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Worksheets

Subject specific vocabulary

Total questions: 100

Worksheet time: 50mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which term is defined as: 'A 12-bar blues progression is composed of three four-bar phrases, whilst a 16-bar blues progression is composed of four four-bar phrases. The chords are based on I, IV and V (e.g. jazz, rock, R&B etc).'

a)

12 or 16 bar blues

b)

Pentatonic scale

c)

Syncopation

d)

Walking bass

2.

Which term is defined as: 'The performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. In DJing, this refers to vocal-only tracks.'?

a)

A cappella

b)

Harmony

c)

Remix

d)

Instrumental

3.

Which term is defined as: 'Pieces written with an instrumental or vocal part designed to support or complement the melody.'?

a)

Accompaniment

b)

Harmony

c)

Cadence

d)

Motif

4.

Which term is defined as: 'A note or sequence of notes which precede the first strong beat of a musical phrase, particularly at the start of a piece.'?

a)

Anacrusis

b)

Coda

c)

Cadence

d)

Ostinato

5.

Which term is defined as: 'A vocal piece that has special importance for a particular group of people or a country, often performed on a special occasion (e.g. Coronation anthems).'?

a)

Anthem

b)

Ballad

c)

Sonata

d)

Cantata

6.

Which term is defined as: 'A musical texture in which the musical ideas are passed between different groups of instruments or voices.'?

a)

Antiphony

b)

Monophony

c)

Homophony

d)

Polyphony

7.

Which term is defined as: 'Diagrams, screenshots and written notes showing how the piece was composed, including aspects such as the use of instruments, harmonies, key etc.'?

a)

Annotation

b)

Improvisation

c)

Performance

d)

Orchestration

8.

Which term is defined as: 'A structure of contrasting sections in the form A-B-C-B-A.'?

a)

Arch-shape

b)

Rondo

c)

Binary

d)

Strophic

9.

Which term is defined as: 'An instruction given to string players to use the bow.'?

a)

Arco

b)

Pizzicato

c)

Col legno

d)

Sul ponticello

10.

Which term is defined as: 'Specified genres, styles and traditions of music that must be studied.'?

a)

Areas of study

b)

Music notation

c)

Performance practice

d)

Improvisation

11.

A composition for solo voice, usually contained within a larger musical work and which may be accompanied by instruments or a full orchestra (e.g. oratorios, operas). An _____ is usually sung after a recitative.

a)

Aria

b)

Sonata

c)

Fugue

d)

Chorale

12.

A type of broken chord in which the notes that compose a chord are played or sung in an ascending or descending order (e.g. an ascending _____ of a C major chord is C, E and G).

a)

Arpeggio

b)

Glissando

c)

Staccato

d)

Legato

13.

The effect on how the note is played (e.g. phrase mark, staccato, slur, accent and legato etc.) is called _____

a)

Articulation

b)

Dynamics

c)

Tempo

d)

Pitch

14.

Music composed without a key or tonal centre is called _____

a)

Atonal

b)

Modal

c)

Polyphonic

d)

Homophonic

15.

Sound recording of students’ final performances is called _____

a)

Audio recording

b)

Video recording

c)

Script writing

d)

Stage lighting

16.

A compositional device where the time values of the notes of a melody can be lengthened, or the interval between two notes can be widened (e.g. _____ 4th).

a)

Augmentation

b)

Diminution

c)

Syncopation

d)

Inversion

17.

_____ imitates the effect of doubling voices or instruments using double tracking, without the need for a musician to overdub their part (they perform their part only once).

a)

Automated double tracking (ADT)

b)

Flanging

c)

Reverb

d)

Compression

18.

The relative volume levels between voices and/or instruments to achieve clarity of recording, as used in music production, is called _____

a)

Balance

b)

Tempo

c)

Reverb

d)

Compression

19.

A strong rhythmic accent on the second and fourth beats of a bar of a piece in 4/4 time, used especially in jazz and popular music, is called _____?

a)

Backbeat

b)

Downbeat

c)

Syncopation

d)

Ostinato

20.

A male voice with a range midway between tenor and bass is called _____

a)

Baritone

b)

Soprano

c)

Alto

d)

Tenor

21.

Using your voice to produce musical and rhythmic sounds (e.g. drum beats, hi-hat or cymbal noises, brass effects etc.) is called _____

a)

Beatboxing

b)

Yodelling

c)

Scatting

d)

Humming

22.

