Australian Music Examinations Board Grade 2 Theory AMEB Grade 2 Theory Music Notation and Symbols 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In AMEB Grade 2 Theory, what does a dot placed after a note do to its value?
- Halves the note's value
- Doubles the note's value
- Adds half of the note's value to it (Correct answer)
- Adds a quarter of the note's value
Correct answer: Adds half of the note's value to it
A dot after a note adds half of the note's original value, so a dotted minim equals three beats.
Question 2: How many semiquavers (sixteenth notes) are equal to one crotchet (quarter note)?
- Two
- Eight
- Four (Correct answer)
- Six
Correct answer: Four
Four semiquavers equal one crotchet because each semiquaver is one quarter the value of a crotchet.
Question 3: In AMEB Grade 2 Theory notation, what is a tie?
- A curved line connecting two notes of different pitch
- A curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch to extend duration (Correct answer)
- A symbol indicating a gradual increase in speed
- A marking to play notes smoothly
Correct answer: A curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch to extend duration
A tie is a curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their durations into one sustained sound.
Question 4: What is the Italian term for a curved line over or under a group of notes instructing the performer to play them smoothly?
- Staccato
- Slur (Correct answer)
- Fermata
- Accent
Correct answer: Slur
A slur is a curved line indicating that the notes underneath should be played legato (smoothly connected).
Question 5: In AMEB Grade 2 Theory, what does the abbreviation 'D.C.' (Da Capo) mean in a piece of music?
- Go to the coda
- Repeat from a specific sign
- Return to the beginning (Correct answer)
- Gradually slow down
Correct answer: Return to the beginning
Da Capo (D.C.) is an Italian instruction meaning 'from the head,' directing the performer to return to the beginning.
Question 6: Which rest symbol represents the same duration as a semibreve (whole note) rest?
- A rest hanging below a line on the staff (Correct answer)
- A rest sitting on top of a line on the staff
- Two flags on a stem
- A Z-shaped symbol
Correct answer: A rest hanging below a line on the staff
The semibreve rest hangs below a line on the staff and represents four beats of silence in 4/4 time.
Australian Music Examinations Board Grade 2 Theory AMEB Grade 2 Theory Music Notation and Symbols 2
In AMEB Grade 2 Theory, what does a dot placed after a note do to its value?