LaSalle University
MUS 150 Art of Listening
Midterm Exam
Name ______________________________
I. Listening Skill
Excerpt One: Artist: Carlos Santana / Dave Matthews - Title “Love of My Life”
1. Regarding the element of duration, which of the following DOES NOT apply to this excerpt?
a. repeating rhythms
b. non-metric
c. steady beat
d. medium tempo
2. Which of the following describes the meter of this example?
a. no meter
b. two
c. three
d. four
e. five
3. Which of the following refers to the PITCH of this example?
a. the melody goes up and then down
b. the beat is steady
d. the meter is four
e. there is no "ball"
4. Who has the "ball" throughout this example?
a. drums
b. bass guitar
c. guitar
c. the volume level is consistent
d. voice
5. Which of the following is absent from this example?
a. pitch
b. duration
c. dynamics
d. timbre
e. it changes
e. none of the above
6. “Three notes up, followed by three notes down” is a description of the:
a. beat
b. timbre
c. duration
d. phrase
7. Which of the following describes the timbre of this example?
a. voice only
b. drums only c. voice and rock / jazz band
8. “Medium Loud” describes the:
a. beat
b. timbre
c. duration
d. melody
e. dynamics
d. choir
e. choir and orchestra
e. dynamics
9. After the drum solo at the beginning, the texture is considered?
a. non textured
b. monophonic
c. homophonic
d. polyphonic
10. Which of the following instrumental families is absent from this example?
a. string
b. electronic
c. woodwind
d. keyboard e. percussion
11. If the meter is four, how many "bars" or "measures" is the drum solo at the beginning?
a. one
b. four
c. three
d. seven
e. five
12. Which of the following is playing the beat in this example?
a. bass guitar
b. guitar
c. keyboard
d. singer
e. no one
Excerpt Two: Composer: Joaquim Rodrigo - Title “En los Trigales”
13. At the beginning of “En los Trigales”, the texture alternates between which two?
a. monophonic and homophonic b. homophonic and polyphonic c. monophonic and polyphonic
14. Which rendition of “En los Trigales” would have the greatest dynamic and frequency range?
a. an mp3 recording
b. a radio broadcast
c. a standard CD
d. a compressed file
15. All three statements at the beginning of “En los Trigales”have the same:
a. notes
b. harmony
c. rhythm
d. pitches
e. lyrics
16. Regarding the element of Pitch, which of the following DOES NOT occur in “En los Trigales”?
a. notes
b. a motive
c. a rhythm pattern
d. the melody is “The Ball”
e. phrases
17. Which of the following is absent from “En los Trigales”?
a. pitch
b. duration
c. dynamics
d. timbre
e. none of the above
18. Which of the following is true regarding the element of duration from “En los Trigales”?
a. contains soft and loud sounds
c. contains phrases, cadences, melody and harmony
b. contains beat, rhythms and tempo
d. contains a combination of different instrument types
19. Which one of the following families of instruments are heard in “En los Trigales”?
a. woodwind
b. brass
c. unpitched percussion
d. plucked string
20. Which of the following nationalities are portrayed in “En los Trigales”?
a. German b. Spanish
c. British
d. American
e. French
e. bowed string
Excerpt Three: Artist: Antoine Dodson - Title “Bed Intruder Song”
