General knowledge

Question 1

Homophonic – Texture

Answer 1

all parts move at same time or melody with accompaniment – same rhythms at the same time.

Question 2

Polyphonic – Texture

Answer 2

2 or more parts with different rhythms - weave independently of each other. Like Contrapuntal

Question 3

Legato

Answer 3

Notes played long and smooth

Question 4

Staccato

Answer 4

Notes played short and detached

Question 5

Ostinato/Riff

Answer 5

Repeated pattern of notes

Question 6

Sequence

Answer 6

Pattern of notes repeated higher or lower

Question 7

Repetition

Answer 7

Musical idea heard more than once.

Question 8

Imitation

Answer 8

The melody is immediately copied in
another part.

Question 9

Unison

Answer 9

Same notes at the same time

Question 10

Harmony

Answer 10

The same notes are played in a different octave at the same time

Question 11

Anacrusis

Answer 11

Tune starts before the first beat of the bar.
Think “happy” in happy birthday.

Question 12

Syncopation

Answer 12

Strongly accented notes playing off or
against the beat. Will sound more jumpy.

Question 13

Symphony

Answer 13

Piece for whole orchestra, no main solo
instrument.

Question 14

Concerto

Answer 14

Piece for soloist and orchestra

Question 15

Cadenza

Answer 15

passage for soloist to show off, sounds
made up – improvised.

Question 16

A capella

Answer 16

Unaccompanied – no accompanying
instruments.

Question 17

Melismatic

Answer 17

More than one note per syllable.

Question 18

Syllabic

Answer 18

One note per syllable.

Question 19

Major

Answer 19

Happy, positive sounding.

Question 20

Minor

Answer 20

Sad, scary, tense sounding

Question 21

Atonal

Answer 21

Not major or minor – uses dissonance –
doesn’t sound nice.

Question 22

Forms

Answer 22

Binary – 2 sections – A & B, Ternary – 3 sections
A B A, Rondo – Lots of sections with A repeated eg. A – B – A –
C–A – D

Question 23

Theme & Variations

Answer 23

Main theme is played and then changed in a different way each variation eg. put into minor key, notes added to tune, different beats in a bar.

Question 24

Minuet & Trio

Answer 24

dance with 3 beats in a bar.

Question 25

Alberti bass

Answer 25

Broken chords played by the left hand on the piano. Low - high – middle – high.

Question 26

Walking Bass

Answer 26

Notes move on every beat.

Question 27

Ground Bass

Answer 27

A theme in the bass which is repeated many times while the higher parts change.

Question 28

Broken chord

Answer 28

Notes of the chord played separately.

Question 29

Vamp

Answer 29

Boom cha accompaniment. Bass note then chord.

Question 30

Simple time

Answer 30

– Each beat splits into 2 equal parts – TAN-GO

Question 31

Compound time

Answer 31

Each beat splits into 3 equal parts – JIGG-I-TY.

Question 32

Aria

Answer 32

Main song in an opera. Shows off the singers ability-tuneful.

Question 33

Cadence

Answer 33

Last 2 chords in a phrase.

Question 34

Perfect Cadence

Answer 34

sounds finished

Question 35

Imperfect Cadence

Answer 35

sounds unfinished.

Question 36

Tierce De Picardi

Answer 36

Minor piece last chord major.

Question 37

Pedal

Answer 37

Low note held on or repeated while other parts change.

Question 38

Inverted Pedal

Answer 38

High note held on/repeated while other parts change

Question 39

Modulation

Answer 39

Change of key

Question 40

Voices – Highest to lowest, Female

Answer 40

Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Alto

Question 41

Voices – Highest to lowest, Male

Answer 41

Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Question 42

Allegro

Answer 42

Fast

Question 43

Moderato

Answer 43

Moderate tempo

Question 44

Andante

Answer 44

Walking Pace

Question 45

Adagio

Answer 45

Slow

Question 46

Accelerando

Answer 46

getting faster

Question 47

Rallentando

Answer 47

getting slower

Question 48

Rubato

Answer 48

robbed time – speeding up or slowing down to suit the mood of the piece.

Question 49

pp

Answer 49

Pianissimo, very quiet

Question 50

p

Answer 50

Piano, quiet

Question 51

mp

Answer 51

Mezzo-piano, moderately quiet

Question 52

mf

Answer 52

Mezzo-forte, moderately loud

Question 53

f

Answer 53

Forte, loudly

Question 54

ff

Answer 54

Fortissimo, very loudly

Question 55

cresc. <

Answer 55

Crescendo, Gradually getting louder

Question 56

dim. >

Answer 56

Diminuendo, Gradually getting softer

Question 57

Arco

Answer 57

Bowed. On strung instruments

Question 58

Pizzicato

Answer 58

Plucked. On strung instruments

Question 59

Blown

Answer 59

Air is blown through instrument to produce sound

Question 60

Flutter Tonguing

Answer 60

Rolling your Rs while blowing a note.

Question 61

Con Sordino

Answer 61

Muted - creating a different sound than normally expected.

Question 62

Orchestra

Answer 62

Strings, Brass, Woodwind, Percussion

Question 63

Brass Band

Answer 63

Brass & Percussion

Question 64

Wind Band

Answer 64

Brass, Woodwind, Percussion

Question 65

Folk Group

Answer 65

Fiddle, Guitar, Vocals, Accordion, Whistle, Bass, Flute, Drum kit, Bodhran

Question 66

Scottish dance band

Answer 66

fiddle, accordion, piano, drums.

Question 67

Celtic Rock

Answer 67

Mixes folk music with rock music

Question 68

Reggae

Answer 68

Off beat guitar, vocals, drums, organ, bass.

Question 69

Impressionist

Answer 69

Sounds dreamy or blurry. Whole tone scale

Question 70

Minimalist

Answer 70

Simple and repetitive ostinatos.

Question 71

Ragtime

Answer 71

Piano. Syncopated melody & vamp accomp.

Question 72

Blues

Answer 72

Jazz style, developed from black American folk songs. Tells a story. Flattened notes.

Question 73

Swing

Answer 73

A jazz style performed by a big band

Question 74

Waltz

Answer 74

Speed=Medium. Beats=3. Other features= Only dance with 3 beats.

Question 75

Jig

Answer 75

Speed=Fast. Beats=2 6/8 time. Other features= STRAWBERRY, compound time, TANGO, simple time, flowing.

Question 76

Reel

Answer 76

Speed=Fast. Beats=4. Other features=STRAWBERRY, compound time, TANGO, simple time, flowing.

Question 77

Strathspey

Answer 77

Speed=Medium. Beats=4. Other features=Jumpy, Scotch Snap.

Question 78

March

Answer 78

Speed=Marching speed. Beats=2 or 4. Other features=Steady, strong pulse.