Key Signatures and Scales

The major scale, in Western music, specifically follows a pattern of whole and half steps written as

• A.half-whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole, a pattern instead associated with a different mode
• B.whole-half-whole-whole-half-whole-whole, a pattern instead associated with a different mode
• C.a factor entirely unrelated to the specific whole-and-half-step pattern of a major scale
• D.whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half

The leading note (leading tone), the seventh degree of a scale, specifically is located a semitone below the tonic and tends to

• A.resolve downward to the submediant, the reverse of its usual tendency
• B.resolve upward to the tonic
• C.a factor entirely unrelated to resolving upward to the tonic of any kind
• D.remain static, with no tendency to resolve in any particular direction at all

The submediant, the sixth degree of a scale, specifically is located

• A.a factor entirely unrelated to being located midway below the tonic and subdominant
• B.midway between the tonic and the dominant, a position instead of the mediant
• C.midway between the tonic and the subdominant, counted below the tonic
• D.exactly a semitone below the tonic, a position instead of the leading note