How to Read Music in 30 Days: Audio Examples & Answers

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Jump to: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, Day 20, Day 21, Day 22, Day 23, Day 24, Day 25, Day 26, Day 27, Day 28, Day 29, Day 30, Final test.

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Day 1

There are no audio examples in our first lesson and the reason for this is actually quite important! It is because in order to know how a note is going to sound, the note values alone are not enough. To know the exact duration of a note, we will need to have more information, and we will slowly build this up as we progress through our course.

Day 1 Answer Key

1a. The stem
1b. The flag

2.

3.

4b. four
c. two
d. four
e. four
f. two
g. eight

5.


Day 2

Audio Example 2.1
Audio Example 2.2
Audio Example 2.3

Day 2 Answer Key

1a. True 
b. False 
c. True

2a. 4 beats
b. 2 beats
c. 1 beat
d. one half of a beat
e. one fourth of a beat

3.

Day 2, Exercise 3, How to Read Music in 30 Days

Day 3

Audio Example 3.1
Audio Example 3.2
Audio Example 3.2b – with metronome
Audio Example 3.3
Audio Example 3.4
Audio Example 3.4b – with metronome

Day 3 Listening Experience

1. Mendelssohn
2. Vivaldi
3. Beethoven
4. Albinoni
5. Rachmaninov
6. Corelli
7. Paganini
8. Mozart
9. Bizet
10. Bach

Day 3 Answer Key

Listening Experience Answers

Clip 1: Moderate tempo
Clip 2: Slow tempo
Clip 3: Fast tempo
Clip 4: Fast tempo
Clip 5: Moderate tempo
Clip 6: Fast tempo
Clip 7: Fast tempo
Clip 8: Moderate tempo
Clip 9: Slow tempo
Clip 10: Slow tempo

Day 3 Answers to the Exercises

1a. False
b. True
c. True
d. True

2. Beats per minute

3. To make an audible pulse with a constant click or beep.

4a. At a walking pace; 80 bpm
b. Lively and quick; 120 bpm
c. Very fast; 140 bpm
d. At a moderate pace; 100 bpm
e. Very slow and broad; 40 bpm
f. Slow; 60 bpm


Day 4

Audio Example 4.1
Audio Example 4.2
Audio Example 4.3
Audio Example 4.4
Audio Example 4.5
Audio Example 4.6
Audio Example 4.7

Day 4 Listening Experience 1

1. Strauss
2. Schubert
3. Chopin
4. Beethoven
5. Tchaikovsky
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Strauss Junior
8. Offenbach
9. Debussy
10. Sibelius

Day 4 Listening Experience 2

1. Bach
2. Beethoven
3. Petzhold (previously attributed to Bach)
4. Dvorak
5. Grieg
6. Handel
7. Haydn
8. Haydn
9. Paganini
10. Waldteufel

Day 4 Answer Key

Listening Experience 1

1. Strauss: March
2. Schubert: March
3. Chopin: Waltz
4. Beethoven: March
5. Tchaikovsky: Waltz
6. Tchaikovsky: March
7. Strauss Jr.: Waltz
8. Offenbach: March
9. Debussy: Waltz
10. Sibelius: Waltz

Listening Experience 2

1. Bach: Duple
2. Beethoven: Duple
3. Bach: Triple
4. Dvorak: Triple
5. Grieg: Duple
6. Handel: Triple
7. Haydn: Triple
8. Haydn: Duple
9. Paganini: Duple
10. Waldteufel: Triple

Answers to the Exercises

1a. Equal groups
b. accented
c. 3 beats
d. bar lines
e. signature
f. beats per measure; the type of beat.

2b. Three eighth note beats (quaver beats) in every measure;
c. Two half note beats (minim beats) in every measure;
d. Four quarter note beats (crotchet beats) in every measure;
e. Three quarter note beats (crotchet beats) in every measure.

3b. Strong, weak, weak
c. Strong, weak
d. Strongest, weak, strong, weak
e. Strong, weak, weak

4a. Four-four (or two-two)
b. Four-four (or two-two)
c. Three-eight

5.


