Unit 1 Flashcards

Music can be defined as

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

The four main properties of musical sounds are pitch, dynamics, tone color, and

A. Duration

B. Rhythm

C. Melody

D. Medium

Pitch is defined as

A. Degrees 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

The pitch of a sound is decided by the _____________ of its vibrations

A. amplitude

B. Timbre

C. Frequency

D. Dynamics

The frequency of vibrations is measured in

A. cycles per minute

B.cycles per second

C.dynamic levels

D.Italian words.

In general, the smaller the vibrating element, the __________ its pitch.

a. higher

b.softer

c.lower

d.louder

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 definite pitch

The distance in pitch between any two tones is called

a. duration

b. dynamic accent

c. timbre

d. an interval.

If a pitch vibrates at 880 cycles, the octave below would vibrate at ____ cycles.

a. 220

b.440

c.660

d.1760

When tones are separated by the interval called a(n) ______, they sound very much alike

a. pitch range

b.dyad

c.octave

d, cycle

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

Dynamics in music refers to

a. the quality that distinguishes musical sounds

b. the relative highness or lowness we hear in sound

c. an exemplary performance

d. degrees of loudness and softness

The loudness of a sound is related to the _________ of the vibration that produces the sound.

a. timbre

b.amplitude

c. duration

d. frequnecy

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

A gradual increase in loudness is known as a

a. decrescendo

b.crescendo

c. fortissimo

d. diminuendo

A gradual decrease in loudness is known as a ___________.

a. ritardando

b.crescendo

c.fortissimo

d.diminuendo

Tone color is synonymous with ________

a. sound

b. amplitude

c. timbre

d. dynamic accent

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 ocatve and a half

d. two octaves

A part of an instrument's total range is called a

a.mute
b.register

c.pizzicato

d. subrange

Plucking the string with the finger instead of using a bow is called

a. tremolo

b. pizzicato

c. vibrato

d.plukato

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

If a string player uses vibrato, it is most likely because

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 tine warmer and more expresive

The very high-pitched tones that are produced when a string player lightly touches certain points on a string are called

a. harmmonics

b.vibrato

c.pizzicato

d. tremolo

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

The highest woodwind instrument in the orchestra is the

a. piccolo'

b. flute

c. oboe

d. clarinet

The lowest instrument in the orchestra is the

a.piccolo

b.tuba

c. double bass

d. contrabassoon

A thin piece of cane, used singly or in pairs by woodwind players, is called a

a reed

b mute

c double stop

d mouthpiece

The English horn is neither English nor a horn, but a(n)

a for of a bugle

b piece of cane used by woodwind players

c percussion instrument

d alot oboe

The saxophone is

a. a double reed woodwind instrument

b. a single reed woodwind instrument

c. a brass instrument

d. not a tru musical instrument

Which of the following is not a double reed instrument?

a oboe

b clarinet

c bassoon

d english horn

Which of the following is not a brass instrument?

a cornet

b french horn

c euphonium

d english horn

The vibrations of brass instruments come from

a. a column of air in a metal tube

b. a single reed

c. a double red

d. the musician's lips

A hollow, funnel-shaped piece of wood or plastic that brass players use to alter the tone of their instruments is called a

a tailpiece

b crook

c mute

d reed

The ___________ are the only orchestral drums of definite pitch.

a snare drums

b bass drums

c timpani

d tambourines

Which of the following is not a percussion instrument of definite pitch?

a tambourine

b timpani

c xylophone

d chimes

The _________ has strings that are plucked by a set of plastic, leather, or quill wedges.

a piano

b organ

c harsichord

d accordion

Various sets of pipes on a pipe organ are brought into play by pulling knobs called

a keys

b pedals

c stops

d valves

MIDI is a

a. technology based on placing brief digital recordings of live sounds under the control of a synthesizer keyboard.

b. technology based on representing data in terms of measurrable physical quantities

c standard adopted by manufacturers for interfacing synthesizer equipment

d. technology based on representing physical quantities as number

Diagram of orchestra

Audio of instruments

The ________ is a regular, recurrent pulsation that divides music into equal units of time.

a beat

b syncopation

c tempo

d rhythm

The element of music defined as the ordered flow of music through time, or more specifically, the particular arrangement of note lengths in a piece of music, is

a beat

b tempo

c rhythm

d meter

The organization of beats into regular groups is called

a meter

b syncopation

c tempo

d dynamics

The first, or stressed, beat of a measure is known as the

a upbeat

b downbeat

c head

d intro

_____________ is defined as putting an accent in music where it would not normally be expected.

a meter

b syncopation

c tempo

d dynamics

The term ___________ refers to the rate of speed of the beat of the music.

a meter

b syncopation

c tempo

d dynamics

The Italian term __________ is a tempo marking to indicate a moderately slow or walking pace.

a andante

b allegro

c adagio

d largo

The Italian term _____________ is a tempo marking to indicate a lively pace.

a andante

b allegro

c adagio

d vivace

Which of the following is the slowest tempo indication?

