National Qualifications: Music Listening Revision

Exam style questions

Test your foundation concepts

Choose the correct answer clicking in the appropriate box

It is important to 'Listen' to the example so that you associate the music with the definition of the concept you hear. After listening to the excerpt choose an answer and you will immediately see a response. If you get the answer wrong the response will redirect you to the concept in the learning area.

Going upwards Listen
1. Descending
2. Ascending
3. Sequence
4. Repetition
Going downwards Listen
1. Question
2. Answer
3. Ascending
4. Descending
Music which jumps from one note to the next Listen
1. Ascending
2. Stepwise
3. Broken chords
4. Discord
Jumping from one note to another as in a broken chord Listen
1. Stepwise
2. Leaping
3. Ascending
4. Harmony
Going downwards Listen
1. Question
2. Answer
3. Ascending
4. Descending
The same music or theme heard more than once. Listen
1. Sequence
2. Phrase
3. Repetition
4. Answer
A musical idea or pattern is repeated a few times moving either up or down Listen
1. Repetition
2. Sequence
3. Phrase
4. Answer
A group of notes forming a section or part of a melody Listen
1. Phrase
2. Sequence
3. Repetition
4. Answer
First phrase of a section of music which is followed by another phrase Listen
1. Sequence
2. Repetition
3. Question
4. Answer
A responding musical phrase to a first one Listen
1. Question
2. Answer
3. Sequence
4. Ascending
Two or more notes played at the same time Listen
1. Repetition
2. Broken Chord
3. Chord
4. Ascending
Moving from one chord to another to make music. Listen
1. Chord
2. Harmony
3. Stepwise
4. Chord change
A group of notes played at the same time as in a chord. Listen
1. Descending
2. Notes together
3. Chord progression
4. Sequence
Music or a group of notes which do not move by step. Listen
1. Leaping
2. Harmony
3. Stepwise
4. Repetition
Only one voice,group or instrument plays a melody in unison Listen
1. Leaping
2. Single line
3. Chords
4. Scale
A phrase or musical idea which is repeated many times Listen
1. Sequence
2. Scale
3. Chord change
4. Repetition
Music which increases in speed Listen
1. Slower
2. Accented
3. Faster
4. Pattern
Music or notes which decrease in speed Listen
1. Slower
2. Pause
3. Accented
4. Simple time
Music or notes have more emphasis. Listen
1. Slower
2. Accented
3. Faster
4. Pattern
The Musical flow is held up by a long note or silence. Listen
1. Slower
2. Faster
3. Pause
4. Accented
Music or notes which have decreased in length Listen
1. Faster
2. Slower
3. Off the beat
4. On the beat
A stronger beat in a piece of music, which is emphasised. Listen
1. On the beat
2. Off the beat
3. Accented
4. Faster
Music with 2,3 or 4 crotchet beats in a bar Listen
1. Simple time
2. Drum fill
3. Chord change
4. Repetition
The strong beat comes at the beginning of the bar. Listen
1. Accented
2. Off the beat
3. Drum fill
4. On the beat
The strong beat comes at a different time in the bar. Listen
1. Faster
2. Off the beat
3. Chords
4. On the beat
A group of notes which seem to form a shape. Listen
1. Simple time
2. Faster
3. Accented
4. Pattern
A flourish played on a drum kit as an introduction to a new phrase Listen
1. Scotch snap
2. Drum fill
3. Solo
4. Riff
A rhythm commonly used in a Strathspey Listen
1. Ostinato
2. Harmony
3. Scotch Snap
4. Round
Notes one after another which form one line of music Listen
1. Riff
2. Unison
3. Ensemble
4. Single line
Instruments or voices perform a single line of music together. Listen
1. Solo
2. Harmony
3. Unison
4. Ensemble
Chords and notes which accompany a melody Listen
1. Unison
2. Harmony
3. Section
4. Round
A voice or instrument performing on its own or performing a main melody with an instrument/s accompanying Listen
1. Solo
2. Ensemble
3. Riff
4. Accompanied
A group performing together Listen
1. Riff
2. Lead Vocal
3. Backing Vocals
4. Ensemble
A short musical idea or rhythm which is repeated over and over again. Listen
1. Ostinato
2. Round
3. Accompanied
4. Solo
A repeated figure or pattern usually found in Jazz or popular Music Listen
1. Ensemble
2. Riff
3. Staccato
