This instrument, written in treble clef, has a pinched high register and loud low register.
What is the oboe?
100
This percussion instrument often plays in a march along with the crash cymbals.
What is bass drum?
100
This special effect sounds like whistling.
What is a harmonic?
100
This color is created by blending different instrument groups for one voice.
What is a composite color?
100
When writing for a chorus, you will want to use these clearly to show the end of words or phrasing.
What are rests or breath marks?
200
This instrument is usually written in C or Bb.
What is the trumpet?
200
True or false: The percussion section has a greater dynamic range than the rest of the orchestra?
True.
200
This technique involves playing over the fingerboard.
What is sul tasto?
200
When scoring polyphonic music, avoid doubling these voices.
What are the inner voices?
200
Choose these carefully on long sustained notes, as they affect intonation and tone quality.
What are vowels?
300
Avoid fast runs in this low sounding valved instrument.
What is the tuba?
300
This pitched percussion instrument has metal tubes with fans in them under bars which are struck.
What is the vibraphone?
300
This instrument's lowest string is a G.
What is the violin?
300
This 20th Century technique includes repetitive rhythmic patterns, and slow moving or static harmonies.
What is Minimalism?
300
When writing for solo voices, these roles should be less demanding than primary roles, and should use a medium range.
What are secondary (or minor) roles?
400
This special effect involves playing two notes at once, or humming while playing a different note.
What are multiphonics?
400
This pedal on the grand piano moves the hammers so they only strike one string.
What is the una corda pedal (or soft pedal)?
400
This special effect is produced by plucking the string hard enough so it hits the fingerboard.
What is a Bartok pizzicato?
400
Also described as "pointillistic," this technique involves sparse instrumentation, and dividing the melody between instruments.
What is Fragmentation?
400
When writing high notes, you will want to prepare them by...
...leading up to them gradually or having a clear leap (4ths or 5ths).
500
This very flexible woodwind instrument can play softer than the others, to the point of being nearly inaudible.
What is the clarinet?
500
This diatonic instrument employs the use of pedals to create a glissando.
What is the harp?
500
This string instrument often plays in three different clefs.
What is the cello?
500
This special device is used frequently by Gustav Mahler. In class, we discovered in his Fourth Symphony, that several extremes of these can exist simultaneously.
What are contrapuntal dynamics?
500
Division into groups is a common choral arranging technique, however, this combination does not work as well, and is used infrequently.