Online Music Lessons Theory 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'leading tone' in a major scale?
- The first scale degree
- The seventh scale degree, a half step below the tonic (Correct answer)
- The fifth scale degree
- The fourth scale degree
Correct answer: The seventh scale degree, a half step below the tonic
The leading tone is the seventh degree of the major scale, only a half step below the tonic, creating strong pull toward resolution.
Question 2: Which term describes gradually getting louder?
- Decrescendo
- Ritardando
- Crescendo (Correct answer)
- Accelerando
Correct answer: Crescendo
Crescendo is the Italian term and symbol (hairpin opening to the right) indicating a gradual increase in volume.
Question 3: What is the function of a 'coda' in a piece of music?
- A repeat sign
- A concluding passage that brings the piece to an end (Correct answer)
- An introduction section
- A key change marker
Correct answer: A concluding passage that brings the piece to an end
A coda is a concluding section, often marked with a target symbol (⊕), that provides a definitive ending to the piece.
Question 4: In chord notation, what does a lowercase 'm' after a letter indicate?
- Major chord
- Minor chord (Correct answer)
- Diminished chord
- Augmented chord
Correct answer: Minor chord
A lowercase 'm' (e.g., Am, Dm) indicates a minor chord, built with a minor third above the root.
Question 5: What is 'voice leading' in music theory?
- Writing lyrics for a melody
- The smooth movement of individual voices from one chord to the next (Correct answer)
- Choosing the correct singer for a part
- Transposing a melody to a new key
Correct answer: The smooth movement of individual voices from one chord to the next
Voice leading refers to the way individual melodic lines or voices move smoothly and efficiently between chords.
Question 6: Which interval is considered the most consonant after the unison?
- Major second
- Tritone
- Octave (Correct answer)
- Minor seventh
Correct answer: Octave
The octave is considered the most consonant interval after the unison because the frequencies are in a 2:1 ratio.
Question 7: What does the term 'syncopation' refer to?
- Playing in a very slow tempo
- Accenting beats that are normally weak or off the beat (Correct answer)
- Using only one dynamic level
- Repeating a musical phrase exactly
Correct answer: Accenting beats that are normally weak or off the beat
Syncopation places emphasis on normally weak beats or off-beats, creating rhythmic tension and forward momentum.
Online Music Lessons Theory 4
What is a 'leading tone' in a major scale?