Guitar Practice Test — Questions and Answers

Question 1: True/False: The duple and triple subdivisions of the beat are referred to as subdivisions.

A) False
B) True (Correct answer)

Correct answer: B) True

In music theory, subdivisions refer to the process of dividing a main beat into smaller, equal parts. Duple subdivision means dividing a beat into two equal sub-beats, while triple subdivision means dividing it into three equal sub-beats. These concepts are fundamental to understanding and performing rhythm and timing in music, making the statement true.

Question 2: Lutenists and vihuelists in the Renaissance employed a pictorial representation of the frets and strings of the instrument called

false
true
cluster
tablature (Correct answer)

Correct answer: tablature

Tablature, often abbreviated as 'tab,' is a form of musical notation that visually represents the frets and strings of an instrument, indicating where a player should place their fingers rather than traditional musical pitches. This system was commonly employed by lutenists and vihuelists during the Renaissance, providing a practical and accessible way for musicians to learn and perform pieces on their instruments.

Question 3: True/False: Dedillo is the up-and-down "flicking" motion of the index finger in Vihuela technique.

A) false
B) true (Correct answer)

Correct answer: B) true

Dedillo is indeed a specific right-hand technique historically used in playing plucked string instruments like the vihuela. It involves a distinctive up-and-down 'flicking' motion of the index finger to pluck the strings, which allows for rapid passages and creates a characteristic sound. This technique is a recognized and important part of Renaissance vihuela playing, making the statement true.

Question 4: True/False: Coronada is a sound that is unpleasant to the ear and produces tension in music.

A) False (Correct answer)
B) True

Correct answer: A) False

The term "Coronada" is not a recognized musical term associated with unpleasant sounds or tension. In music theory, dissonance describes sounds that create tension, while consonance refers to stable and pleasant sounds. Therefore, the statement is false because "Coronada" has no standard musical meaning in this context.

Question 5: True/False: Modes are scales with extra-musical implications that are based on different intervallic relationships.

A) false
B) True (Correct answer)

Correct answer: B) True

Modes are indeed types of scales derived from a parent scale, each possessing a unique intervallic structure. This distinct arrangement of whole and half steps gives each mode a characteristic sound or 'flavor.' These unique qualities can evoke different moods and emotions, often referred to as 'extra-musical implications,' making the statement true.

Question 6: Your guitar has six strings with a typical string gauge of ten. When it comes to strings, what does gauge mean?

Speed of the string.
Weight of the string.
Thickness of the string (Correct answer)
None of these

Correct answer: Thickness of the string

String gauge refers to the physical thickness or diameter of a guitar string, typically measured in thousandths of an inch. Thicker strings (higher gauge) generally produce a louder sound and more sustain but require more tension to reach pitch and are harder to bend. Conversely, thinner strings (lower gauge) are easier to play and bend.

Question 7: The ________, a steady bass line that propels and forms the foundation for much of the Baroque musical aesthetic, was one of the most important developments of the new style of composition in the Baroque period.

Domenico Scarlatti
basso continuo (Correct answer)
dissonance
fantasy

Correct answer: basso continuo

The basso continuo was a defining feature of Baroque music, providing the harmonic and rhythmic foundation for most compositions. It typically involved a bass instrument (like a cello or bassoon) playing a continuous bass line, accompanied by a chordal instrument (such as a harpsichord or lute) that filled in the harmonies. This steady foundation allowed for the elaborate melodic lines characteristic of the Baroque style.

Question 8: A steel string guitar has how many strings?

5
7
6 (Correct answer)
8

Correct answer: 6

Most standard steel-string acoustic and electric guitars are equipped with six strings. These are typically tuned to E-A-D-G-B-E from the thickest (lowest pitch) to the thinnest (highest pitch) string. While variations like 7-string or 12-string guitars exist, the six-string configuration remains the most common.

Question 9: What is C's minor relative?

Gm
Am (Correct answer)
A
None of the Above

Correct answer: Am

To find the relative minor of a major key, you locate the note that is three half steps (or three frets on a guitar) below the major key's root. For C Major, counting down three half steps from C leads to A. Both C Major and A minor share the same key signature, having no sharps or flats.

Question 10: In normal tuning, what are the names of the guitar strings?

DFCFAD
DADGAD
DGDGBD
EADGBE (Correct answer)

Correct answer: EADGBE

In standard guitar tuning, the strings are named E-A-D-G-B-E, starting from the thickest (lowest-pitched) string to the thinnest (highest-pitched) string. This tuning is the most common and serves as the basis for learning a vast majority of guitar chords, scales, and songs across various musical genres.

Question 11: What is the chord on the guitar if you hold the B and E notes and strum all of the strings?

B Major chord
E Minor Chord (Correct answer)
E Major chord
None of these

Correct answer: E Minor Chord

Assuming standard tuning and the most common open E minor chord shape, you would typically fret the A string at the 2nd fret (producing a B note) and the D string at the 2nd fret (producing an E note). When all six strings are strummed with this fingering, the notes E-B-E-G-B-E are sounded, forming an E minor chord.

Question 12: In tablature, the symbol for "hammer on" is h. What does the symbol "pull off" mean?

P (Correct answer)
P O
Po
None of the Above

Correct answer: P

In guitar tablature, the symbol 'p' is the standard notation used to indicate a 'pull-off.' A pull-off is a technique where a fretting finger quickly releases a string, causing a lower-pitched note (either an open string or a note fretted by another finger) to sound without being picked.

