Notes & Rests
What are the 3 parts of a note?
Notehead, stem, and flag
What does tempo stand for?
The speed at which a musical piece is played.
What does the top of a time signature stand for?
The number of beats in a measure.
What’s an example of a song with a quadruple time signature.
Rock & pop music
What would you see on a piece of music to indicate the tempo should speed up?
Accelerando (accel.) OR animando (anim.)
How many beats are covered by an eighth rest (assuming a 4/4 time signature)
1/2 of a beat
What is beat?
A constant pulse or “heartbeat” that exists in most musical pieces.
What does the bottom number in a time signature stand for?
The type of note that counts for one beat value.
What’s an example of a song with a triple time signature.
Walz, Minuet, or scherzo
What words are used to indicate that a performer or musician can play at the speed of their choice?
Ad libitum / A piacere
What is the use of a tie?
What is an example of a word for a faster tempo?
Extra 100 points if you can name 3 words from slowest to fastest.
Allegro, Allegretto, Presto, Prestissimo (must be in that order).
What is the purpose of a measure/bar?
Extra 100 points if you can name smaller units making up a measure or bar.
It divides the pieces of music into (usually) pieces that carry equal amounts of beats.
Beats & Subdivisions
What’s an example of a song with a duple time signature?
Ragtime, march, polka, merengue
Is prestissimo faster or slower than presto?
Faster
What is the meaning of a dot next to a note?
Extra 100 points: What is the difference in duration between a dotted half note and a dotted quarter note?
It adds an additional value of half of the note’s originally assigned beats.
3 beats vs 1 & 1/2 notes.
What is an example of a word for a slower tempo?
Extra 100 points if you can order 3 examples from fastest to slowest.
Adagietto, Adagio, Larghetto, Largo, Larghissimo (must be in that general order).
What is a type of time signature other than 2/4, ¾, and 4/4?
6/8, 9/8, 12/8, 5/4, ⅝, 7/4, 7/8
Where are the strong, semi-strong, and weak beats in the 4 beats of a quadruple time signature?
First – strong, second – weak, third – semi-strong, fourth – weak
Is adagietto faster or slower than adagio?
Faster
How many beats would a quarter rest and dotted half note cover?
4 beats
What is a metronome, and what does it measure? Also, what is the unit of measure?
It is a device that ticks periodically. It measures the tempo of a piece in beats per minute (bpm).
When do we count the strong beats in duple, triple, and quadruple time signatures (the first, middle, or final beats)?
The first beat
What is the difference between a simple and a compound time signature?
The notes that divide a measure with a simple time signature are undotted, and the notes dividing a compound time signature are dotted.
Is largo faster or slower than largetto?
Slower