1. How can music be defined?
A. Sounds produced by musical instruments
B. Sounds that are pleasing, as opposed to noise
C. An art based on the organization of sounds in time
D. A system of symbols that performers learn to read
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe the properties of sound, and explain how music is part of the world of sound
Topic: Sound
Feedback: Music is a part of the world of sound, an art based on the organization of sounds in time.
2. The four main properties of musical sounds are pitch, dynamics, tone color, and ______.
A. duration
B. rhythm
C. melody
D. medium
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe the properties of sound, and explain how music is part of the world of sound
Topic: Sound
Feedback: We distinguish music from other sounds by recognizing the four main properties of musical sounds: pitch, dynamics, tone color, and duration.
3. The relative highness or lowness of a sound is called ______.
A. timbre
B. pitch
C. dynamics
D. octave
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: Pitch is the relative highness or lowness that we hear in a sound.
4. The _____ of a sound is decided by the frequency of its vibrations.
A. dynamics
B. pitch
C. timbre
D. amplitude
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: The pitch of a sound is determined by the frequency of its vibrations--that is, their speed, which is measured in cycles per second.
5. What is pitch in music?
A. The degree of loudness or softness in music
B. The quality that distinguishes musical sounds
C. The relative highness or lowness that we hear in a sound
D. Leaning on a musical note
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: Pitch is the relative highness or lowness that we hear in a sound.
6. A specific pitch corresponds to a specific ______.
A. amplitude
B. timbre
C. frequency
D. dynamic
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: The pitch of a sound is determined by the frequency of its vibrations. The faster the vibrations, the higher the pitch.
7. How is the frequency of vibrations measured?
A. In cycles per minute
B. In cycles per second
C. By dynamic levels
D. By noiselike sounds
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Bloom's: Understand
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: Frequency of a sound's vibration--their speed--is measured in cycles per second.
8. In general, the smaller the vibrating element, the __________ its pitch.
A. higher
B. softer
C. lower
D. louder
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Bloom's: Understand
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: Smaller objects vibrate faster and have higher pitches. Plucking a short string produces a higher pitch than a long string.
9. In music, a sound that has a definite pitch is called a ______.
A. noise
B. dynamic accent
C. sound
D. tone
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: A sound that has a definite pitch is called a tone. It has a specific frequency.
10. A tone in music is a sound that ______.
A. is pleasing to the ear
B. is produced by irregular vibrations
C. has an indefinite pitch
D. has a definite pitch
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: In music, a sound that has a definite pitch is called a tone.
11. The distance in pitch between any two tones is called ______.
A. duration
B. dynamic accent
C. timbre
D. an interval
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: Two tones will sound different when they have different pitches. The distance in pitch between any two tones is called an interval.
12. If a pitch vibrates at 880 cycles, the octave below would vibrate at ____ cycles.
A. 220
B. 440
C. 660
D. 1760
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Bloom's: Understand
Learning Objective: Understand what an octave is and how it relates to tone
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: When tones are separated by the interval called an octave, they sound very much alike. The vibration frequency of the first tone is exactly half of that of the second tone. If the first tone is 440 cycles per second, the second tone--an octave higher--would be 880 cycles per second.
13. The interval that occurs when two different tones blend so well when sounded together that they seem to merge into one tone, is called a(n) ______.
A. dynamic accent
B. octave
C. pitch range
D. interval
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Understand what an octave is and how it relates to tone
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: When tones are separated by the interval called an octave, they sound very much alike.
14. When tones are separated by the interval called a(n) ______, they sound very much alike.
A. pitch range
B. dyad
C. octave
D. cycle
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Understand what an octave is and how it relates to tone
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: When tones are separated by the interval called an octave, they sound very much alike.
15. The distance between the lowest and highest tones a voice or instrument can produce is called ______.
A. pitch range
B. an octave
C. dynamic accent
D. timbre
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe pitch in musical sound
Topic: Pitch
Feedback: The distance between the lowest and highest tones that a voice or instrument can produce is called its pitch range, or simply its range.
16. To what does dynamics in music refer?
A. The quality that distinguishes musical sounds
B. The relative highness or lowness we hear in a sound
C. An exemplary performance
D. The degree of loudness and softness
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recognize dynamics and accent in musical sound
Topic: Dynamics
Feedback: Degrees of loudness or softness in music are called dynamics. Loudness is related to the amplitude of the vibration that produces the sound.