21. Which of the following textures is predominant throughout this song?
a. monophonic
b. homophonic
c. polyphonic
d. petrophonic
22. Which of the following is absent from this example?
a. pitch
b. duration
c. dynamics
d. timbre
e. none
e. none of the above
23. Which of the following properties are affected by using Auto Tune?
a. rhythm
b. beat
c. dynamics
d. melody
e. volume
24. How many measures or bars are in each section (depending on if you are counting slow or fast)?
a. four or eight
b. six or twelve
c. ten or twenty
d. nine or eighteen
e. more than ten
25. The “artist” of this song must include ________ as well as Dodson?
a. the newscaster in the video
b. the viewer c. the perpetrator d. the producers of the song
26. In the a cappella section where there is just one unaccompanied melody, the texture is:
a. monophonic
b. homophonic
c. polyphonic
d. petrophonic
e. none
II. Matching
27. _______
Family
A. Unaccompanied voices “as in the chapel”
28. _______
Monophonic
B. A harmony that is considered unstable
29. _______
Classic
C. Hearing in the background
30. _______
a cappella
D. Concentrating on what you hear
31. _______
Measure
E. Subtle variations in pitch to enrich tone
32. _______
Texture
F. Concerned with balance, structure, form, logic
33. _______
Contrast
G. One unaccompanied melody
34. _______
Tempo
H. The energy present in a work of music
35. _______
Active listening
I. One complete grouping of beats (usually 4)
36. _______
Melody
J. The interweaving of melody and harmony
37. _______
Vibrato
K. Sudden change in dynamics
38. _______
Repetition
L. Grouping by how instruments produce sound
39. _______
Passive listening
M. Speed of the beats, fast or slow
40. _______
Subito
N. One pitch at a time; the “tune” or the “Ball”
41. ______
Hertz
O. Hearing something not previously heard
42. _______
Dissonant
P. Hearing a section again without changes
43. ______
Groove
Q. A measurement of cycles per second
III. Multiple Choice
44. A “romantic” sensibility has more concern with ______________ .
a. logic
b. drama
c. symmetry
d. balance
e. structure
45. To which family does a violin belong?
a. plucked woodwind
b. pitched percussion
c. struck brass
d. bowed string
e. unkeyed keyboard
46. The most common voice type in females is ________________.
a. alto
b. baritone c. mezzo soprano d. soprano e. tenor
47. The most common voice type in males is ________________.
a. alto
b. baritone c. mezzo soprano d. soprano e. tenor
48. The most common meter in music is:
a. one
b. two
c. three
d. four
e. music has no meter
49. In any piece of music, the beat will always be played by the:
a. drums
b. bass
c. cymbals
d. violins
e. it might not be played at all
50. The file size of an mp3 version of a song is ________________ that of the original.
a. the same as
b. the same length as
c. smaller than
d. more muffled than
e. softer than
51. The timbre of an mp3 version of a song is ________________ that of the original.
a. the same as
b. the same length as
c. smaller than
d. more muffled than
e. softer than
52. The duration of an mp3 version of a song is ________________ that of the original.
a. the same as
b. longer than
c. smaller than
d. more muffled than
e. softer than
53. Which of the following is not specifically an element or property of music?
a. duration
b. harmony
c. pitch
d. dynamics
e. timbre
54. Which of the following terms is a series of pitches played one at a time to form a logical idea?
a. melody
b. sound quality/tone color
c. tempo
d. beat
e. loud
55. Which of the following terms refers to more than one pitch played at the same time?
a. melody
b. sound quality/tone color
c. harmony
d. beat
56. A phrase usually ends with a(n):
a. interval
b. cadence
c. melody
d. beat
e. duration
e. rhythm
57. A standard section in a popular song will most likely be ________ bars or measures.
a. five
b. seven
c. eight
d. nine
e. more than 20
58. If a section in a popular song is labeled “B”, and is then repeated, what will the repetition of it be labeled?
a. A
b. B
c. B1
d. B2
e. C
59. If a song uses Auto Tune on the voice, what will be removed from the original?
a. duration
b. dynamics
c. vibrato
d. rhythm
e. tempo
60. In any piece of music, which timbre is always present?
a. drums
b. bass c. cymbals
d. violin
e. there is no requirement for a specific timbre
61. The term "decrescendo" means to gradually get:
a. louder
b. faster
c. lower in pitch
d. softer
e. slower
62. Which of the following is NOT considered a "family" of instruments?
a. Woodwind
b. String
c. Brass
d. Clarinet
e. Percussion
63. The steady underlying pulse that occurs in a piece of music is called the:
a. beat
b. pitch
c. timbre
d. dynamic
e. conjunct interval
64. In a rock or pop band, the drum that plays on beats 2 and 4 is called the?
a. bass drum
b. down drum
c. conun drum
d. open drum
e. snare drum
65. Which of the following is applied to reduce the dynamic range of a musical selection?
a. compression
b. mixing
c. production
d. reverberation
e. interference
66. Which of the following abbreviations would you expect to find regarding timbre of a choral work?
a. AABA
b. EBGDF
c. SATB
d. forte
e. form
67. What must be present in order for an ensemble to be considered an orchestra?
a. brass b. each of the instrument families
c. woodwinds
d. bowed strings
68. A sudden dynamic change is called a ____________?
a. subito
b. prospero
c. tempo
d. soprano
e. over 25 people
e. burrito
69. Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of the Concertmaster?
a. tuning up the orchestra
b. deciding on the bowings for the violin section
c. playing any passages written for solo violin
d. assuming the responsibility of conducting the performance if the conductor is unable
e. changing the notes in the orchestra's parts to suit his or her taste
70. Which of the following is the highest voice type for a female?
a. soprano
b. contralto
c. mezzo-piano
d. mezzo-soprano
e. alto
71. A shorter string length will produce a ____________ pitch than a longer string length.
a. louder
b. softer
c. bigger
d. higher
e. closer
72. When you see an orchestra perform, you will see synchronized movements of each the bowed string
sections. The decision for which direction the bow should move for every note of a composition is made by:
a. conductor
b. composer
c. individual violinist
d. concertmaster e. rock, paper, scissors
73. The words "long" and "short" refer to which of the following terms?
a. pitch
b. rhythm
c. dynamics
d. timbre
e. motive
74 The range of human hearing generally extends from _______________ Hertz.
a. 10 to 100
b. 20 to 200
c. 50 to 5,000
d. 100 to 10,000
75. Which of the following is the low voice type for a male?
a. tenor
b. baritone
c. bass
d. falsetto
e. 20 to 20,000
e. alto
76. When the beat is not evident in a musical work, it is said to be:
a. nonmetric
b. fast
c. inconclusive
d. cadence
e. accented
77. Which of the following terms is “I’m lovin’ it” in the McDonald’s song in their commercials?
a. meter
b. timbre
c. tempo
d. motive
e. beat
78. When you answer your phone without resorting to Caller ID, your can tell who you are talking to by which
of the elements of music/sound?
a. duration
b. pitch c. dynamics d. timbre
e. wouldn’t answer without Caller ID
79. Which of the following is NOT associated with the Duration element of music?
a. beat
b. syncopation
c. tempo
d. meter
e. voice
80. The words "loud" and "soft" refer to which of the following terms?
a. pitch
b. rhythm
c. dynamics
d. timbre
e. tempo
81. The words "fast" and "slow" refer to which of the following terms?
a. pitch
b. motive
c. dynamics
d. timbre
e. tempo
82. Which of the following families may be bowed or plucked?
a. Woodwind
b. String
c. Percussion
d. Keyboard
e. Brass
83. Which of the following is NOT required to fit our definition of music?
a. time
b. organization
c. singing
d. sound
Please mark all answers on the accompanying answer sheet, which includes the final section True or
False, as well as several Bonus Essay options.
Return only the completed answer sheet, please.