Piano Piano Music Theory & Harmony 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the dynamic marking 'pp' indicate in piano music?
- Moderately soft
- Very soft (Correct answer)
- Very loud
- Moderately loud
Correct answer: Very soft
'pp' stands for pianissimo, meaning very soft or very quiet.
Question 2: How many beats does a dotted quarter note receive in 4/4 time?
- 1
- 1.5 (Correct answer)
- 2
- 2.5
Correct answer: 1.5
A dotted quarter note lasts 1.5 beats because the dot adds half the note's original value.
Question 3: What is the dominant chord in the key of G major?
- C major
- D major (Correct answer)
- A minor
- E minor
Correct answer: D major
The dominant chord is built on the fifth scale degree; in G major the fifth degree is D, making D major the dominant.
Question 4: Which mode is built starting on the second degree of a major scale?
- Mixolydian
- Phrygian
- Dorian (Correct answer)
- Lydian
Correct answer: Dorian
The Dorian mode starts on the second degree of a major scale and has a minor quality with a raised sixth.
Question 5: What is a chromatic scale?
- A scale using only whole steps
- A scale using only half steps (Correct answer)
- A pentatonic scale
- A scale with no accidentals
Correct answer: A scale using only half steps
A chromatic scale includes all twelve pitches within an octave, moving entirely by half steps.
Question 6: What does 'enharmonic' mean in music theory?
- Two notes that sound the same but are written differently (Correct answer)
- Two notes that are a half step apart
- A scale with altered notes
- A chord with added tensions
Correct answer: Two notes that sound the same but are written differently
Enharmonic equivalents are notes that have different names but produce the same pitch, such as C# and Db.
Piano Piano Music Theory & Harmony 2
What does the dynamic marking 'pp' indicate in piano music?