Fill in the blank: The structure of a piece of music which is divided into two different sections. It is usually written as an AABB or AB form is called _______.

a)

Binary

b)

Ternary

c)

Rondo

d)

Sonata

23.

Fill in the blank: A six-note minor pentatonic scale with the addition of a flattened fifth (e.g., a blues scale in C minor includes the notes C, E♭, F, G♭, G and B♭) is called a _______.

a)

Blues scale

b)

Major scale

c)

Dorian scale

d)

Harmonic minor scale

24.

Fill in the blank: A flattened note (lowered in tone by a semitone), usually the third or seventh, used especially in blues music, is called a _______.

a)

Blues note

b)

Major chord

c)

Sharp note

d)

Natural note

25.

Fill in the blank: The term that stands for 'beats per minute' and is used for measuring the tempo of a piece of music is _______.

a)

BPM

b)

Hz

c)

dB

d)

RPM

26.

Fill in the blank: A short instrumental solo, often improvised and used in pop and jazz, is called a _______.

a)

Break

b)

Verse

c)

Chorus

d)

Bridge

27.

Fill in the blank: A pair of chords in which the harmony marks the end of a musical statement (e.g., perfect, plagal, interrupted and imperfect) is called a _______.

a)

Cadence

b)

Interval

c)

Scale

d)

Motif

28.

Fill in the blank: A passage usually towards the end of a solo piece, where a soloist plays an elaborate flourish or showy solo passage in a skilled way, is called a _______.

a)

Cadenza

b)

Sonata

c)

Prelude

d)

Fugue

29.

Fill in the blank: A feature of instrumental and vocal music where the leader plays or sings a melody and the rest of the group plays or sings in response is called _______.

a)

Call and response

b)

Canon

c)

Fugue

d)

Ostinato

30.

Fill in the blank: A musical texture in which a melody is played and then imitated (one or more times) after a short delay in another part is called a _______.

a)

Canon

b)

Fugue

c)

Sonata

d)

Chorale

31.

Fill in the blank: A social gathering with music and dancing that is associated with Celtic folk music is called a _______.

a)

Ceilidh

b)

Tango

c)

Opera

d)

Fiesta

32.

Fill in the blank: A musical ensemble of people who sing together. Different types of these include mixed, male, female, and a cappella choirs.

a)

Choir

b)

Band

c)

Orchestra

d)

Quartet

33.

What is the meaning of the term 'Chord'?

a)

The simultaneous sounding of two or more notes.

b)

A musical instrument used in orchestras.

c)

A type of musical scale.

d)

A technique for tuning instruments.

34.

What are 'Chord symbols' used for?

a)

Specific symbols used to represent chords on musical notation (e.g. C7).

b)

Symbols used to indicate tempo changes in music.

c)

Marks that show the dynamics (loudness or softness) of a piece.

d)

Signs that represent the key signature of a song.

35.

What does 'Chorus' mean in music?

a)

In Pop music, this is a repeated refrain in a verse-chorus structure. In Classical music, it refers to a large group of singers in a choral work or opera.

b)

A solo instrumental section in a symphony.

c)

A type of musical instrument used in orchestras.

d)

A fast-paced dance movement in a suite.

36.

What does 'Chromatic' mean in music?

a)

Chromatic notes do not belong to the key of the music (i.e. they are not in the key signature) and are usually evident in the melody and/or harmony parts.

b)

Chromatic notes are always played louder than other notes in the key.

c)

Chromatic refers to music that is played only using black keys on the piano.

d)

Chromatic means the music is played at a very fast tempo.

37.

What is 'Clave' in music?

a)

A name of an instrument and the name of a rhythm (called ‘son clave’) used in Cuban popular music. The latter is a repeating two bar pattern, where the first bar has three accented beats and the second bar has two accented beats.

b)

A type of musical scale used in Indian classical music.

c)

A traditional Japanese string instrument.

d)

A style of singing in Gregorian chants.

38.

What are 'Compatible tracks' in DJing?

a)

Tracks of music that work well together in DJing (e.g. harmony, key, tempo etc).

b)

Tracks that are from the same artist only.

c)

Tracks that have the same lyrics.

d)

Tracks that are always played at the same volume.

39.

