Which statement defines parallel major and minor scales?

Which statement defines parallel major and minor scales?

• A. They have the same key signature
• B. They start on the same pitch but end on different pitches
• C. They share the same collection of pitches
• D. They begin and end on the same tonic pitch

Answer: (D)

Parallel major and minor scales are built on the same root note, so they share the same tonic. That means they both start on the same pitch and, when the scale finishes, you land on the octave of that same tonic pitch class. The difference between them lies in the pattern of intervals (major versus minor), which gives different key signatures and different sets of pitches overall. Since they use different step patterns, they do not have the same collection of notes, even though they share the same starting point. This is why the statement about beginning and ending on the same tonic pitch best captures what defines parallel major and minor scales.

Parallel major and minor scales are built on the same root note, so they share the same tonic. That means they both start on the same pitch and, when the scale finishes, you land on the octave of that same tonic pitch class. The difference between them lies in the pattern of intervals (major versus minor), which gives different key signatures and different sets of pitches overall. Since they use different step patterns, they do not have the same collection of notes, even though they share the same starting point. This is why the statement about beginning and ending on the same tonic pitch best captures what defines parallel major and minor scales.