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Quizzes > Quizzes for Business > Entertainment

Music Identification Quiz: Test Your Ears

Boost Your Music Note Identification Skills

Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art depicting musical notes, instruments, and quiz elements.

Discover your ear training skills with this engaging music identification quiz! Perfect for music students and enthusiasts keen to sharpen melody recognition and deepen music theory knowledge. Each of the 15 multiple-choice questions challenges listeners to identify tones, rhythms, and chord progressions. Feel free to customise the quiz in our editor to suit your lessons or practice routines. Explore related Music Notation Identification Quiz or refine skills with a Music Clef Identification Quiz, then browse more quizzes.

Which interval is defined by four semitones?
Perfect fourth
Major second
Minor third
Major third
A major third spans four semitones, which is the defining interval of this quality. Other intervals either span fewer or more semitones.
Which sequence of whole and half steps corresponds to the major scale?
Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole
Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half
Whole, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Half, Whole
Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole
The major scale follows the pattern of whole steps on 1 - 2, 2 - 3, and half steps on 3 - 4, then whole on 4 - 5, 5 - 6, 6 - 7, and half on 7 - 8. No other pattern matches this structure.
How many beats per measure are in a 3/4 time signature?
Four
Two
Six
Three
A 3/4 time signature indicates three quarter-note beats per measure. The top number shows the count, and the bottom number represents the beat unit.
Which instrument has a bright brass timbre and uses valves?
Violin
Flute
Clarinet
Trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument with valves and a bright, piercing timbre. Clarinets are woodwinds, violins are strings, and flutes are aerophones without valves.
Which notes form a C major triad?
C, D, G
C#, E#, G#
C, E, G
C, F, A
A major triad consists of the root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. C to E is a major third and E to G is a minor third, forming C, E, G.
Which mode is characterized by a raised sixth scale degree compared to the natural minor scale?
Mixolydian
Aeolian
Dorian
Phrygian
The Dorian mode raises the sixth degree of the natural minor scale, giving it a distinctive minor quality with a brighter sixth. The other modes alter different scale degrees.
What is the name of the interval between F and B?
Perfect fourth
Augmented fourth
Major third
Perfect fifth
F to B spans six semitones, which defines an augmented fourth, also known as the tritone. A perfect fourth spans five semitones, and a perfect fifth spans seven.
Which time signature is most commonly used for a waltz?
3/4
4/4
5/4
6/8
The waltz is traditionally in 3/4 time, with three quarter-note beats per measure and a strong-weak-weak accent pattern. Other signatures do not match the typical waltz feel.
You hear a triad consisting of a major third followed by a minor third. What quality is this chord?
Minor triad
Augmented triad
Diminished triad
Major triad
A major triad is built from a root, a major third, and then a minor third. A minor triad inverts that order, and diminished or augmented triads alter the third or fifth.
Which scale degree is lowered in the Mixolydian mode compared to the major scale?
Second
Fifth
Third
Seventh
Mixolydian is like the major scale but with a lowered seventh degree, creating a dominant-seventh chord on the tonic. Other degrees remain identical to the major scale.
Which instrument produces sound by bowing across strings?
Clarinet
Flute
Trumpet
Violin
Violins produce sound by bowing strings, creating sustained, expressive tones. Flutes, trumpets, and clarinets use air columns rather than bowed strings.
Repeating a melodic fragment at a different pitch level is called what?
Sequence
Ostinato
Motif
Cadence
A sequence involves restating a melodic fragment at a new pitch level. A motif is a short idea, an ostinato is a repeated pattern, and a cadence is a melodic or harmonic closure.
Which rhythmic element creates syncopation by accenting off-beats?
Accenting the "and" of the beat
Highlighting the tonic note
Using even eighth notes
Emphasizing every downbeat
Syncopation occurs when emphasis is placed on normally weak beats or off-beats, such as the "and" between beats. Emphasizing downbeats or tonic notes does not create syncopation.
Which key signature has three sharps?
D major
A major
E major
B major
A major has three sharps (F#, C#, G#). D major has two, E major has four, and B major has five sharps.
Which listening strategy is most effective for identifying the key of a piece by ear?
Listening for the tonal center or resolution
Focusing only on melody
Identifying individual chord names