4. Unaccompanied
Music which can be repeated in other parts a bar or two later while the first part continues. Listen
1. Riff
2. Ostinato
3. Legato
4. Round
The term to describe when an instrument or group play along with a solo instrument or voice Listen
1. Harmony
2. Unison
3. Accompanied
4. Unaccompanied
Music which has increased in volume. Listen
1. Louder
2. Softer
3. Legato
4. Staccato
Music which has decreased in volume. Listen
1. Louder
2. Legato
3. Softer
4. Staccato
Smooth, sustained sounding music. Listen
1. Staccato
2. Single Line
3. Plucking
4. Legato
Notes are short and detached Listen
1. Staccato
2. Legato
3. Bowing
4. Softer
Method used for making sound on Woodwind and Brass instruments Listen
1. Bowing
2. Slapping
3. Blowing
4. Strumming
Method used for playing Orchestral string instruments which gives a smooth line. Listen
1. Blowing
2. Bowing
3. Strumming
4. Striking
Playing a note of a string instrument by pulling or pushing with fingers Listen
1. Plucking
2. Striking
3. Slapping
4. Bowing
The sound created when two flat surfaces are banged together. Listen
1. Strumming
2. Striking
3. Plucking
4. Slapping
Ensemble which contains woodwind, strings, brass and percussion Listen
1. Brass Band
2. Pipe Band
3. Orchestra
4. Military Band
Ensemble with Cornets, Tenor horns, Baritones ,Tubas etc Listen
1. Brass Band
2. Military Band
3. Pipe Band
4. Steel Band
A band of Bagpipes and Drums Listen
1. Orchestra
2. A Pipe Band
3. Steel Band
4. Scottish Dance Band
A band of drum and percussion instruments from the Caribbean. Listen
1. Brass Band
2. Orchestra
3. Military Band
4. Steel Band
Scottish Band with Accordions, Piano, Violin, Bass and Drums Listen
1. Scottish Dance Band
2. A Pipe Band
3. Military Band
4. A Steel Band
Soldiers playing woodwind, brass and percussion in ensemble Listen
1. A Steel Band
2. A Military Band
3. An Orchestra
4. A Brass Band
The name given for ensembles for Folk, Jazz and Rock Listen
1. Orchestra
2. Brass Bands
3. Groups
4. Backing Vocals
The natural sounding Guitar used in Classical and folk music Listen
1. Electric guitar
2. Acoustic Guitar
3. Bass Guitar
4. Harp
Guitar used mainly for Rock and Pop music. Listen
1. Acoustic Guitar
2. Electric Guitar
3. Harp
4. Piano
Another description of a piano Listen
1. Organ
2. Synthesiser
3. Acoustic keyboard
4. Accordion
Instrument associated with Church Music Listen
1. Accordion
2. Organ
3. Acoustic Keyboard
4. Electric Guitar
A style of electric keyboard which can produce many different sounds. Listen
1. Synthesiser
2. Organ
3. Piano
4. Accordion
Keyboard, bellows and buttons; can be used in Scottish Dance Band Listen
1. Synthesiser
2. Organ
3. Acoustic Keyboard
4. Accordion
Scottish name for a bowed string instrument usually seen in an Orchestra. Listen
1. Harp
2. Fiddle
3. Viola
4. Cello
Used in kits or as instruments in Africa and other countries. Listen
1. Xylophone
2. Drum kit
3. Triangle
4. Tambourie
Another name for tubes and bagpipes Listen
1. Drum kit
2. Fiddle
3. Pipes
4. Lead
What people use to speak and sing Listen
1. Voice
2. Drums
3. Synthesiser
4. Organ
A sung line usually associated with Pop music Listen
1. Choral
2. Vocals
3. Unison
4. Harmony
Music sung by a choir.
1. Lead
2. Backing Vocals
3. Choral
4. Voice
The main or solo singer usually in a pop music.
1. Voice
2. Backing Vocals
3. Lead
4. Choral
Voices used behind a lead singer.
1. Choral
2. Backing Vocals
3. Lead
4. Harmony
Music composed between 1625 - 1750.
1. Latin American
2. Folk Music
3. Baroque
4. March
Music which reflects the folklore of a country.
1. March
2. Folk Rock
3. Baroque
4. Folk Music
Traditional music played in Rock style.
1. Folk Rock
2. Folk Music
3. Latin American
4. Reel
Music from Central /South America.
1. Folk Rock
2. Baroque
3. Folk Music
4. Latin American
Military Music for display.
1. March
2. Strathspey
3. Reel
4. Waltz
A Scottish Dance in 4/4 time often containing a Scottish Snap.
1. March
2. Strathspey
3. Reel
4. Waltz
Fast Scottish Dance in 4/4 time.
1. March
2. Strathspey
3. Reel
4. Waltz
A slow Scottish dance in 3/4 time.
1. March
2. Strathspey
3. Reel
4. Waltz