Question 13: The open chord in A Major contains how many notes?

4
5 (Correct answer)
6
7

Correct answer: 5

An A Major chord is fundamentally composed of three unique notes: A (root), C# (major third), and E (perfect fifth). When played as an open A Major chord on a standard six-string guitar (x02220), five strings are typically strummed. These five sounding notes are A, E, A, C#, and E, which are repetitions of the three core chord tones.

Question 14: The Em chord has how many notes?

3
4
5
6 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 6

An E minor chord consists of three unique notes: E (root), G (minor third), and B (perfect fifth). When played as an open E minor chord on a standard six-string guitar (022000), all six strings are strummed. The notes sounded are E, B, E, G, B, and E, meaning six individual notes are played, even though they are repetitions of the three core chord tones.

Question 15: What does the # signify?

Raise the pitch by half a step (Correct answer)
Raise the sound of the note
Move a whole fret up.
None of these

Correct answer: Raise the pitch by half a step

In music notation, the sharp symbol (#) is an accidental that indicates the note it precedes should be raised by one half step. On a guitar, raising a note by a half step means moving up one fret. For example, a C# is a half step higher in pitch than a C.

Question 16: Do you know what this sign b stands for and what it means?

This symbol means a flat note, which raises the step by half a step.
The Symbol for flat, move up two frets
This symbolizes a flat, Which lowers the pitch by a whole step
None of these (Correct answer)

Correct answer: None of these

The flat symbol (b) in music notation indicates that a note should be lowered by one half step (or one semitone). Option A incorrectly states it raises the step, and Option C incorrectly states it lowers the pitch by a whole step. Therefore, none of the provided options accurately describe the meaning of a flat symbol.

Question 17: Is it true that a capo changes the key you're in?

A) No
B) Yes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: B) Yes

Yes, a capo fundamentally changes the key you are playing in. By clamping down on the fretboard, a capo effectively raises the pitch of all open strings by a specific number of half steps. When you play familiar chord shapes relative to the capo, the actual sounding pitches are transposed, thereby changing the song's key.

Question 18: What is the name of the note on the fourth fret on the second string?

C# (Correct answer)
F
B
C

Correct answer: C#

In standard guitar tuning (EADGBE), the 'second string' can sometimes refer to the A string (the fifth string from the thinnest, or second from the thickest). Starting from the open A string, moving up one fret at a time: the 1st fret is A#, the 2nd fret is B, the 3rd fret is C, and therefore the 4th fret is C#.

Question 19: True or false: Pitch determines where a tone is in relative to others.

A) False
B) True (Correct answer)

Correct answer: B) True

Pitch is the perceptual attribute of sounds that allows them to be ordered on a frequency-related scale, determining how high or low a note sounds. Therefore, pitch inherently defines a tone's position in relation to other tones, enabling us to distinguish between different notes and melodies. This makes the statement true.

Question 20: On the guitar, what is an interval?

The distance between two pitches. (Correct answer)
Distance from the fret to the bottom of the string
The space between the string and the fretboard.
None of these

Correct answer: The distance between two pitches.

In music theory, an interval is defined as the difference in pitch between two sounds. On the guitar, this translates to the specific distance between two notes, whether played on the same string (by frets) or across different strings, representing a certain number of half steps or whole steps.

Question 21: Semitone is a?

All most a tone
The smallest distance in Western music (Correct answer)
Half a tone
None of these

Correct answer: The smallest distance in Western music

A semitone, also commonly known as a half step, represents the smallest musical interval used in Western tonal music. On a guitar, a semitone corresponds precisely to the distance between two adjacent frets. It serves as the fundamental building block for constructing all scales, melodies, and chords.

Question 22: If you put the capo on the first fret and play the G shape chord, the C shape chord, and the D shape chord, what key are you in?

D
G# (Correct answer)
C
None of these

Correct answer: G#

Playing G, C, and D chord shapes without a capo typically indicates the key of G major. When a capo is placed on the first fret, it raises all pitches by one half step. Therefore, playing a G shape with the capo on the first fret will sound as G#, a C shape as C#, and a D shape as D#, transposing the entire progression into the key of G# major.

Question 23: A step is made up of how many Semitones?

Four
One
Two (Correct answer)
None of the Above

Correct answer: Two

In music theory, a whole step (often simply called a 'step') is equivalent to two semitones, also known as two half steps. On a guitar, this corresponds to the distance of two frets. For example, the interval from C to D is a whole step, encompassing the semitones from C to C# and C# to D.

Question 24: Half step is a?

A Semitone
One fret distance to the next fret.
A And B (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A And B

A half step is synonymous with a semitone, which is the smallest musical interval in Western music. On a guitar, this interval precisely corresponds to the distance between one fret and the very next adjacent fret. Therefore, both descriptions accurately define a half step.

Question 25: What does B's relative minor mean?

A
G# (Correct answer)
B
None of these

Correct answer: G#

To find the relative minor of a major key, you descend three half steps (or three frets on a guitar) from the major key's root. For B Major, counting down three half steps from B leads to G#. Alternatively, the sixth degree of the B major scale (B C# D# E F# G# A#) is G#, making G# minor its relative minor.

Guitar Practice Test

True/False: The duple and triple subdivisions of the beat are referred to as subdivisions.