Counting the total beats
Listening for the tonal center involves hearing where melodies and harmonies resolve, which reveals the key. Counting beats or focusing solely on melody does not directly identify key.
An interval spanning ten semitones is called what?
Perfect fifth
Major sixth
Minor seventh
Diminished seventh
A minor seventh spans ten semitones. A major sixth spans nine, a perfect fifth spans seven, and a diminished seventh is enharmonically similar but theoretical context differs.
Which notes make up the C blues scale?
C, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C
C, Eb, F, G, Bb, C
C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C
C, Eb, F, Gb, G, Bb, C
The blues scale adds a flattened third, flattened fifth, and flattened seventh to the minor pentatonic, yielding C, Eb, F, Gb, G, Bb, C. Other options do not match this pattern.
Which woodwind instrument uses a single reed?
Bassoon
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
The clarinet uses a single reed attached to its mouthpiece. Oboes and bassoons use double reeds, and flutes do not use reeds at all.
Which time signature has five eighth-note beats grouped as 3+2?
7/8
6/8
5/4
5/8
A 5/8 time signature indicates five eighth-note beats. When grouped as 3+2, it creates a distinctive asymmetric rhythm. The other signatures represent different beat counts or groupings.
Which mode features both a flattened second and a flattened sixth compared to the major scale?
Locrian
Aeolian
Phrygian
Dorian
Phrygian mode has scale degrees b2 and b6 relative to the major scale, giving it a characteristic minor and somewhat exotic sound. Dorian and Aeolian have fewer alterations.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify intervals, chords, and scales by ear.
  2. Analyse melodic patterns across diverse musical genres.
  3. Distinguish instrumental timbres in audio clips.
  4. Master recognition of common rhythms and time signatures.
  5. Apply theoretical concepts to determine keys and modes.
  6. Evaluate listening strategies for accurate music identification.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Master Interval Recognition - Turn your ears into interval-spotting superpowers by practicing both melodic (notes played one after the other) and harmonic (notes played together) intervals. Nailing that perfect fifth or minor third will feel like cracking a secret musical code! Interval Ear Training 101
  2. Understand Chord Qualities - Dive into the colorful world of major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords to decode the emotional language of music. Training your ear on these qualities will make analyzing and performing any piece feel like second nature. Chord Qualities Guide
  3. Explore Common Scales - Get to know the building blocks of melody by learning to identify major and minor scales by ear. Recognizing a scale in action will supercharge your improvisation and composition skills, turning every song into an open playground. Common Scales Overview
  4. Analyze Melodic Patterns - Study how catchy riffs and motifs are constructed across genres to spot recurring musical phrases. This insight helps you predict, memorize, and even create your own earworms on the fly. Melodic Pattern Wiki
  5. Distinguish Instrumental Timbres - Hone your detective skills by identifying instruments through their unique sound colors, from the mellow clarinet to the bright trumpet. This knack enhances your orchestration understanding and deepens your listening pleasure. Instrument Timbres Explained
  6. Recognize Rhythmic Patterns - Practice clapping or tapping along to different beats to distinguish time signatures and grooves. Spotting a waltz's 3/4 swing or a march's 4/4 drive will keep your timing rock-solid. Rhythmic Patterns in Music
  7. Apply Key and Mode Identification - Learn to hear whether a song is in a major key, minor key, or an exotic mode like Dorian or Mixolydian. This skill shapes your improvisation choices and deepens your harmonic insight. Modes in Music
  8. Practice Harmonic Progression Recognition - Train yourself to spot familiar chord sequences like I - IV - V - I or the 12-bar blues structure. Recognizing these progressions on the fly makes jamming and composing feel like playing with building blocks. Chord Progression Ear Training
  9. Develop Active Listening Strategies - Engage in focused listening exercises - take notes on harmony, rhythm, and texture as you hear them. This disciplined approach will sharpen your overall musicianship and analytical ear. Active Listening Tips
  10. Utilize Mnemonic Devices - Make intervals and chords unforgettable by linking them to familiar tunes (a perfect fourth feels like "Here Comes the Bride," a major third like "When the Saints Go Marching In"). These playful memory aids turn tough theory into fun ear-training games. Ear Training Mnemonics
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