Dynamics in Music: Master Loudness and Softness for Expressive Performances

Question 1

What does 'forte' mean in music?

Accepted Answer

Loud

Answer

Soft

Answer

Fast

Answer

Slow

Question 2

What is the opposite of 'pianissimo'?

Accepted Answer

Forte

Answer

Crescendo

Answer

Decrescendo

Answer

Mezzo piano

Question 3

Which symbol means to gradually increase volume?

Accepted Answer

>

Answer

<

Answer

||

Answer

<>

Question 4

What is a crescendo?

Accepted Answer

A gradual increase in volume

Answer

A sudden decrease in volume

Answer

A pause in the music

Answer

A change in tempo

Question 5

Which of these songs would you sing softly in class?

Accepted Answer

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Answer

We Will Rock You

Answer

Happy Birthday

Answer

The Star-Spangled Banner

Question 6

Which word describes a sound that is loud?

Accepted Answer

Forte

Answer

Piano

Answer

Crescendo

Question 7

Which instrument typically plays with a forte dynamic?

Accepted Answer

Trumpet

Answer

Violin

Answer

Flute

Question 8

What is the opposite of getting gradually louder?

Accepted Answer

Diminuendo

Answer

Forte

Answer

Piano

Question 9

When a choir begins singing softly and gradually gets louder, which dynamic is being used?

Accepted Answer

Crescendo

Answer

Diminuendo

Answer

Forte

Question 10

In a piano piece, what does the abbreviation 'f' stand for?

Accepted Answer

Forte

Answer

Fine

Answer

Forte piano

Question 11

Which term means gradually getting louder?

Accepted Answer

Poco a poco

Answer

Subito

Answer

Forte

Answer

Piano

Question 12

Which symbol is used to indicate a sudden change to a loud sound?

Accepted Answer

f

Answer

>

Answer

<

Answer

p

Question 13

What is the opposite of crescendo?

Accepted Answer

Decrescendo

Answer

Accelerando

Answer

Fortissimo

Answer

Pianissimo

Question 14

Which of the following instruments usually plays with a soft dynamic?

Accepted Answer

Flute

Answer

Violin

Answer

Drum

Answer

Trumpet

Question 15

What does the dynamic marking 'pianissimo' tell musicians to play the music?

Accepted Answer

Very soft

Answer

Very loud

Answer

Moderately loud

Answer

Moderately soft

Question 16

What happens to the volume of the music when a crescendo is played?

Accepted Answer

It starts soft and gets louder.

Answer

It starts loud and gets softer.

Answer

It stays the same.

Answer

It changes pitch.

Question 17

Which of these dynamic markings is the loudest?

Accepted Answer

Fortissimo

Answer

Forte

Answer

Mezzo-forte

Answer

Piano

Question 18

How can musicians use dynamics to create a feeling of excitement in their music?

Accepted Answer

They can start with a soft dynamic and gradually increase it.

Answer

They can start with a loud dynamic and gradually decrease it.

Answer

They can keep the dynamic level the same throughout.

Answer

They can change the dynamic randomly.

Question 19

Which musical symbol represents playing very loudly?

Accepted Answer

f

Answer

p

Answer

mp

Answer

mf

Question 20

Which symbol means to play very softly?

Accepted Answer

pp

Answer

ff

Answer

mf

Answer

dim.

Question 21

What musical symbol means to play loudly?

Accepted Answer

f

Answer

p

Answer

m

Answer

s

Question 22

Which symbol indicates playing very loudly?

Accepted Answer

f

Answer

pp

Answer

mf

Question 23

Which music symbol indicates a sudden decrease in volume?

Accepted Answer

p

Answer

f

Answer

>

Answer

sfz

Question 24

Which musical symbol looks like a lowercase f and means 'play loudly'?

Accepted Answer

Forte

Answer

Piano

Answer

Crescendo

Answer

Diminuendo

Question 25

When the music gets softer, what is the musical term used to describe this?

Accepted Answer

Diminuendo

Answer

Crescendo

Answer

Forte

Answer

Piano

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT a dynamic marking?

Accepted Answer

Sonata

Answer

Allegro

Answer

Pianissimo

Answer

Vivace

Question 27

What is the difference between 'mezzo forte' and 'forte'?

Accepted Answer

Forte is louder than mezzo forte.

Answer

Mezzo forte is louder than forte.

Answer

They are the same volume.

Answer

Mezzo forte is played faster than forte.

Question 28

When the music has a sudden change in volume, what is the musical term used to describe this?

Accepted Answer

Sforzando

Answer

Crescendo

Answer

Diminuendo

Answer

Forte

Question 29

Which of these is the loudest dynamic marking?

Accepted Answer

Loud

Answer

Very quiet

Answer

Medium loud

Answer

Medium quiet

Question 30

If you see the marking 'soft then loud', what does that mean?

Accepted Answer

Play soft then loud

Answer

Play loud then soft

Answer

Play fast then slow

Answer

Play slow then fast

Question 31

When an orchestra plays softly in a quiet part of a song, they are playing:

Accepted Answer

Very quietly

Answer

Getting louder

Answer

Medium loud

Answer

Getting quieter

Question 32

If your teacher tells you to 'sing with different volumes', what should you do?

Accepted Answer

Sing with a variety of volumes

Answer

Sing at only one volume

Answer

Sing the melody

Answer

Shout

Question 33

Which of these means 'very softly'?

Accepted Answer

Very quietly

Answer

Medium quiet

Answer

Loud

Answer

Medium loud

Question 34

Which word describes playing very quietly in music?

Accepted Answer

Pianissimo

Answer

Forte

Answer

Allegro

Answer

Moderato

Question 35

What musical symbol is used to show a gradual increase in volume?

Accepted Answer

Hairpin opening to the right

Answer

Downward arrow

Answer

Hairpin opening to the left

Answer

Upward arrow

Question 36

Why do musicians use dynamics in music?

Accepted Answer

To express emotions and create musical interest

Answer

To make the music louder or softer

Answer

To add rhythm

Answer

To set the tempo

Question 37

Which musical term means the opposite of 'loud'?

Accepted Answer

Soft

Answer

Crescendo

Answer

Diminuendo

Answer

Moderato

Question 38

What does the Italian musical term 'mezzo' mean?

Accepted Answer

Medium

Answer

Loud

Answer

Soft

Answer

Fast

Question 39

How do you write a gradual decrease in volume in musical notation?

Accepted Answer

Diminuendo

Answer

Accent

Answer

Crescendo

Answer

Sforzando

Question 40

What does the musical term 'crescendo' indicate?

Accepted Answer

Gradually getting louder

Answer

Suddenly getting softer

Answer

Gradually getting softer

Answer

Suddenly getting louder

Question 41

Which of the following would create a 'forte' sound when playing the piano?

Accepted Answer

Pressing the keys hard

Answer

Playing the keys very slowly

Answer

Playing the keys very quickly

Answer

Pressing the keys lightly

Question 42

How does dynamics differ from tempo?

Accepted Answer

Dynamics refers to volume, while tempo refers to speed

Answer

Dynamics refers to pitch, while tempo refers to volume

Answer

Dynamics refers to speed, while tempo refers to volume

Question 43

When listening to a piece of music, at which point might it reach its loudest volume?

Accepted Answer

During the climax

Answer

At the end

Answer

At the beginning

Answer

In the middle

Question 44

Which dynamic level would be most suitable for a gentle lullaby?

Accepted Answer

Piano

Answer

Crescendo

Answer

Decrescendo

Answer

Forte