5.5 Roman Numerals and Diatonic Harmony: Aural Training exercises
Exercise 1
Step 1) Orient yourself in the key: play a Bb and sing a Bb major tonic triad up and back down, 1-3-5-3-1. Be sure to keep the Bb tonic pitch in your ear and voice for the next steps below.
Step 2) Listen to each of the following six chords, consisting of major or minor triads or major-minor 7th chords in various inversions in the key of Bb major. Each chord is played up and down then in unison. Sing up and down the chord when it is played in unison.
Step 3) Identify the quality and inversion of each chord.
Step 4) For each chord, identify the scale degree of the bass note in the key of Bb major (i.e. the lowest note). Use your voice, finding the pitches relative to the tonic Bb triad, do not use a keyboard of other instrument! Finally, notate the notes of each chord in its given inversion on the staff below.
Exercise 2
Major Key
Step 1) Play an E and sing an E major tonic triad up and back down, 1-3-5-3-1. Be sure to keep the E tonic pitch in your ear and voice for the next steps below.
Step 2) Listen to each of the following series of three chords, each string consisting of major or minor triads or major-minor 7th chords in various inversions in the key of E major. Each chord is played twice, first up and down then in unison. Sing along with each the second time it is played.
Step 3) For each three-chord exercise, identify the scale degrees of the bass notes in E major and notate the chords in the given inversions on the staff below in the key.
Minor Key
Step 1) Play a G and sing a G minor tonic triad up and back down, 1-3-5-3-1. Be sure to keep the G tonic pitch in your ear and voice for the next steps below.
Step 2) Listen to each of the following series of three chords, each string consisting of major or minor triads or major-minor 7th chords in various inversions in the key of G minor. Each chord is played twice, first up and down then in unison. Sing along with each the second time it is played.
Step 3) For each three-chord exercise, identify the scale degrees of the bass notes in G minor and notate the chords in the given inversions on the staff below in the key, adding accidentals for raised scale degree 7 if necessary.
