Question 1: Define a major chord and describe its characteristic sound compared to a minor chord.

Answer: A major chord consists of a root note, a major third interval above the root, and a perfect fifth above the root. It generally has a bright, happy sound, whereas a minor chord has a minor third interval, giving it a sadder or more somber tone.

Question 2: Identify the type of chord formed by the following notes: C, E, G.

Answer: This is a C major chord.

Question 3: List the notes that make up an A minor chord.

Answer: A, C, E.

Question 4: Describe the difference between a major triad and a minor triad in terms of interval structure.

Answer: A major triad consists of a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. A minor triad consists of a root, a minor third, and a perfect fifth. The key difference is the third interval: major (four semitones) versus minor (three semitones).

Question 5: Listen carefully to a chord that sounds 'bright' and 'happy.' Which type of chord is it most likely to be? Justify your answer.

Answer: It is most likely a major chord because major chords are generally described as bright and happy in sound.

Question 6: Construct a diagram of a C major triad on a blank staff. Label each note and indicate the intervals between them.

Answer: A correct sketch would show three notes stacked in a triadic pattern: C (root), E (major third), G (perfect fifth). Intervals between C and E is a major third; between C and G is a perfect fifth; between E and G is a minor third.

Question 7: Explain what is meant by an 'inversion' of a chord. Provide an example with a G major chord.

Answer: An inversion occurs when the notes of a chord are rearranged so that a note other than the root is the lowest note. For example, in a G major chord (G-B-D), the first inversion has B as the bass note, and the second inversion has D as the bass note.

Question 8: Identify the chord quality based on the following notes: D, F, A.

Answer: D major chord.

Question 9: Describe how you can tell if a chord is major or minor just by listening to it.

Answer: You can tell if a chord is major or minor by listening to its quality: a major chord sounds bright and happy, whereas a minor chord sounds sad or somber. The difference lies in the third interval: major (major third) versus minor (minor third).

Question 10: Sketch a progression of three chords: C major, A minor, and F major. Label each chord and write the root note of each.

Answer: The sketch should show three sets of stacked notes: C-E-G for C major, A-C-E for A minor, and F-A-C for F major. The root notes are C, A, and F, respectively.

Question 11: What is a diminished chord? Provide an example with the notes involved.

Answer: A diminished chord is built from a root note, a minor third, and a diminished fifth (which is one semitone lower than a perfect fifth). For example, B diminished (B-D-F) includes B, D, and F.