General

Question 1

What is the difference between pulse, rhythm and metre?

Answer 1

Pulse: the regular ‘beat’ running through a piece of music
Rhythm: an arrangement of note values, either composed or improvised, often of different lengths
Metre: the grouping of beats into bars

Question 2

Simple metres

Answer 2

simple duple - 2/4
simple triple - 3/4
simple quadruple - 4/4

Question 3

Compound metres

Answer 3

compound duple - 6/8
compound triple - 9/8
compound quadruple - 12/8

Question 4

Irregular metres

Answer 4

e.g. 7/8, 5/8, 5/4, 7/4, 11/4

Question 5

What is the difference between syncopated and off-beat rhythms?

Answer 5

Syncopation is emphasising a weak part of the beat, including using ‘anticipated’ notes, and tied notes. Off beat rhythms are where notes are repeatedly placed on the second half of the beat, eg in a dance.

Question 6

Key signatures

Answer 6

No sharps / flats - C major / A minor
1 sharp - G major / E minor
1 flat - F major / D minor
2 sharps - D major / B minor
2 flats - Bb major / G minor
3 sharps - A major / F# minor
3 flats - Eb major / C minor
4 sharps - E major / C# minor
4 flats - Ab major / F minor

Question 7

Degrees of the scale

Answer 7

T,T,ST,T,T,T,ST
Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, Subdominant, Dominant, Submediant, Leading Tone, Tone (ocatve)
I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii, I

Question 8

Chords

Answer 8

Root chords: Root note (whatever not the chord is built on from a scale) + 3rd + 5th
Second inversion: 5th in the bass with root and 3rd above
Third inversion: 3rd in the bass, root and 5th above

Question 9

MADTSHIRT

Answer 9

Melody
Articulation
Dynamics
Tonality
Structure / form
Harmony
Instrumentation
Rhythm, tempo, metre
Texture