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Quiz about So You Want To Major in Music

So You Want To Major in Music... Quiz

You've just graduated from high school and think that a major in music might be right for you, but you're not sure if you have and adequate knowlege of music theory. Take this quiz to find out what I expect my incoming freshmen to know.

A multiple-choice quiz by bmrsnr. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
bmrsnr

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
180,247

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
5595

Last 3 plays: Guest 69 (0/15), Guest 159 (8/15), Guest 50 (8/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Which of the following clefs would be most appropriate for instruments with a higher pitch? Hint

Treble clef

High-instrument clef

Bass Clef

Tenor Clef

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Question 2 of 15

2. How many half steps are contained within the octave? Hint

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Question 3 of 15

3. Which of the following statements about the Major scale is NOT TRUE? Hint

The scale includes 7 different pitches.

The triad built on the first scale degree is Major in quality.

To obtain a major triad on the 5th scale degree, the 7th scale degree must be raised.

The 2 half steps occur between the 3rd and 4th scale degrees and between the 7th and 8th scale degrees.

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Question 4 of 15

4. Which of the following keys is the parallel minor to C Major? Hint

C minor

F minor

A minor

E minor

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Question 5 of 15

5. Which of the following keys is the relative minor to B Major? Hint

D minor

G minor

G# minor

D# minor

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Question 6 of 15

6. Which of the following keys has 4 flats in its key signature? Hint

Neither

Both

A-flat Major

F minor

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Question 7 of 15

7. What effect does a sharp have when placed in front of the note G? Hint

Raises the note two half steps

No effect

Lowers the note one half step

Raises the note one half step

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Question 8 of 15

8. In 6/8 time, what is most commonly the rhythmic value of 1 beat? Hint

Eighth note

Dotted half note

Sixty-fourth note

Dotted quarter note

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Question 9 of 15

9. What is the best one word definition for the term "staccato"? Hint

Long

Accented

Ugly

Separated

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Question 10 of 15

10. Which of the following sonorities would be an example of a major triad? Hint

C - I - A

B - D - F

F - A - C

D - F - A

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Question 11 of 15

11. Which of the following choices best describes the intervallic makeup of a diminished triad? Hint

Two minor thirds and a diminished fifth

Two minor thirds and one perfect fifth

One major third, one minor third and one diminished fifth

three notes played at random

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Question 12 of 15

12. Which of the following best describes the relationship between the pitches G-sharp and A-flat? Hint

Diatonic

Altruistic

Chromatic

Enharmonic

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Question 13 of 15

13. In your music, you see "8vb" written over a section of that music. What does "8vb" mean? Hint

You are supposed to take 8 very-big breaths

The section of music is to be played an octave higher.

The section of music is to be played an octave lower.

The section of music is to be played 8 beats per second faster.

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Question 14 of 15

14. The harmonic minor scale differs from the natural minor scale in which of the following ways? Hint

The scale requires multiple notes be played simultaneously.

The sixth and seventh scale degrees are 1 half step higher.

The seventh scale degree is 1 half step higher.

The third scale degree is 1 half step higher.

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Question 15 of 15

15. The main reasons why music theory is included in undergraduate music curricula are to torment freshmen and to dissuade them from majoring in music.

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which of the following clefs would be most appropriate for instruments with a higher pitch?

Answer: Treble clef

The treble clef is so named because it is used mainly for instruments that have a treble, or high pitch.

2. How many half steps are contained within the octave?

Answer: 12

One half step is the distance between a white note and an adjacent black note. There are 12 of these within one octave. 88 is the number of keys on a piano.

3. Which of the following statements about the Major scale is NOT TRUE?

Answer: To obtain a major triad on the 5th scale degree, the 7th scale degree must be raised.

The triad on the fifth scale degree in the major scale is naturally major. Only 7 pitches are present in the scale, the so-called "eighth" is just a duplication of the first.

4. Which of the following keys is the parallel minor to C Major?

Answer: C minor

The parallel minor key has the same tonic or first scale degree as the parallel major. Thus C Major is the Parallel major to C minor and vand C minor is the parallel minor to C Major.

5. Which of the following keys is the relative minor to B Major?

Answer: G# minor

Two keys that have the relationship of being relative major and minor have the same key signature. B Major has 5 sharps along with G# minor. G Minor contains 2 flats, D# minor, 6 sharps, and D minor has 1 flat.

6. Which of the following keys has 4 flats in its key signature?

Answer: Both

A-flat Major is the relative Major to F minor and therefore share the same key signature.

7. What effect does a sharp have when placed in front of the note G?

Answer: Raises the note one half step

Sharps are the opposite of flats. They raise a given note a half step.

8. In 6/8 time, what is most commonly the rhythmic value of 1 beat?

Answer: Dotted quarter note

6/8 time means 6 eighth notes in 1 measure. However, the eighth note is rarely the note that gets 1 beat. Listen to any Sousa march in 6/8 time and you'll see what I mean!

9. What is the best one word definition for the term "staccato"?

Answer: Separated

Staccato means disjunct or separated.

10. Which of the following sonorities would be an example of a major triad?

Answer: F - A - C

A major triad consists of three notes, the bottom two forming a major third, the top two forming a minor third, and the outside notes forming a perfect fifth. Only F - A - C contains this arrangement. B - D - F is diminished and D - F - A is minor. The CIA is the Central Intelligence Agency and does all kinds of secret stuff that we don't know about.

11. Which of the following choices best describes the intervallic makeup of a diminished triad?

Answer: Two minor thirds and a diminished fifth

The diminished triad contains a minor third between the root and third, a minor third between the third and fifth and a diminished fifth between the root and fifth.

12. Which of the following best describes the relationship between the pitches G-sharp and A-flat?

Answer: Enharmonic

Two notes that sound the same but are spelled differently are said to be enharmonically equivalent.

13. In your music, you see "8vb" written over a section of that music. What does "8vb" mean?

Answer: The section of music is to be played an octave lower.

"8vb" is actually a shortened form of "8va bassa". "8va" written by itself means that the section of music was to be played an octave higher. Adding the bassa renders the meaning as the exact opposite.

14. The harmonic minor scale differs from the natural minor scale in which of the following ways?

Answer: The seventh scale degree is 1 half step higher.

The harmonic form of the minor scale was a way to allow for the major dominant. A major dominant would require that the seventh degree of the minor scale be raised 1 half step.

15. The main reasons why music theory is included in undergraduate music curricula are to torment freshmen and to dissuade them from majoring in music.

Answer: False

Music theory is an integral part of an undergraduate music curriculum. It is valuable on so many levels from the performer who can gain better ear skills and understanding of the music he or she is playing to the conductor and music educator who must be able to understand the music and transposions and to detect errors in the ensemble.

Source: Author bmrsnr

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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