What is 'Compound time' in music?

a)

A metre in which the main beat can be subdivided into three. The opposite is simple time.

b)

A musical term for playing notes softly.

c)

A type of musical instrument used in orchestras.

d)

A style of music characterised by fast tempos.

40.

What does 'Composing' mean in music?

a)

Composing is the process of making or forming a piece of music by combining the parts, or elements of music. This could include notation, instrumentation, orchestration, musical montage and sound production.

b)

Composing is the act of listening to music and identifying the instruments used.

c)

Composing is the process of teaching music theory to students.

d)

Composing is the act of performing a piece of music in front of an audience.

41.

What is a 'Composing log'?

a)

Record of how a composition has been developed.

b)

A list of musical instruments used in a performance.

c)

A diary of famous composers.

d)

A log of concert ticket sales.

42.

What does 'Composition to a brief' mean?

a)

Composition produced in response to an AQA externally set brief.

b)

A composition that is improvised on the spot.

c)

A composition that is only performed live.

d)

Composition created without any guidelines.

43.

What does 'Conjunct' mean in music?

a)

A melody that moves by step.

b)

A melody that moves by leap.

c)

A type of musical instrument.

d)

A type of musical scale.

44.

What does 'Con sordino' mean?

a)

Played with a mute on the instrument.

b)

Played very loudly.

c)

Played with the bow.

d)

Played with the fingers.

45.

What is the term for making critical judgements about a piece of music by analysing, evaluating and comparing musical styles and genres in relation to the period in which it was written?

a)

Contextual understanding

b)

Melodic improvisation

c)

Technical execution

d)

Aural perception

46.

What musical style involves intertwining two or more independent melodies, similar to polyphony?

a)

Contrapuntal

b)

Homophonic

c)

Monophonic

d)

Atonal

47.

What is the term for notes that sound ‘pleasing’ when played together at the same time (e.g., 3rds and 6ths)?

a)

Consonant

b)

Dissonant

c)

Chromatic

d)

Atonal

48.

What is the name of the accompanying part in Baroque music that includes a bassline and harmonies, typically played on a keyboard instrument and supported by a bass instrument?

a)

Continuo

b)

Fugue

c)

Sonata

d)

Aria

49.

What is the term for musical terms and concepts such as melody, accompaniment, and tonality?

a)

Conventions

b)

Dynamics

c)

Improvisations

d)

Textures

50.

What is a secondary melody that is sung or played in counterpoint with the original melody called?

a)

Countermelody

b)

Harmony

c)

Ostinato

d)

Canon

51.

What is the effect produced when two or more conflicting rhythms are heard together (e.g., two eighth notes played against triplet eighth notes)?

a)

Cross rhythm

b)

Syncopation

c)

Polyrhythm

d)

Ostinato

52.

What type of structure in music involves a theme being heard, sometimes in a varied form, in more than one movement?

a)

Cyclic

b)

Binary

c)

Strophic

d)

Rondo

53.

What is the name of the time effect that postpones the sound from playing for a number of milliseconds?

a)

Delay

b)

Reverb

c)

Distortion

d)

Chorus

54.

What is the term for a technique used for achieving a particular artistic effect, which can include harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic devices such as ostinato, melisma, syncopation, and pedal notes?

a)

Devices

b)

Genres

c)

Movements

d)

Instruments

55.

What term refers to chords or notes which exist within a given key in Western music?

a)

Diatonic

b)

Chromatic

c)

Atonal

d)

Modal

56.

What is the term for reducing the length or value of a note in music?

a)

Diminution

b)

Augmentation

c)

Syncopation

d)

Staccato

57.

A compositional device where the time values of the notes of a melody can be shortened, or the interval between two notes can be reduced (e.g. diminished 5th) is called _______.

a)

Diminution

b)

Augmentation

c)

Modulation

d)

Inversion

58.

Sometimes called ‘direct input transformer’, this refers to recording or playing directly into a mixing desk or computer without the use of an amplifier. What is this called?

a)

Direct Input (DI)

b)

Line Out

c)

Aux Send

d)

Speaker Out

59.

A melody that moves in leaps using larger intervals than a 2nd is called _______.

a)

Disjunct

b)

Conjunct

c)

Legato

d)

Staccato

60.

