Composing quiz: N(A)-Level Music quiz

Two phrases that are identical

Two balanced phrases where the first sounds like a question and the second answers it

Two phrases in different keys

Two phrases played at the same time

Because leaps are not allowed

Because steps are louder than leaps

Because stepwise movement makes it smooth and singable, with a few leaps for interest

Because it must avoid the tonic

The leading note

A note outside the key

The dominant

The tonic (home note)

I, IV, V

I, II, III

II, III, VI

IV, VI, VII

Chord I (C-E-G) and chord V (G-B-D)

Chord II (D-F-A) and chord III (E-G-B)

Chord IV (F-A-C) and chord VI (A-C-E)

Chord VII (B-D-F) only

The speed of the melody

The rate at which the chords change

The number of instruments playing

The loudness of the harmony

Because fast chord changes sound restless and are hard to play

Because chords must never change

Because slow chords are always wrong

Because it makes the melody louder

IV to I

I to IV

V to I

II to V

Playing a chord as a solid block all at once

Playing the melody twice

Playing no chords at all

Playing the notes of a chord one after another (spread out)

A short rhythmic or melodic pattern repeated over and over

A single chord held for the whole piece

A sudden change of key

A slow tempo marking

Make the accompaniment louder and busier than the tune

Keep it simpler and usually lower than the melody so the tune stays clear

Give the accompaniment the same notes as the melody throughout

Play the accompaniment in a different key

Unity alone makes it boring; contrast alone makes it disjointed; both keep it coherent and interesting

Only unity matters

Only contrast matters

Neither matters in a short piece

Through-composed with no repeats

A single repeated bar

Ternary (ABA)

Random order of sections

Play it at exactly the same pitch every time

Repeat it higher or lower (sequence) or change its rhythm

Stop using it after the first bar

Replace it with a completely unrelated idea

Stopping suddenly in the middle of a phrase

Ending on a note outside the key

Speeding up endlessly

A clear cadence (often a perfect cadence) settling on the tonic

Plan the key, structure and mood of each section and jot a motif to develop

Write notes immediately with no plan

Choose the loudest possible dynamics

Copy an existing piece note for note