answer Describes the relationship and pattern of major and minor keys from
one to the next as they move up or down in fifths. The purpose of it is so that way, with enharmonic
naming, it goes through all twelve keys back to C as you go up a fifth starting at C.
What is the pattern of the minor scale? (whole steps and half steps) - ✔✔ correct answer Whole-half-
whole-whole-half-whole-whole.
Harmonic minor scale - ✔✔ correct answer When the natural minor scale has a raised seventh scale
degree.
Melodic minor scale - ✔✔ correct answer When the minor scale has a raised sixth and seventh scale
degree on the way up which are then lowered on the way down.
Whole tone scale - ✔✔ correct answer A scale that has a whole step in between every note. This scale is
usually used to give a feeling of vague suspiciousness.
Chromatic scale - ✔✔ correct answer When the scale has all twelve pitches of an octave with a half step
in between each pitch. This scale is usually used by composers as a tool to increase complexity.
Twelve-tone music - ✔✔ correct answer A method of composing that was developed by Arnold
Schoenberg (a leading Austrian composer) in the early 1920s, which is based off of a serial ordering of all
twelve pitches that stipulates the sequence in which those twelve pitches should appear in the
composition.
What does the term "fugue" mean and what are its origins? - ✔✔ correct answer It's a form of imitative
counterpoint. The term comes from the Latin fugere meaning "to flee" as each voice chases the previous
voice. In a "real answer" to a fugal subject the theme is transposed exactly note-to-note in the dominant
key. In a tonal answer, the theme is transposed loosely in the dominant key.
Describe the diatonic, chromatic and dia-chromatic tonal clusters. - ✔✔ correct answer 1. Diatonic tone
cluster- when only neighboring notes in the diatonic key are used.
2. Chromatic- when notes that are separated by a half-step are used.
3. Dia-chromatic- when both diatonic seconds and chromatic notes are used.