Day 5

Audio Example 5.1
Audio Example 5.2

Answers to the Exercises

1. Silence

2.

3.

4.


Day 6

Audio Example 6.1
Audio Example 6.2

Answers to the Exercises

1. The dot adds half the value of the original note to the original note itself.

2b. Dotted quarter rest (dotted crotchet rest);
c. Dotted eighth rest (dotted quaver rest);
d. Dotted half rest (dotted minim rest);
e. Dotted eighth note (dotted quaver);
f. Dotted whole note (dotted semibreve).

3.

4b. sixteenth notes (semiquavers)
4c. eighth notes (quavers)
4d. quarter notes (crotchets)

5.


Day 7

Audio Example 7.1
Audio Example 7.2
Audio Example 7.3

Answers to the Exercises

1. The purpose of the tie is to add together the duration of 2 or more notes. It allows for longer notes that wouldn’t be possible to notate otherwise.

b. 1 and a fourth
c. 5
d. 2 and a half

3.


Day 8

Audio Example 8.1
Audio Example 8.2

Answers to the Exercises

1b. 8
c. 1
d. one half
e. 4

2b. one-fourth
c. one-eighth
d. 2
e. one half


Day 9

Day 9 Listening Experience

1. Marcello
2. Mussorgsky
3. Lehar
4. Mozart
5. Gounod
6. Offenbach
7. Prokofiev
8. Smetana
9. Beethoven
10. Vaughan Williams

Listening Experience Answers

1. Marcello: Simple
2. Mussorgsky: Compound
3. Lehar: Simple
4. Mozart: Simple
5. Gounod: Compound
6. Offenbach: Compound
7. Prokofiev: Simple
8. Smetana: Compound
9. Beethoven: Compound
10. Vaughan Williams: Compound

Answers to the Exercises

1. By 2

2. By 3

3a. Simple duple
b. Compound duple
c. Simple duple
d. Compound duple
e. Compound triple
f. Simple quadruple
g. Simple triple
h. Compound triple
i. Simple triple
j. Compound quadruple


Day 10

Answers to the Exercises

1a.

1b.

1c.

Also a good answer:

1d.

1e.

1f.


Day 11

Audio Example 11.1
Audio Example 11.2
Audio Example 11.3
Audio Example 11.4
Audio Example 11.5
Audio Example 11.6
Audio Example 11.7

Answers to the Exercises

1. Compound meters consist of dotted note beats so every beat is divisible by 3. Simple meters consist of basic note values as beats (not dotted ones) so every beat is divisible by 2. Complex meters are a combination of both. 

2a. To turn the pulse into five-four meter, make sure you have a bar line every 5 quarter note beats (crotchet beats).

2b. To turn the pulse into seven-eighth meter, make sure you have a bar line every 7 eighth note beats (quaver beats). 

3. There are no fixed answers for these exercises. Make sure the rhythms you create fit in the time signatures given.


Day 12

Audio Example 12.1
Audio Example 12.2
Audio Example 12.3
Audio Example 12.4
Audio Example 12.5
Audio Example 12.6
Audio Example 12.7

Answers to the Exercises

1b.

1c.

1d.

1e.

1f.


Day 13

Answers to the Exercises

1a.

1b.

1c.

1d.

2a.

2b.

2c.

2d.

3.

4.


Day 14

Audio Example 14.1
Audio Example 14.2
Audio Example 14.3
Audio Example 14.4
Audio Example 14.5

Day 14 Listening Experience

1. Beethoven
2. Away in a Manger
3. Chopin
4. Bach
5. Dvorak
6. Haydn
7. Handel
8. Albeniz

Answers to the Listening Experience

1. Beethoven: Yes
2. Traditional: Yes
3. Chopin: Yes
4. Bach: No
5. Dvorak: Yes
6. Haydn: Yes
7. Handel: No
8. Albeniz: No

Answers to the Exercises

There are no fixed answers to these exercises.


Day 15

Audio Example 15.1
Audio Example 15.2
Audio Example 15.3

Answers to the Exercises

1a.

How to Read Music in 30 Days, Day 15, Exercise 1a

1b.