17. The loudness of a sound is related to the _________ of the vibration that produces the sound.
A. timbre
B. amplitude
C. duration
D. frequency
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recognize dynamics and accent in musical sound
Topic: Dynamics
Feedback: Degrees of loudness or softness in music are called dynamics. Loudness is related to the amplitude of the vibration that produces the sound.
18. A dynamic accent occurs in music when a performer does what?
A. Emphasizes a tone by playing it more loudly than the tones around it
B. Plays all the notes loudly
C. Stamps his or her foot on the floor
D. Begins speeding up the music
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Bloom's: Understand
Learning Objective: Recognize dynamics and accent in musical sound
Topic: Dynamics
Feedback: A performer can emphasizes a tone by playing it more loudly than the tones around it. An emphasis of this kind is called an accent. Skillful, subtle changes of dynamics add spirit and mood to performances.
19. When a performer emphasizes a tone by playing it more loudly than the tones around it, it is called a ______.
A. blooper
B. dynamic accent
C. crescendo
D. pianissimo
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recognize dynamics and accent in musical sound
Topic: Dynamics
Feedback: A performer can emphasize a tone by playing it more loudly than the tones around it. An emphasis of this kind is called an accent.
20. When notating music for others to read, composers traditionally have used ____________ words to indicate dynamics.
A. English
B. Italian
C. German
D. Russian
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Know the terms and symbols used to refer to dynamics in music
Topic: Dynamics
Feedback: When notating music, composers have traditionally used Italian words, and their abbreviations, to indicate dynamics.
21. The Italian dynamic markings traditionally used to indicate very soft, soft, and very loud are respectively ______.
A. piano, mezzo forte, forte
B. mezzo piano, forte, fortissimo
C. pianissimo, piano, fortissimo
D. pianissimo, forte, fortissimo
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Know the terms and symbols used to refer to dynamics in music
Topic: Dynamics
Feedback: Common terms of notating music using Italian words are:
pianissimo - pp - very soft
piano - p – soft
mezzo piano - mp - moderately soft
mezzo forte - mf - moderately loud
forte - f – loud
fortissimo - ff - very loud
22. A gradual increase in loudness is known as a ______.
A. decrescendo
B. crescendo
C. fortissimo
D. diminuendo
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recognize dynamics and accent in musical sound
Topic: Dynamics
Feedback: Decrescendo or diminuendo means gradually softer; crescendo means gradually louder.
23. A gradual decrease in loudness is known as a ______.
A. ritardando
B. crescendo
C. fortissimo
D. diminuendo
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recognize dynamics and accent in musical sound
Topic: Dynamics
Feedback: Decrescendo or diminuendo means gradually softer; crescendo means gradually louder.
24. Timbre is synonymous with ______.
A. sound
B. vibrations
C. tone color
D. dynamic accent
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe timbre and its effect in musical sound
Topic: Tone color
Feedback: We can tell one instrument from another when each of them is playing the same tone at the same dynamic level. The quality that distinguishes them is called tone color or timbre.
25. Tone color is synonymous with ______.
A. sound
B. amplitude
C. timbre
D. dynamic accent
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Describe timbre and its effect in musical sound
Topic: Tone color
Feedback: We can tell one instrument from another when each of them is playing the same tone at the same dynamic level. The quality that distinguishes them is called tone color or timbre.
26. Why is it more difficult to sing than to speak?
A. Singing demands a greater supply of air and control of breath.
B. Vowel sounds are held longer in singing than in speaking.
C. Wider ranges of pitch and volume are used in singing than in speaking.
D. All answers are correct.
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Bloom's: Understand
Learning Objective: Recognize male and female voices as vocal timbres
Topic: Sound
Feedback: In singing we use wider rangers of pitch and volume than in speaking, and we hold vowel sounds longer. Singing demands a greater supply and control of breath.
27. On what does the range of a singer's voice depend?
A. Training and musical style
B. Physical makeup
C. Training and physical makeup
D. Which microphone the singer uses
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Bloom's: Understand
Learning Objective: Recognize male and female voices as vocal timbres
Topic: Voices
Feedback: The range of a singer's voice depends both on training and on physical makeup. Men's vocal chords are longer and thicker than women's, and this difference produces a lower range of pitches.
28. While professional singers can command a pitch range of two octaves or more, an untrained voice is usually limited to about ______.
A. half an octave
B. one octave
C. an octave and a half
D. two octaves
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recognize male and female voices as vocal timbres
Topic: Voices
Feedback: Professional singers can command 2 octaves or even more, whereas an untrained voice is usually limited to about 1 1/2 octaves.
