Music Tempo & Dynamics Flashcards: Terms & Changes

Question 1

In music, what does tempo describe?

Accepted Answer

The speed of the beat: how quickly or slowly the music moves.

Question 2

In music, what do dynamics describe?

Accepted Answer

How loud or soft the music is.

Question 3

What does the dynamic marking p mean?

Accepted Answer

Piano: soft or quiet.

Question 4

What does the dynamic marking f mean?

Accepted Answer

Forte: loud.

Question 5

What does BPM stand for in a metronome marking?

Accepted Answer

Beats per minute. The specified note value tells you what each beat counts.

Question 6

What does the dynamic marking pp mean?

Accepted Answer

Pianissimo: very soft or very quiet.

Question 7

What does the dynamic marking mp mean?

Accepted Answer

Mezzo piano: moderately soft or moderately quiet.

Question 8

What does the dynamic marking ff mean?

Accepted Answer

Fortissimo: very loud.

Question 9

What does the dynamic marking mf mean?

Accepted Answer

Mezzo forte: moderately loud.

Question 10

Does a dynamic marking specify a fixed decibel reading?

Accepted Answer

No. Dynamic levels are relative to the musical context; they do not prescribe one universal decibel value.

Question 11

Which standard dynamic abbreviation means soft?

Accepted Answer

p — piano. Quiet is an equivalent description.

Question 12

Which standard dynamic abbreviation means loud?

Accepted Answer

f — forte.

Question 13

What does crescendo ask a performer to change?

Accepted Answer

Gradually increase the loudness.

Question 14

Which standard dynamic abbreviation means very soft?

Accepted Answer

pp — pianissimo. Very quiet is an equivalent description.

Question 15

Which standard dynamic abbreviation means moderately soft?

Accepted Answer

mp — mezzo piano. Moderately quiet is also correct.

Question 16

What does decrescendo ask a performer to do?

Accepted Answer

Become gradually softer. Diminuendo gives the same basic loudness direction.

Question 17

Which standard dynamic abbreviation means very loud?

Accepted Answer

ff — fortissimo.

Question 18

Which standard dynamic abbreviation means moderately loud?

Accepted Answer

mf — mezzo forte.

Question 19

What does subito p mean in a score?

Accepted Answer

Suddenly soft. Make the change immediately rather than fading gradually.

Question 20

What does cresc. mean in a score?

Accepted Answer

Crescendo: become gradually louder.

Question 21

Are pp and ff the softest and loudest markings that can appear in music?

Accepted Answer

No. Markings such as ppp and fff extend beyond them. pp and ff mean very soft and very loud, not absolute limits.

Question 22

What does diminuendo ask a performer to do?

Accepted Answer

Become gradually softer. Decrescendo is an equivalent direction here.

Question 23

What broad tempo does adagio indicate?

Accepted Answer

Slow and unhurried.

Question 24

What broad tempo does allegro indicate?

Accepted Answer

Fast or brisk.

Question 25

What broad tempo does lento indicate?

Accepted Answer

Slow.

Question 26

What broad tempo does moderato indicate?

Accepted Answer

A moderate speed.

Question 27

What does largo suggest as a tempo marking?

Accepted Answer

A slow, broad pace.

Question 28

What kind of pace does andante suggest?

Accepted Answer

A walking pace, generally moderate.

Question 29

What broad tempo does presto indicate?

Accepted Answer

Very fast.

Question 30

What does vivace suggest in a tempo marking?

Accepted Answer

Lively and brisk.

Question 31

What does accelerando ask a performer to do?

Accepted Answer

Gradually increase the speed of the beat.

Question 32

After a temporary tempo change, what does a tempo mean?

Accepted Answer

Return to the tempo in effect before that change.

Question 33

Does allegro specify one universal BPM range?

Accepted Answer

No. It gives a broad fast character; exact speed depends on the piece and context. A metronome marking gives a numerical rate for a stated note value.

Question 34

What does ritardando ask a performer to do?

Accepted Answer

Gradually slow the beat down.

Question 35

What does allegretto generally suggest as a tempo?

Accepted Answer

Moderately quick, usually less fast than allegro. This is a broad indication, not a fixed numerical boundary.

Question 36

How does ma non troppo qualify a tempo marking?

Accepted Answer

It means but not too much. For example, allegro ma non troppo asks for a fast pace without taking it excessively fast.

Question 37

What does accel. mean in a score?

Accepted Answer

Accelerando: gradually speed up.

Question 38

Which usually calls for a slower pace: adagio or allegro?

Accepted Answer

Adagio. Allegro generally calls for a fast pace.

Question 39

A metronome marking says quarter note = 72. What does each click count?

Accepted Answer

One quarter note, with 72 quarter-note beats per minute. Quarter note is also called crotchet.

Question 40

What does rallentando (rall.) ask a performer to do?

Accepted Answer

Gradually slow down. Its basic direction overlaps with ritardando; the music shapes the precise effect.

Question 41

Which common Italian tempo word suggests a walking pace?

Accepted Answer

Andante.

Question 42

A singer gradually increases loudness while keeping the beat steady. Which dynamic direction fits?

Accepted Answer

Crescendo. The loudness increases; the tempo stays steady.

Question 43

After slowing through a phrase, a player must resume the earlier pace. Which written direction fits?

Accepted Answer

A tempo.

Question 44

A phrase should gradually become slower while staying equally loud. Name a suitable Italian direction.

Accepted Answer

Ritardando or rallentando. Both specify gradual slowing; neither requires a decrease in loudness.

Question 45

What does dim. mean as a dynamic instruction?

Accepted Answer

Diminuendo: become gradually softer.

Question 46

How does subito p differ from a diminuendo toward p?

Accepted Answer

Subito p makes the music soft immediately. A diminuendo toward p reduces the loudness gradually.

Question 47

Does forte alone ask you to play faster?

Accepted Answer

No. Forte specifies loudness; it does not itself change the tempo.

Question 48

A metronome marking says half note = 60. What note value does one click represent?

Accepted Answer

One half note, with 60 half-note beats per minute. Half note is also called minim.

Question 49

The beats gradually come closer together while the loudness stays unchanged. Which direction fits?

Accepted Answer

Accelerando. The beat rate increases.

Question 50

In the same musical context, which is softer: mp or mf?

Accepted Answer

mp. Mezzo piano is moderately soft; mezzo forte is moderately loud.

Question 51

What does decresc. mean in a score?

Accepted Answer

Decrescendo: become gradually softer.

Question 52

What does ritard. mean in a score?

Accepted Answer

Ritardando: gradually slow down.

Question 53

How do moderato and accelerando differ as instructions?

Accepted Answer

Moderato indicates a moderate pace. Accelerando directs a gradual increase in pace.

Question 54

With quarter note as the beat unit in both cases, which tempo is faster: 80 BPM or 100 BPM?

Accepted Answer

100 BPM. More quarter-note beats occur in each minute.

Question 55

After a passage grows softer and slower, does a tempo alone restore its earlier loudness?

Accepted Answer

No. It restores the earlier tempo. The dynamic level follows the score’s separate loudness instructions.

Question 56

A phrase is marked crescendo and ritardando together. How should loudness and speed change?

Accepted Answer

Become gradually louder and gradually slower. Loudness and tempo can change independently.

Question 57

A choir must gradually become quieter while keeping the beat steady. Name a suitable Italian direction.

Accepted Answer

Diminuendo or decrescendo. Both specify gradual softening; the tempo need not change.

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Music Tempo & Dynamics Flashcards: Terms & Changes