Music Match

**Music Match** is a challenge of musical intelligence on *Canada's Smartest Person*.

## Description

*Retrieved from CBC.ca*

Competitors hear 5 different chords or melodies. Then they have just seconds to identity which 2 chords or melodies were exactly the same, or if there was no match.

It’s tricky enough to match musical elements when you know what you’re listening for. However, this musical test is particularly difficult because there are five different elements to evaluate, any two of which could match. The challenge requires musical memory to recall the sequence of chords or melodies in tandem with sharp tonal recognition.

## Episode 102

Music Match was the sole challenge of musical intelligence and the first challenge overall. Jeff Douglas explained to the viewers the instructions and how they could play along with the contestants on the Canada's Smartest Person app. Jessi Cruickshank explained to the contestants that the contestant in 1st place would earn 5 overall points, the contestant in 2nd place would earn 3, the contestant in 3rd place would earn 2, and the contestant in last place would earn 1.

In the first, second, and third rounds, contestants had to deduce a correct pair of chords or deduce that there were no matching chords if none existed. In the fourth and fifth rounds, contestants had to do the same, but with melodies instead of chords.

In the first round, the root note for the chords was sol. The first chord played was in sol major seventh, the second chord played was in sol minor, the third chord played was in sol seventh, the fourth chord played was in sol diminished, and the fifth chord played was in sol seventh, with the third and fifth chords being the matching pair. All four contestants deduced the correct pair of chords.

In the second round, the root note for the chords was do. The first chord played was in do diminished, the second chord played was in do minor, the third chord played was in do sixth, the fourth chord played was in do minor, and the fifth chord played was in do seventh, with the second and fourth chords being the matching pair. Alisia Bonnick, Rhiannon Jones, and Chris Tessaro deduced the correct pair of chords while JP Doiron failed to do so.

In the third round, the root note for the chords was la#. The first chord played was in la# major seventh, the second chord played was in la# minor, the third chord played was in la# seventh, the fourth chord played was in la# major seventh, and the fifth chord played was in la# sixth, with the first and fourth chords being the matching pair. Rhiannon deduced the correct pair of chords while Alisia, JP, and Chris failed to do so.

In the fourth round, the beginning and ending notes for the melodies were both do. JP and Chris correctly deduced that there were no matching melodies while Alisia and Rhiannon failed to do so.

In the final round, the beginning and ending notes for the melodies were sol and la, respectively. JP and Rhiannon correctly deduced that the second and fourth melodies were the matching pair while Alisia and Chris failed to do so.

In total, Alisia got 2 correct answers, JP got 3, Rhiannon got 4, and Chris got 3. The tie between JP and Chris was settled by how quickly they answered. Since Chris answered faster on average than JP did in the challenge, the former finished in 2nd place and the latter finished in 3rd place. Therefore, Rhiannon was awarded 5 overall points for finishing in 1st place, Chris was awarded 3 for finishing in 2nd place, JP was awarded 2 for finishing in 3rd place, and Alisia was awarded 1 for finishing in last place.

As for the public, the demographic of individuals aged 17 and under performed the best with an average percentage score of 21%, the demographic of individuals aged 18-49 performed the second-best with an average percentage score of 20%, and the demographic of individuals aged 50 and over performed the worst with an average percentage score of 19%. Also, it was revealed that Jeff himself had received a percentage score of 77%. However, the scores for the public are calculated differently than the scores for the contestants.

### Summary of Results

 **1st** | **Rhiannon Jones** | 4
 **2nd**

 **3rd**

 **4th** | **Alisia Bonnick** | 2
 Maximum Possible

### Notes

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Despite sharing a total score of 3, Chris answered faster on average than JP did in the challenge. Therefore, Chris and JP placed 2nd and 3rd, respectively, for this challenge.

## Episode 205

Music Match was the sole challenge of musical intelligence and the first challenge overall. Jessi Cruickshank explained to the contestants that the contestant in 1st place would earn 5 overall points, the contestant in 2nd place would earn 3, the contestant in 3rd place would earn 2, and the contestant in last place would earn 1. She then explained to the viewers the instructions and how they could play along with the contestants on the Canada's Smartest Person app.

In the first, second, and third rounds, contestants had to deduce a correct pair of chords or deduce that there were no matching chords if none existed. In the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds, contestants had to do the same, but with melodies instead of chords.

In the first round, the first and third chords were the matching pair. All four contestants deduced the correct pair of chords.

In the second round, the second and fourth chords were the matching pair. Jennifer Lam, Alex Manea, and Barry Shulman deduced the correct pair of chords while Jakob Sanderson failed to do so.

In the third round, the first and fifth chords were the matching pair. Alex and Jakob deduced the correct pair of chords while Jennifer and Barry failed to do so.

In the fourth round, the beginning and ending notes for the melodies were sol and la, respectively. Jakob correctly deduced that the third and fifth melodies were the matching pair while Jennifer, Alex, and Barry failed to do so.

In the fifth round, the beginning and ending notes for the melodies were la, with the ending note being an octave higher than the beginning note. Jakob and Barry correctly deduced that the second and fourth melodies were the matching pair while Jennifer and Alex failed to do so.

In the final round, the beginning and ending notes for the melodies were do, with the ending note being an octave higher than the beginning note. Again, Jakob and Barry correctly deduced that the second and fourth melodies were the matching pair while Jennifer and Alex failed to do so.

In total, Jennifer got 2 correct answers, Alex got 3, Jakob got 5, and Barry got 4. Therefore, Jakob was awarded 5 overall points for finishing in 1st place, Barry was awarded 3 for finishing in 2nd place, Alex was awarded 2 for finishing in 3rd place, and Jennifer was awarded 1 for finishing in last place.

As for the public, the top performers, by percentage score, were Maggie Hou of Mississauga, Ontario, with 99%, Katie Peacock of Shelburne, Nova Scotia, with 99%, Orthodoxuke of Weyburn, Saskatchewan, with 98%, Amanda Williams of Boundary Creek, New Brunswick, with 98%, and Tracy Reath of Moncton, New Brunswick, with 98%. However, the scores for the public are calculated differently than the scores for the contestants.

### Summary of Results

 **1st** | **Jakob Sanderson** | 5
 **2nd** | **Barry Shulman** | 4
 **3rd** | **Alex Manea** | 3
 **4th** | **Jennifer Lam** | 2
 Maximum Possible

## References

1. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/smartestperson/blog/testing-intelligences-episode-2
2. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2544177167 (6:16)