29. Which of the following is not a normal classification of male voice ranges?
A. Contralto
B. Baritone
C. Tenor
D. Bass
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recognize male and female voices as vocal timbres
Topic: Voices
Feedback: The classification of voice ranges for men arranged from highest to lowest is tenor, baritone, and bass.
30. To what does register refer?
A. Part of an instrument's total range
B. Playing two or more notes at the same time
C. The instrument manufacturer's brand name
D. The number of reeds an instrument uses
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Know registers in tonal ranges
Topic: Tone color
Feedback: An instrument's tone color may vary with the register (part of the total range) in which it is played.
31. When music is created at the same time as it is performed, it is said to be ______.
A. percussive
B. improvised
C. pizzicato
D. registered
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Know the effect of improvisation in musical performances
Topic: Improvisation
Feedback: Improvisation is the creation of music at the same time as it is performed.
32. A symphonic band is different from an orchestra due to the absence of ______.
A. brass
B. percussion instruments
C. a conductor
D. strings
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Know the categories of instrumental timbres
Topic: Instrument families
Feedback: Modern symphony orchestras contain string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. Bands consist mainly of brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments.
33. The bow that string players usually use to produce sound on their instruments is a slightly curved stick strung tightly with ______.
A. catgut
B. horsehair
C. string
D. flax
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recall how stringed instruments are played
Topic: String instruments
Feedback: For symphonic music the strings are usually played with a bow, a slightly curved stick strung tightly with horsehair.
34. How are the strings of a violin tuned?
A. By tightening or loosening the pegs
B. By putting on new strings
C. By moving the bridge
D. At the factory
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recall how stringed instruments are played
Topic: String instruments
Feedback: For a violin, each string is tuned to a different pitch by tightening or loosening the pegs. The greater the tension, the higher the pitch.
35. Plucking the string with the finger instead of using a bow is called ______.
A. tremolo
B. pizzicato
C. vibrato
D. pluckato
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recall how stringed instruments are played
Topic: String instruments
Feedback: Pizzicato describes a musician who plucks the string, usually with a finger of the right hand.
36. Pizzicato is an indication to the performer to ______.
A. draw the bow across two strings at the same time
B. repeat tones by quick up-and-down strokes of the bow
C. veil or muffle the tone by fitting a clamp onto the bridge
D. pluck the string with the finger instead of using the bow
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recall how stringed instruments are played
Topic: String instruments
Feedback: Pizzicato describes a musician who plucks the string, usually with a finger of the right hand.
37. When the string player causes small pitch fluctuations by rocking the left hand while pressing the string down, it is called ______.
A. vibrato
B. pizzicato
C. tremolo
D. nervosa
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recall how stringed instruments are played
Topic: String instruments
Feedback: Vibrato occurs when the string player produces a throbbing, expressive tone by rocking the left hand while pressing the string down. This causes small pitch fluctuations that make the tone warmer.
38. Why does a string player use vibrato?
A. The performer is unsure of the correct pitch.
B. The performer is nervous.
C. Using vibrato is easier than not using it, and no one can hear the fluctuations anyway.
D. Using vibrato makes the tone warmer and more expressive.
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Bloom's: Understand
Learning Objective: Recall how stringed instruments are played
Topic: String instruments
Feedback: Vibrato occurs when the string player produces a throbbing, expressive tone by rocking the left hand while pressing the string down. This causes small pitch fluctuations that make the tone warmer.
39. The very high-pitched tones that are produced when a string player lightly touches certain points on a string are called ______.
A. harmonics
B. vibrato
C. pizzicato
D. tremolo
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recall how stringed instruments are played
Topic: String instruments
Feedback: Harmonics are very high-pitched tones, like a whistle's, that are produced when the musician lightly touches certain points on a string.
40. Rapidly repeating tones by quick up-and-down strokes of the bow is a string technique known as ______.
A. tremolo
B. pizzicato
C. vibrato
D. portamento
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Bloom's: Remember
Learning Objective: Recall how stringed instruments are played
Topic: String instruments
Feedback: Tremolo occurs when a musician rapidly repeats tones by quick up-and-down strokes of the bow. This can create a sense of tension, when loud; or a shimmering sound, when soft.
41. Woodwind instruments are so named because they ______.
A. are made of wood
B. use a wooden reed
C. have wooden key mechanisms
D. were originally made of wood
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Bloom's: Understand
Learning Objective: Identify woodwind instruments
Topic: Woodwind instruments
Feedback: The woodwind instruments are so named because they produce vibrations of air within a tube that traditionally was made of wood.
42. The highest woodwind instrument in the orchestra is the ______.
A. piccolo flute
B. English horn
C. oboe
