Relative vs Parallel Minor Flashcards: Scale Spelling & Repairs
Practice relative and parallel minor with mixed key relationships, natural-minor note changes, accidental repairs, and checks on what a signature can tell you.
Об этой колоде
Keeping the tonic and keeping the signature lead to different minor keys. These 48 text-only cards help you choose the relationship first, then spell or repair the note it requires.
The cards practice four mappings:
- A request or supplied key pair → relative, parallel, or neither, with the preserved feature explained.
- A supplied major or natural-minor scale → one degree in the parallel scale. Both directions are included, with sharp cancellation and spellings such as E♯, B♯, C♭, and F♭.
- One faulty key name, accidental, note spelling, or signature claim → a precisely constrained repair.
- A signature or limited tonal evidence → what you can conclude, including why a local harmonic-minor seventh doesn’t change the underlying relative key.
Six short anchors introduce the rules before the mixed practice. Common note changes come before the less familiar sharp and flat spellings; related examples and inverse prompts are separated by at least three other cards. The review scheduler handles longer-term spacing after installation. Each prompt includes its own key or scale context.
This is written practice for beginning instrumentalists and theory learners who already recognize note names. It leaves out ear training, complete scale grids, all 15 relative-pair lookups, theoretical signatures, double accidentals, and harmony or modulation exercises. The Circle of Fifths deck covers the full relative-pair lookup; Major & Minor Key Signatures practices written staff signatures; Music Intervals covers interval recall.
For worked explanations, read Relative vs Parallel Minor. The Music Theory Flashcards guide helps plan broader practice.
These questions, answers, examples, sequence, metadata, and decorative AI-generated cover were independently authored. Common music facts were checked against the University of Puget Sound’s Minor Key Signatures and Minor Scales. Their protected wording, exercises, notation, and figures were not adapted; no examination questions, competitor cards, or third-party media were copied. CC0 1.0 applies to the original elements to the extent applicable rights exist, without claiming ownership of musical facts. This independent deck has no examination or curriculum alignment.
Карточки в этой колоде
Карточка 1
Вопрос
A major key and its relative minor preserve which written feature?
Ответ
The key signature. The minor tonic is major’s degree 6; the major tonic is natural minor’s degree 3. The tonic changes, while the natural-minor notes use the shared signature.
Карточка 2
Вопрос
When changing one scale degree from major to parallel natural minor, what must stay the same in that degree’s written note?
Ответ
Its letter name. Change the accidental by a semitone when needed; replacing the letter can break the scale spelling.
Карточка 3
Вопрос
Which degrees change when a major scale becomes its parallel natural minor, and by how much?
Ответ
Lower degrees 3, 6, and 7 by one semitone each. Degrees 1, 2, 4, and 5 stay the same.
Карточка 4
Вопрос
A key answer says only “B♭.” What extra word is needed to identify the key’s mode?
Ответ
Major or minor. “B♭ major” and “B♭ minor” name different keys.
Карточка 5
Вопрос
Which form of a minor scale supplies the notes represented by its key signature?
Ответ
Natural minor. Raised degrees in harmonic or melodic minor are written as local accidentals.
Карточка 6
Вопрос
A major key and its parallel minor preserve what about their tonic?
Ответ
The same tonic, including its accidental. Only the mode changes in the key name.
Карточка 7
Вопрос
E major has degree 6 C♯. You need a minor key with E major’s key signature. Which key fits?
Ответ
C♯ minor. The request preserves the signature, so choose the relative minor from degree 6.
Карточка 8
Вопрос
F major: F–G–A–B♭–C–D–E. What is degree 6 in its parallel natural minor?
Ответ
D♭. Lower the major-scale D by one semitone and keep the D letter.
Карточка 9
Вопрос
E major: E–F♯–G♯–A–B–C♯–D♯. What is degree 3 in E natural minor?
Ответ
G. Lower G♯ by one semitone; the sharp disappears.
Карточка 10
Вопрос
B major’s degree 7 is A♯. A learner writes A♭ for degree 7 of B natural minor. Replace only that note.
Ответ
A. Lowering A♯ by one semitone gives A, not A♭.
Карточка 11
Вопрос
B minor and B major: relative, parallel, or neither?
