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Music: Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - Fundamental Elements of Music (Questions)

This Music quiz is called 'Fundamental Elements of Music' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at middle school. Playing educational quizzes is a fabulous way to learn if you are in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade - aged 11 to 14.

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The Fundamental Elements of Music are: Pitch, Duration, Dynamics, Tempo, Timbre, Texture and Structure.

Have a go at the following quiz to see how much you've been taking notice in your Music lessons!

1. Which element of music best describes how 'high' or 'low' notes sound?
[ ] Pitch
[ ] Rhythm
[ ] Texture
[ ] Timbre
2. In terms of duration, which is longest of these notes?
[ ] Dotted eighth note
[ ] Minim
[ ] Semi-breve
[ ] Semi-quaver
3. What is the purpose of dynamics in a piece of music?
[ ] To express how loud or quiet the music should be played
[ ] To illustrate a key signature
[ ] To represent a change of speed
[ ] To show a change of time signature
4. What does 'andante' mean?
[ ] At a moderate/'walking' pace
[ ] Gradually getting faster
[ ] Very fast
[ ] Very slow
5. What best describes the effect of a 'ritardando'?
[ ] A gradual increase of volume
[ ] A sudden pause
[ ] Changing of key signature
[ ] Gradually getting slower
6. Which of these instruments has a 'bright' timbre?
[ ] Bassoon
[ ] Cello
[ ] Double bass
[ ] Piccolo
7. What is a 'homophonic' texture?
[ ] A single and unaccompanied voice
[ ] Multiple voices varying a main melody simultaneously
[ ] The overlapping of several melodic voices in a piece
[ ] Where one voice stands out on top of a backing harmony
8. What does the marking 'mezzo forte' (mf) mean?
[ ] Moderately loud
[ ] Moderately quiet
[ ] Very loud
[ ] Very quiet
9. Binary form is made up of how many sections?
[ ] One (A) - a single section often repeated
[ ] Two (AB)
[ ] Three (ABA)
[ ] Five (ABACD)
10. A half note is made up of how many eighth note beats?
[ ] Three
[ ] Four
[ ] Six
[ ] Eight
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Music: Middle School: Grades 6, 7 and 8 Quiz - Fundamental Elements of Music (Answers)
1. Which element of music best describes how 'high' or 'low' notes sound?
[x] Pitch
[ ] Rhythm
[ ] Texture
[ ] Timbre
2. In terms of duration, which is longest of these notes?
[ ] Dotted eighth note
[ ] Minim
[x] Semi-breve
[ ] Semi-quaver
3. What is the purpose of dynamics in a piece of music?
[x] To express how loud or quiet the music should be played
[ ] To illustrate a key signature
[ ] To represent a change of speed
[ ] To show a change of time signature
They can illustrate both sudden and gradual changes
4. What does 'andante' mean?
[x] At a moderate/'walking' pace
[ ] Gradually getting faster
[ ] Very fast
[ ] Very slow
5. What best describes the effect of a 'ritardando'?
[ ] A gradual increase of volume
[ ] A sudden pause
[ ] Changing of key signature
[x] Gradually getting slower
This is often generalized as 'rit.' on sheet music
6. Which of these instruments has a 'bright' timbre?
[ ] Bassoon
[ ] Cello
[ ] Double bass
[x] Piccolo
The others are low sounding and have 'darker' timbres
7. What is a 'homophonic' texture?
[ ] A single and unaccompanied voice
[ ] Multiple voices varying a main melody simultaneously
[ ] The overlapping of several melodic voices in a piece
[x] Where one voice stands out on top of a backing harmony
Note: homophonic and homophony are not the same!
8. What does the marking 'mezzo forte' (mf) mean?
[x] Moderately loud
[ ] Moderately quiet
[ ] Very loud
[ ] Very quiet
9. Binary form is made up of how many sections?
[ ] One (A) - a single section often repeated
[x] Two (AB)
[ ] Three (ABA)
[ ] Five (ABACD)
However, both sections are sometimes repeated
10. A half note is made up of how many eighth note beats?
[ ] Three
[x] Four
[ ] Six
[ ] Eight
Remember - half note = two crotchets, crotchet = two eighth notes