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"All About That Bass" Trivia Quiz

How much do you know about music theory? Test your knowledge by playing this BASSic music theory quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by 3Xy147Bm. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
3Xy147Bm

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
374,627

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
253

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In the key of A major, which three notes are to be played or sung sharp (unless a natural or flat symbol is placed next to the notes)? Hint

C, A, E

F, C, G

G, D, A

G, D, B

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Question 2 of 10

2. Most of the notes written in music for a bass singer tend to be around E in the second octave (E2) to E in the fourth octave (E4). What is the term for the comfortable range of a singer and where most of the notes fall? Hint

tessitura

falsetto

appoggiatura

glissando

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Question 3 of 10

3. The four strings on a bass guitar, when played individually, contain the notes E, A, D, and G in ascending order. What is the interval from the second to the fourth string (A to G) if the notes are also played in ascending order? Hint

Major second

Minor seventh

Perfect fifth

Minor sixth

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Question 4 of 10

4. Suppose a piece of music is written in the time signature of 9/8. Which durations of notes (without any rests added) CANNOT be written in one measure? Hint

3 groups of 3 eighth notes

2 dotted quarter notes and 1 group of 3 eighth notes

1 dotted half note and 1 dotted quarter note

2 groups of 3 eighth notes

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Question 5 of 10

5. We see 4 sharps in the key signature of a piece of music, and, instead of E major (based on the note E), the scale is based on the note C# (sharp). Which mode, also known as natural minor, are we in? Hint

Dorian

Ionian

Aeolian

Locrian

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Question 6 of 10

6. If we play all the notes in the scale of B-flat major, with no extra sharps or flats in between (B-flat, C, D, E-flat, F, G, A, B-flat), then what type of scale is this considered? Hint

Chromatic

Diatonic

Pentatonic

Blues

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which chord contains the notes G, B-flat, and E-flat in that exact order and played simultaneously? Hint

E-flat major (1st inversion)

G minor (1st inversion)

B-flat major (2nd inversion)

E-flat major (2nd inversion)

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Question 8 of 10

8. In the key of D major, C# is which scale degree relative to D? Hint

Dominant

Supertonic

Mediant

Leading tone

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Question 9 of 10

9. If a song was written at a tempo of 126 beats per minute, what tempo would this be classified as? Hint

Allegro

Andante

Largo

Presto

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which musical symbol, which looks like a semi-circle with a circle underneath it, means to hold a note longer than its written duration? Hint

Coda

Fermata

Arpeggio

Marcato

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In the key of A major, which three notes are to be played or sung sharp (unless a natural or flat symbol is placed next to the notes)?

Answer: F, C, G

The key of A major consists of the notes A, B, C# (sharp), D, E, F#, G#, and A. Its relative minor is F# minor.

Answer: tessitura

The tessitura of different singers varies, but some bass singers known as "basso profundos" can sing notes in the first octave or lower.

Answer: Minor seventh

The minor seventh interval spans ten semitones, which are half-steps on a keyboard; for example, if we were in natural minor, it would be the distance from the tonic (first note) to the seventh note.

4. Suppose a piece of music is written in the time signature of 9/8. Which durations of notes (without any rests added) CANNOT be written in one measure?

Answer: 2 groups of 3 eighth notes

In simple meter, the bottom number in the time signature determines which note gets the beat - an eighth note in this question. Instead of a single note getting the beat in compound meter, groups of three notes are given the beat. So 9/8 meter would be beat in three. Two groups of three eighth notes would only give two beats, and so wouldn't fill a measure.

Answer: Aeolian

Another way to tell if the song is written in aeolian mode is to analyze the final chord and if it were a C# minor chord (C#, E, and G#), then that is also a hint. To notate that specific chord in E major, the roman numeral vi (6) is used.

6. If we play all the notes in the scale of B-flat major, with no extra sharps or flats in between (B-flat, C, D, E-flat, F, G, A, B-flat), then what type of scale is this considered?

Answer: Diatonic

The diatonic scale has only the accidental notes defined in the key signature, whereas the chromatic scale contains extra sharp, flat, or natural notes not in the key. The pentatonic scale contains 5 different notes and the blues scale has 6 different notes.

7. Which chord contains the notes G, B-flat, and E-flat in that exact order and played simultaneously?

Answer: E-flat major (1st inversion)

A first inversion occurs when you take the first note of a chord, for example E-flat, G, and B-flat, and move it to the end. A second inversion would be the notes B-flat, E-flat, and G.

8. In the key of D major, C# is which scale degree relative to D?

Answer: Leading tone

The leading tone is also known as the 7th scale degree and is a half step below the tonic. It also occurs in natural minor as a whole step and in harmonic and melodic minor as a half step. The supertonic would be a step above, or E in this case.

9. If a song was written at a tempo of 126 beats per minute, what tempo would this be classified as?

Answer: Allegro

Largo is relatively slow, or broadly, at 40-60 beats per minute and presto is extremely fast at 168-200 beats per minute. Andante is at a walking pace at 76-108 beats per minute and allegro is fast, quickly, and bright at 120-168 beats per minute.

10. Which musical symbol, which looks like a semi-circle with a circle underneath it, means to hold a note longer than its written duration?

Answer: Fermata

A fermata is often referred to as a "bird's eye" and can be written above or below the note depending on its direction. A coda is complicated, but basically, if you see "D.S. al coda", you go from the sign (segno) until the coda and skip to the next coda in the music.

Source: Author 3Xy147Bm

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