Ответ
Parallel. Both have tonic B, with different modes.
Карточка 12
Вопрос
A piece’s key signature contains B♭ and E♭. Among major and minor keys, what candidates does that signature give you?
Ответ
B♭ major and G minor. The signature alone doesn’t choose between those tonal centers.
Карточка 13
Вопрос
B♭ major: B♭–C–D–E♭–F–G–A. What is degree 7 in B♭ natural minor?
Ответ
A♭. Lower A by one semitone, keeping the A letter.
Карточка 14
Вопрос
F major and D minor each have one flat, B♭. Are they relative or parallel?
Ответ
Relative. Their signatures match and their tonics differ.
Карточка 15
Вопрос
A learner names F minor as the parallel minor of F♯ major. Keep the requested relationship and repair only the key name.
Ответ
F♯ minor. A parallel key keeps the entire tonic name, including ♯.
Карточка 16
Вопрос
C natural minor: C–D–E♭–F–G–A♭–B♭. What is degree 3 in its parallel major?
Ответ
E. Raise E♭ by one semitone to restore the major third.
Карточка 17
Вопрос
You start in E minor and need a major key with the same tonic. Which key do you choose?
Ответ
E major. Keeping the tonic makes this a parallel relationship.
Карточка 18
Вопрос
F♯ major: F♯–G♯–A♯–B–C♯–D♯–E♯. What is degree 6 in F♯ natural minor?
Ответ
D. Lower D♯ by one semitone, preserving its letter.
Карточка 19
Вопрос
A melody ends on A. With no signature or harmonic context supplied, does that last note prove A minor?
Ответ
No. A final A alone doesn’t establish the tonal center or mode; examine the surrounding melody and harmony.
Карточка 20
Вопрос
E♭ major’s degree 6 is C. For E♭ natural minor, a learner writes B because it sounds like the needed pitch in equal temperament. Repair only the degree-6 spelling.
Ответ
C♭. Lower C by one semitone and retain the degree’s C letter.
Карточка 21
Вопрос
G major and E minor both use F♯ in their signatures. How are these two keys related?
Ответ
Relative. They share a signature while using different tonics and modes.
Карточка 22
Вопрос
A♭ natural minor: A♭–B♭–C♭–D♭–E♭–F♭–G♭. What is degree 7 in A♭ major?
Ответ
G. Raise G♭ by one semitone; the letter stays G.
Карточка 23
Вопрос
G natural minor begins G–A–B♭. A learner calls G major its relative major. Keep the relative relationship and repair the key name.
Ответ
B♭ major. The relative major starts on natural minor’s third degree, B♭.
Карточка 24
Вопрос
A major: A–B–C♯–D–E–F♯–G♯. What is degree 3 in A natural minor?
Ответ
C. Lower C♯ by one semitone; don’t add a flat after cancelling the sharp.
Карточка 25
Вопрос
C major has no signature accidentals; G minor has B♭ and E♭. Are these keys relative, parallel, or neither?
Ответ
Neither. Their signatures differ, and C and G are different tonics.
Карточка 26
Вопрос
In B minor, A♯ appears as the raised seventh of harmonic minor. Does that make A♯ part of B minor’s key signature?
Ответ
No. B minor’s signature still has F♯ and C♯; A♯ is a local alteration of the natural-minor A.
Карточка 27
Вопрос
E♭ natural minor: E♭–F–G♭–A♭–B♭–C♭–D♭. What is degree 6 in E♭ major?
Ответ
C. Raise C♭ by one semitone to restore the major sixth.
Карточка 28
Вопрос
C natural minor’s degree 6 is A♭. A learner lowers it again to build C major. What note should replace that attempted degree 6?
Ответ
A. Moving from natural minor to parallel major raises degree 6 by one semitone.
Карточка 29
Вопрос
C♯ major: C♯–D♯–E♯–F♯–G♯–A♯–B♯. Which minor key keeps that scale’s tonic?
Ответ
C♯ minor. The tonic stays C♯ in the parallel minor, even though the signature changes.
Карточка 30
Вопрос
E major: E–F♯–G♯–A–B–C♯–D♯. What is degree 7 in E natural minor?