a adagio

b andante

c allegro

d vivace

A gradual slowing-down of tempo is indicated by the term

a accelerando

b andante

c ritardando

d crescendo

duple or triple meter audio

definition matching

A _______________ is an apparatus that produces ticking sounds or flashes of light at any desired musical speed.

a clock

b beat

c metronome

d stopwatch

In a musical time signature, the upper number tells

a. what kind of note gets a beat

b. how many beats fall in a measure

c. how many notes there are in a measure

d. how many measure there are in a composition

Staccato refers to playing or singing a melody

a. in a short detached manner

b. in a smooth, connected manner

c. at a higher or lower pitch

d. in small steps

A smooth, connected style of playing a melody is known as

a legato

b staccato

c glissando

d vibrato

A part of a melody is called a

a cadence

b sequence

c phrase

d step

A melodic phrase ending that sets up expectations for continuation is known as a(n)

a incomplete cadence

b complete cadence

c sentence

d theme

A cadence is

a. The emotional focal point of a melody

b. a resting place at the end of a phrase

c a melody that serves as the starting point for a more extended piece of music

d the repetition of a melodic pattern at a higher or lower pitch

A melody that serves as the starting point for a more extended piece of music is called a

a theme

b true

c climax

d cadence

Sequence may be defined as

a resting place at the end of a phrase

b the emotional focal point of a melody

c a part of a melody

d the repition of a melodic patter at a higher or lower pitch

The musical element that refers to the way chords are constructed and how they follow each other is

a harmony

b tempo

c melody

d meter

A chord is

a. a pattern of accents used in music

b. a combination of three or more tones sounded at once

c. a series or individual tones heard one after another

d a resting point at the end of a phrase

A series of chords is called a(n)

a triad

b progression

c arpeggio

d consonance

A consonance is a combination of tones that

a is considered unstable and tense

b is considered stable and restful

c are sounded one after the other

d form a melody

A combination of tones that is considered unstable and tense is called a

a consonance

b progression

c dissonance

d chord

When a dissonance moves to a consonance, it is called a

a triad

b chord

c resolution

d broken chord

The simplest, most basic chord used in western music is the

a consonance

b dissonance

c dyad

d triad

The triad built on the first step of the scale is called

a the tonic chord

b the dominant chord

c a progression

d the resolution

Traditionally, a composition would almost always end on a

a progression

b dissonant chord

c dominant chord

d tonic chord

The dominant chord is the triad built on the _________ step of the scale.

a first

b second

c fourth

d fifth

When the individual tones of a chord are sounded one after another instead of simultaneously, it is called a broken chord or

a cadence

b arpeggio

c allegro

d progression

The central tone around which a musical composition is organized is called the

a scale

b dominant

c tonic

d modulation

Key refers to

a the major scale

b a central tone, scale and chord

c any twelve random pitches

d a musical symbol placed at the beginning of the staff

Tonality is another term for

a key

b scale

c chromaticism

d modulation

In traditional western music, the __________ is the smallest interval between successive tones of a scale.

a quarter step

b whole step

c half step

d octave

Sharp or flat signs immediately following the clef sign at the beginning of the staff
of a musical composition are called the

a time signature

b music signature

c key signature

d meter

The word chromatic comes from the Greek word chroma, color, and is used in music to refer to the

a twelve tones of the octave

b eight tones of the ocatve

c color of the instrumentation

d use of color descriptions of the music

Modulation refers to

a the central tone of a musical composition

b the use of All keys in one octave

c the sharp or flats signs immediately following the clef sign at the beginning of the staff of a musical composition

d a shift from one key to another within the same composition

Musical texture refers to

a how many different layers of sound are heard at the same time

b what kind of layers of sound are related to each other

c how layers of sound are related to each other

d all answers are correct

The texture of a single melodic line without accompaniment is

a contrapuntal

b homophonic

c monophonic

polyphonic

Performance of a single melodic line by more than one instrument or voice is described as playing or singing in

a unison

b counterpoint

c harmony

d imitation

When two or more melodic lines of equal interest are performed simultaneously, the texture is

a monophonic

b homophonic

c polyphonic

d heterophonic

The technique of combining several melodic lines into a meaningful whole is called

a texture

b imitation

c counterpoint

d unison

Contrapuntal texture is sometimes used in place of the term

a monophonic tecture

b homophonic texture

c polyphonic texture

d unisonal performance

A round is an example of

a homophonic tecture

b monophonic texture

c strict imitation

d sloppy singing

Homophonic texture consists of

a single melodic line without accompaniment

b one main melody accompanied by chords

c two or more melodies of relatively equal iterest performed simultaneously

d. two or more different versions of the same basic melody performed simulatneously

The organization of musical ideas in time is called

a form

b repetition

c ternary

d variation

Retaining some features of a musical idea while changing others is called

a form

b contrast

c repetition

d variation

Forward motion, conflict, and change of mood All come from

a contrast

b repetition

c homogeneity

d dynamics

Three-part form can be represented as

a A B A

b A B A'

c statement, contrast, return

d all answers are correct

A musical statement, followed by a repeat of that statement, then a counterstatement, would be called __________ form.

a binary

b ternary

c song

d free

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