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Timbre and Dynamics
Quick questions on Dynamics - SQA Higher Music
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are the dynamic levels?Show answer
The levels are a graded scale of volume named in Italian. Pianissimo is very soft, piano soft, mezzo-piano moderately soft, mezzo-forte moderately loud, forte loud and fortissimo very loud. Judging a level means placing the heard volume on this scale and supplying the term, distinguishing very soft (pp) from merely soft (p), and very loud (ff) from merely loud (f).
What is hearing dynamics?Show answer
Dynamics questions ask you to judge volume and its change. Listen for the overall level (placing it on the pianissimo-to-fortissimo scale), for a steady build (crescendo) or fade (diminuendo), and for sudden accented notes (sforzando). Because dynamics are often marked in a printed score, some questions ask you to read or follow the markings as well as hear them.
What is q1?Show answer
What do crescendo and diminuendo mean? [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Put these levels in order from softest to loudest: forte, pianissimo, mezzo-forte. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
How does a sforzando differ from a crescendo? [1 mark]
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