Ответ
D. Lower D♯ by one semitone; E natural minor uses D natural.
Карточка 31
Вопрос
F major’s degree 3 is A. A learner uses G♯ for degree 3 of F natural minor. Keep the intended pitch in equal temperament and repair only its spelling.
Ответ
A♭. Degree 3 needs the letter A; G♯ would repeat the second degree’s G letter.
Карточка 32
Вопрос
B♭ natural minor begins B♭–C–D♭. Which major key shares its signature?
Ответ
D♭ major. The third degree supplies the relative major tonic; both keys have five flats.
Карточка 33
Вопрос
C♯ natural minor: C♯–D♯–E–F♯–G♯–A–B. What is degree 3 in C♯ major?
Ответ
E♯. Raise E by one semitone and keep the E letter, even though E♯ sounds like F in equal temperament.
Карточка 34
Вопрос
Someone asks for “the minor key related to F major.” Is that enough to choose uniquely between a relative and a parallel minor?
Ответ
No. Ask whether to keep the signature or the tonic; “related” doesn’t specify which relationship they want.
Карточка 35
Вопрос
A learner claims G major and G minor must share a signature because they are parallel. Repair only the signature claim.
Ответ
Their signatures differ: G major has F♯; G minor has B♭ and E♭. Parallel keys keep the tonic, not the signature.
Карточка 36
Вопрос
A♭ major: A♭–B♭–C–D♭–E♭–F–G. What is degree 6 in A♭ natural minor?
Ответ
F♭. Lower F by one semitone and keep its letter; E would be the wrong degree spelling.
Карточка 37
Вопрос
F♯ major and D♯ minor both have six sharps in their signatures. Which relationship fits?
Ответ
Relative. Their signatures match, while their tonic names differ.
Карточка 38
Вопрос
C♯ natural minor’s degree 7 is B. A learner uses C for degree 7 of C♯ major. Keep the intended pitch in equal temperament and repair only its spelling.
Ответ
B♯. Raise B by one semitone, retaining the seventh degree’s B letter.
Карточка 39
Вопрос
E minor’s natural seventh is D; harmonic minor raises it to D♯ locally. Does that alteration change E minor’s relative major from G major?
Ответ
No. E minor and G major still share the one-sharp signature; a local D♯ doesn’t redefine that relationship.
Карточка 40
Вопрос
F natural minor: F–G–A♭–B♭–C–D♭–E♭. What is degree 7 in F major?
Ответ
E. Raise E♭ by one semitone to restore the major seventh.
Карточка 41
Вопрос
A major uses three sharps; A minor uses none. Can they still be parallel keys?
Ответ
Yes. Both use tonic A. Parallel keys don’t need matching signatures.
Карточка 42
Вопрос
E major’s degree 3 is G♯. A learner changes it to G♭ for E natural minor. Replace only the incorrect note.
Ответ
G. The move is one semitone down from G♯, not two.
Карточка 43
Вопрос
G natural minor: G–A–B♭–C–D–E♭–F. What is degree 6 in G major?
Ответ
E. Raise E♭ by one semitone, retaining its letter.
Карточка 44
Вопрос
C natural minor begins C–D–E♭. You need the major key with the same signature. Which key fits?
Ответ
E♭ major. Degree 3 supplies the relative major tonic; both keys have three flats.
Карточка 45
Вопрос
C♯ major and C minor have the same tonic letter. Does that alone make them parallel keys?
Ответ
No. C♯ and C are different tonics; a matching letter without its accidental is insufficient.
Карточка 46
Вопрос
B natural minor: B–C♯–D–E–F♯–G–A. What is degree 3 in B major?
Ответ
D♯. Raise D by one semitone to restore the major third.
Карточка 47
Вопрос
A learner uses E for degree 6 of A♭ natural minor. Keep the intended pitch in equal temperament and use the correct scale-degree letter. Repair only the note spelling.
Ответ
F♭. The sixth degree must use F; E already names the fifth degree’s letter.
Карточка 48
Вопрос
Starting from E major, can a minor key keep both its tonic E and its four-sharp signature?
Ответ
No. E minor keeps the tonic but has one sharp; C♯ minor keeps the four-sharp signature but changes the tonic.
48 карточек
Relative vs Parallel Minor Flashcards: Scale Spelling & Repairs
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