CHAPTER 1: Musical Orientation: Elements and Instruments
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The quality of sound that allows listeners to distinguish between a violin and a trumpet is referred
to as:
a.
harmony
b.
timbre
c.
melody
d.
rhythm
e.
pitch
2. A device inserted into the bell of a brass instrument to distort the sounds coming out is called a:
a.
valve
b.
key
c.
mute
d.
mouthpiece
e.
larynx
3. Which of the following instruments is NOT part of a traditional jazz orchestra?
a.
trumpet
b.
saxophone
c.
drum set
d.
piano
e.
violin
4. The specific positioning of a wind player’s lips and facial muscles is known as the:
a.
vibrato
b.
windpipe
c.
air column
d.
embouchure
e.
glissando
5. Why do many trumpet players carry a large number of mutes?
a.
to create a broad range of timbres
b.
to mimic human speech
c.
to make their instruments quieter
d.
to produce a concentrated and narrow sound
e.
all of the above
6. The glissando is a musical effect that is most characteristic of which brass instrument?
a.
tuba
b.
violin
c.
trombone
d.
trumpet
e.
clarinet
7. Which reed instrument was a standard component of the New Orleans jazz style?
a.
clarinet
b.
alto saxophone
c.
cornet
d.
banjo
e.
tuba
8. All have often been used as harmony instruments in the jazz rhythm section EXCEPT:
a.
piano
b.
accordion
c.
vibraphone
d.
synthesizer
e.
guitar
9. Musicians consistently focus on which instrument to provide the harmonic and rhythmic
foundation of the jazz ensemble?
a.
bass
b.
drums
c.
alto saxophone
d.
guitar
e.
bongos
10. Which part of the drum set consists of two cymbals controlled by a foot pedal?
a.
bass drum
b.
tom-tom
c.
ride
d.
crash
e.
hi-hat
11. The relative speed of a performance’s steady “pulse rhythm” is commonly referred to as the
piece’s
a.
dynamics
b.
meter
c.
tempo
d.
harmony
e.
rhythm
12. Which approach to rhythm is best suited to dance music?
a.
breath rhythm
b.
free rhythm
c.
pulse rhythm
d.
no rhythm
e.
rubato
13. The continuous, unchanging patterns that provide a rhythmic grounding for jazz performances are
called:
a.
polyrhythms
b.
syncopation
c.
variable layers
d.
foundation layers
e.
breath rhythms
14. A strong accent that contradicts a performance’s basic meter is called a:
a.
syncopation
b.
backbeat
c.
polyrhythm
d.
foundation layer
e.
swing groove
15. In quadruple meter, which two pulses are referred to as the backbeat?
a.
1 and 4
b.
1 and 3
c.
2 and 3
d.
2 and 4
e.
3 and 4
16. The shortest distance between two notes on a piano is called:
a.
an octave
b.
a half-step
c.
a minor scale
d.
a melody
e.
a blue note
17. Which common jazz scale makes use of variable intonation for expressive purposes?
a.
major mode
b.
pentatonic scale
c.
minor mode
d.
whole-tone scale
e.
blues scale
18. Chords that are made by adding notes to a foundational triad are called:
a.
extended chords
b.
major chords
c.
augmented chords
d.
dissonant chords
e.
root chords
19. The end of a musical phrase is marked by a harmonic progression known as a:
a.
consonant interval
b.
dissonant interval
c.
cadence
d.
extended chord
e.
root
20. If two instruments play the same phrase in the same rhythm but with different notes, they are
creating what type of musical texture?
a.
monophony
b.
obbligato
c.
polyphony
d.
block-chord texture
e.
stop-time
TRUE/FALSE
1. Musicians’ use of unusual timbres for expressive purposes is derived from African American folk
traditions and is unique to jazz style.
2. Due to its extra layer of tubing, the cornet produces a more mellow timbre than the trumpet.
3. The rhythm section is a section of a jazz composition in which no soloists are playing.
4. Jazz drummers use wire brushes to produce a focused, loud attack.
5. In a piece of African (and African American) music, there are always at least two different
rhythmic layers going on at the same time.
6. In jazz, all of the variable rhythmic layers are created by soloists.
7. The distance from one C to the next higher or lower C on the piano is called an octave.
8. If you play only the white keys on the piano, starting on the note A and ascending to the next A on
the keyboard, you have played a major mode.
9. If you play two or more notes at a time, you make a chord.
10. A series of chords played in a strict rhythmic sequence is called a melodic sequence.
11. A musical texture consisting of a melody supported by a harmonic accompaniment is referred to as
polyphony.
12. Polyphonic textures were most popular in jazz during the big-band swing era.
SHORT ANSWER
1. In the 1960s, _____ ________ popularized the use of the bass clarinet in jazz.
2. Because of its versatility and expressive range, the _____________ was embraced by musicians
such as Coleman Hawkins and Sidney Bechet.
3. In jazz ensembles, bassists most often use _________ technique, plucking the strings with their
fingers.
4. The larger of a jazz drummer’s two suspended cymbals is the ______ cymbal, which provides the
ensemble’s most consistent rhythmic pulse.
5. For a piece in ______ meter, a listener would perceive a steady rhythmic pulse patterned into
groups of two or four.
6. The simultaneous use of contrasting rhythmic layers is referred to as ______________.
7. We say that a performance _________ when all of its rhythmic layers interlock smoothly and
musicians and audience all “feel the groove together.”
8. A ____________ texture consists of a melody with no accompaniment.
MATCHING
Match each item to the correct description below.
a.
Gliding from one note to another
b.
Playing a string instrument by plucking the strings
c.
Playing a string instrument by drawing a bow across the string
d.
A slight wobble in pitch
e.
Blowing into a wind instrument with enough force to produce multiple pitches
simultaneously
1. Vibrato
2. Smear
3. Pizzicato
4. Multiphonics
5. Arco
ESSAY
1. Buddy Tate, known for his many years with the Count Basie Orchestra, once said that the first
crucial step for young musicians is to find their own sound. Choose a musician who you think has
a distinctive sound, and describe what makes them unique in their approach to timbre, rhythm,
melody, and texture. Use the terms introduced in Chapter 1 to write as specific and detailed a
description as possible.
2. All of the musical elements discussed in Chapter 1 are essential building blocks that performers
utilize in order to create satisfying and meaningful musical performances. Choose a recording that
is meaningful to you and describe its instrumentation, timbres, rhythms, melodies, harmonies, and
textures. Be as descriptive as possible in explaining how musicians combine these elements in
order to produce a unique and satisfying groove.