Notes that sound harsh or unpleasant when played together at the same time (e.g. augmented 4th) are called _______ notes.

a)

Dissonant

b)

Consonant

c)

Harmonic

d)

Melodic

61.

Distortion and overdrive are sounds created to alter the sound of amplified electric musical instruments (e.g. electric guitars). What is this effect called?

a)

Distortion

b)

Reverb

c)

Chorus

d)

Flanger

62.

Using turntables to manipulate tracks and demonstrate an understanding and a range of techniques specific to DJing is called being a _______.

a)

DJ

b)

Producer

c)

Vocalist

d)

Dancer

63.

A term used to describe the fifth note of any diatonic major or minor scale (e.g. G in C major) or the fifth triad, the chord built in thirds from the fifth note (e.g. G-B-D in C major) is called the _______.

a)

Dominant

b)

Subdominant

c)

Tonic

d)

Mediant

64.

A term used to describe a chord built on the fifth note of any major or minor diatonic scale and including the root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh (e.g. G-B-D-F in C major). In roman numerals it is written as V7. What is this chord called?

a)

Dominant 7th

b)

Major 7th

c)

Minor 7th

d)

Diminished 7th

65.

The process of recording two different performances of the same material to thicken a musical line is called _______.

a)

Double tracking

b)

Overdubbing

c)

Reverb layering

d)

Phase shifting

66.

Two or three notes played together at the same time on a string instrument is called _______.

a)

Double and triple stopping

b)

Pizzicato

c)

Vibrato

d)

Glissando

67.

A harmonic effect or accompaniment where two notes are continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece is called a _______.

a)

Drone

b)

Cadence

c)

Ostinato

d)

Arpeggio

68.

Used to describe the volume or changes in volume in a piece of music (e.g. such as loud (f) or soft (p)), in a piece of music. What is this called?

a)

Dynamics

b)

Tempo

c)

Melody

d)

Harmony

69.

______ is a type of reverb in which a sound is repeated.

a)

Echo

b)

Chorus

c)

Flanger

d)

Distortion

70.

What is the term for these ways of changing sound?

a)

Effects

b)

Instruments

c)

Notes

d)

Beats

71.

What is the term for this?

a)

Enharmonic

b)

Diatonic

c)

Chromatic

d)

Pentatonic

72.

A group performance of two or more musicians (including DJing) is called an ______.

a)

Ensemble

b)

Solo

c)

Duet

d)

Recital

73.

A short extract from a piece of music is called an ______.

a)

Excerpt

b)

Sonata

c)

Concerto

d)

Symphony

74.

Representing in music a feeling, idea or situation using, for example, dynamics, tonality, articulation. What is this called?

a)

Expression

b)

Notation

c)

Improvisation

d)

Harmony

75.

EQ: EQ is short for ______. It is the lessening or boosting of different frequencies to add more bass or treble to a musical track.

a)

equalisation

b)

emulation

c)

equator

d)

equilibrium

76.

Falsetto: Male singing in a high register, the same range as an alto or soprano voice, is called ______.

a)

Falsetto

b)

Baritone

c)

Tenor

d)

Bass

77.

Fusion: A fusion genre is music that combines two or more ______.

a)

styles

b)

instruments

c)

languages

d)

tempos

78.

Free composition: Composition composed freely from a student's own idea is called a ______.

a)

Free composition

b)

Guided composition

c)

Dictation

d)

Summary

79.

Fugue: A contrapuntal composition in two or more voices, built on a theme that is introduced at the beginning and used in imitation throughout the composition, is called a ______.

a)

Fugue

b)

Sonata

c)

Canon

d)

Suite

80.

A category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions (e.g. jazz, hip hop, folk, rock, etc) is called a ______.

a)

Genre

b)

Melody

c)

Tempo

d)

Chord

81.

What is the definition of 'Glissando'?

a)

A pitch sliding from one note to another, including all the chromatic notes in between. In music notation, a line between the two notes will be added.

b)

A rapid alternation between two adjacent notes.

c)

A musical ornament consisting of a rapid succession of notes.

d)

A technique where a note is held for its full value.

82.

What is the definition of 'Ground Bass'?

a)

A short theme played in the bass which constantly repeats with changing harmonies.

b)

A rapid scale passage played in the treble clef.

c)

A melody that is sung without instrumental accompaniment.

d)

A type of drum pattern used in jazz music.

83.

