Unusual Words
Substitutes
How many
Parts is parts
Musical Math
100
This word is Italian for "time," but indicates character and pace for a piece of music
What is "tempo?"
100
What one note could substitute for four quarter notes all tied together?
What is a whole note?
100
At the beginning of a piece of music, the top number of this tells how many
What is key signature?
100
This part strikes the strings, to make them vibrate
What is a hammer?
100
The result of combining two half-steps
What is a whole step?
200
This word, as opposed to chromatic, refers to scales that only use the seven letters of the musical alphabet
What is diatonic?
200
I'm more comfortable playing in flats. Rather than play F# Major Scale, I'll substitute this scale
What is G-flat Major?
200
A standard piano has this many keys
What is 88?
200
This part used to be made from ivory
What is a white key?
200
To play an octave higher (8va), all notes are moved 8 notes higher. To play two octaves higher, you need to move the notes this many notes higher
What is 15?
300
The composer's output of pieces, catalogued by publishers, often uses this word, with the word "number," to keep track of each "work."
What is "opus?"
300
When three notes take the amount of time usually reserved for two, the result is this
What is a triplet?
300
There are this many letters in the musical alphabet
What is seven?
300
This part used to be made of ebony
What is a black key?
300
The interval that is one less than an octave
What is a seventh?
400
This word is associated with music that uses all of the black and white keys, and the accidentals that come with them. Literally it means "all of the colors."
What is chromatic?
400
To play a piano concerto, one pianist plays the solo part. Another pianist can play, too, substituting for this, which usually accompanies a concerto
What is an orchestra?
400
There are this many chromatic tones
What is twelve?
400
This heavy cast iron plate, which can withstand over 16 tons of tension from the strings, has the same name as an orchestral instrument played by plucking strings
What is a harp?
400
The marking below signifies that the metronome will sound 100 of these
What are beats per minute?
500
This word, French for "key," has nothing to do with key signatures, but you couldn't identify a note on the staff without it
What is clef?
500
This conductor, who is now school teacher in Dayton, began his career as a substitute, when the conductor for the opera came down with bronchitis. Now he conducts for Muse Machine
Who is Mr. Powell?
500
A five-octave keyboard has this many keys
What is 61?
500
All of the inner moving parts of the piano, which together can be removed from the cabinet for repair
What is the action?
500
Common time (4/4) divided in half
What is cut time? (2/2)