Piano Piano 2

Question 1

What does the term 'legato' instruct a pianist to do?

Accepted Answer

Play notes smoothly and connected

Answer

Legato means to play notes in a smooth, connected manner without noticeable breaks between them.

Question 2

Which finger is designated as finger number 1 in standard piano fingering?

Accepted Answer

Thumb

Answer

In standard piano fingering, the thumb is always numbered 1, followed by index (2), middle (3), ring (4), and pinky (5).

Question 3

What is the name of the piano technique where the sustain pedal is pressed before a note and released after?

Accepted Answer

Syncopated pedaling

Answer

Syncopated (or legato) pedaling means pressing the pedal just after the note is played to avoid blurring while maintaining legato.

Question 4

In music notation, what does a fermata symbol indicate?

Accepted Answer

Hold the note longer than its written value

Answer

A fermata tells the performer to hold the note or rest for a duration longer than its written value, at the performer's discretion.

Question 5

What is a 'chord inversion' in piano playing?

Accepted Answer

Reversing the order of notes so a non-root note is on the bottom

Answer

A chord inversion occurs when a chord note other than the root is placed in the lowest (bass) position.

Piano Practice Test