What is the definition of 'Grove'?

a)

Refers to a rhythm that deviates from the straight beat of the music (eg funk, rock, swing, fusion etc).

b)

A type of musical instrument used in orchestras.

c)

A technique for tuning string instruments.

d)

A style of vocal performance in opera.

84.

What is the definition of 'Guide recording'?

a)

A recognised recording submitted in place of a score.

b)

A live performance recorded for archival purposes.

c)

A rehearsal session recorded for practice.

d)

A demo track used for promotional purposes.

85.

What is the definition of 'Hammer-on'?

a)

A technique guitarists use where the finger is ‘hammered’ on a fretboard, causing a note to sound.

b)

A type of guitar used for heavy metal music.

c)

A musical term for playing notes softly.

d)

A device used to tune a guitar.

86.

What is the definition of 'Harmony'?

a)

A combination of simultaneous sounds including chords, accompaniment and counterpoint that can support a melody.

b)

A single unaccompanied melody line.

c)

A rapid alternation between two notes.

d)

A gradual increase in loudness.

87.

What is the definition of 'Hemiola'?

a)

A musical figure in which two groups of three beats are replaced by three groups of two beats, giving the effect of a shift between triple and duple metre.

b)

A rapid alternation between two notes that are a whole tone apart.

c)

A technique where a melody is played backwards.

d)

A musical ornament consisting of a rapid alternation between a note and the note above.

88.

What is the definition of 'Heterophonic/heterophony'?

a)

A musical texture in which two identical melodies are played simultaneously, but one is a decoration of the other.

b)

A musical texture in which a single melody is performed without accompaniment.

c)

A musical texture in which two or more independent melodies are played simultaneously.

d)

A musical texture in which a melody is supported by chords.

89.

What is the definition of 'Hook'?

a)

A short melodic phrase used to catch the listener’s attention and make a song memorable (eg ‘Call Me Maybe’ by Carly Rae Jepsen).

b)

A type of musical instrument used in orchestras.

c)

A section of a song where the tempo slows down dramatically.

d)

A device used to record music in a studio.

90.

What is the definition of 'Homophonic/homophony'?

a)

A musical texture that is chordal.

b)

A musical form with repeated sections.

c)

A type of scale used in jazz music.

d)

A technique for tuning string instruments.

91.

What is the definition of 'Improvisation'?

a)

The spontaneous and creative performance of musical ideas.

b)

A strict adherence to written musical scores.

c)

The repetition of a musical phrase without variation.

d)

The use of electronic devices to alter sound.

92.

What is the definition of 'Imitation/imitative'?

a)

A compositional device where a melody is played or sung and then repeated/copied in a different instrument/voice.

b)

A technique where music is played only once and never repeated.

c)

A method of composing where only percussion instruments are used.

d)

A style of music that uses only electronic sounds.

93.

Fill in the blank: Music composed for or performed by instrumentalists is called ________.

a)

Instrumental

b)

Vocal

c)

Electronic

d)

Choral

94.

Fill in the blank: The mood and style of music using musical elements and techniques (e.g., phrasing, dynamics) is called ________.

a)

Interpretation

b)

Notation

c)

Tempo

d)

Harmony

95.

Fill in the blank: The distance between two notes sounded simultaneously together or one after another is called an ________.

a)

Interval

b)

Chord

c)

Scale

d)

Melody

96.

Fill in the blank: The accuracy of pitch in playing or singing is called ________.

a)

Intonation

b)

Rhythm

c)

Dynamics

d)

Timbre

97.

Fill in the blank: The introductory section before the main section, often used in pop music, is called the ________.

a)

Intro

b)

Bridge

c)

Chorus

d)

Verse

98.

Fill in the blank: The word ________ has different meanings. An inverted melody is a melody turned upside-down. An inverted chord is a chord which has a note other than its root note in the bass note.

a)

Inversion

b)

Progression

c)

Cadence

d)

Resolution

99.

Fill in the blank: The scale on which the piece is based (e.g., G major) is called the ________.

a)

Key

b)

Chord

c)

Tempo

d)

Melody

100.

Fill in the blank: A term referring to layers of sound within a piece of music and mostly used in association with texture (e.g., used in polyphony, melody and accompaniment etc) is called ________.

a)

Layering

b)

Dynamics

c)

Tempo

d)

Harmony