How to Read Music in 30 Days, Day 15, Exercise 1b

1c.

1d.


Day 16

Answers to the Exercises

1a. 12
b. 7
c. 5

2a. A, B, C, D, E, F and G
b. 8; an octave

c.

3a. Scientific Pitch Notation
b. its specific octave.


Day 17

Day 17 Listening Experience

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Answers to the Exercises

Exercise 1

a.

b.

c.

d.

Exercise 2

a.

b.

c.

d.

Exercise 3

a.

b.

c.

d.

Exercise 4

a.

b.

c.

d.

Answers to the Listening Experience

1. H
2. H
3. W
4. H
5. W
6. H
7. W
8. W
9. W
10. H


Day 18

1a. The second one
b. raise the note

2a. The last one
b. lower the note

3a. The third one
b. cancel a sharp or a flat that occurred before

Exercise 4

a. F sharp:

b. E flat:

c. G natural:

d. D double sharp:

e. A sharp:

f. B double flat:

g. G flat:

h. F flat:

5b. E
c. C
d. A flat
e. D sharp
f. B flat
g. B
h. B sharp (or D double flat)
i. A
j. A sharp


Day 19

Answers to the Exercises

1. Five

There are no fixed answers for the rest of the exercises.


Day 20

Answers to the Exercises

1. Ledger lines

There are no fixed answers for the rest of the exercises.


Day 21

Audio Example 21.1

Answers to the Exercises

1.

2. These notes can be written in different octaves. Please compare your answers to the notes in the lesson. 


Day 22

Audio Example 22.1

1.

2. These notes can be written in different octaves. Please compare your answers to the notes in the lesson. 


Day 23

Answers to the Exercises

1.

2.


Day 24

Answers to the Exercises

1.

2.


Day 25

Audio Example 25.1: Beethoven: Piano Sonata no.32, 1st movement

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - Vivaldi Spring forte then piano
Audio Example 25.2: Vivaldi: Spring, 1st movement

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - mf / mezzo piano / Medtner 4 tales
Audio Example 25.3: Medtner: 4 Tales, Op. 26

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - Clementi Sonatina cresc measures 28 to 31
Audio Example 25.4: Clementi Sonatina No. 1, Op.46, measures 28 to 31

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - Rachmaninov crescendo from piano
Audio Example 25.5: Rachmaninov: Prelude in G minor, Op.23 No. 5

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - Handel Largo Xerxes extract
Audio Example 25.6: Handel: Largo from Xerxes, measures 7 to 10

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - Poulenc mf crescendo to f dim to mf
Audio Example 25.7: Poulenc: Suite pour piano, FP 19

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - Decrescendo - Beethoven Sonata 22
Audio Example 25.8: Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 22, 2nd movement

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics -Crescendo with dashed line Reger Cello
Audio Example 25.9: Reger: Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, Op.131c

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - poco molto cresc Bartok Bagatelle
Audio Example 25.10: Bartok: Bagatelle No. 4, Op. 6

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - Subito pp Poulenc Sonata for four hands
Audio Example 25.11: Poulenc: Sonata for Piano Four Hands, 2nd movement

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - fortepiano Mozart Fantasia no4 in Cm K475

How to Read Music in 30 Days - Day 25: Dynamics - Sfz / sforzando mendelssohn

Answers to the Exercises

1. The loudest is ff

2. The softest is p

3. mf means “moderately loud”

4. Crescendo: “gradually getting louder”

5. Diminuendo means “gradually getting softer”

6. The symbol for forte piano is fp

7. Sfz is short for sforzando meaning “with force” or “a sudden emphasis”

Day 25 Listening Experience

Audio Example 25.14
Audio Example 25.15
Audio Example 25.16
Audio Example 25.17

Solutions to the Listening Experience

Here are the solutions to today’s listening experience. These are not the only possibilities; if your answers are close enough (for example a crescendo starting a little earlier or using mezzopiano instead of mezzo forte), consider it done right. As with all our listening experiences, the main purpose is to listen with awareness.

1.  

2.

3.

4.


Day 26

Audio Example 26.1: Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 6, 2nd movement

Audio Example 26.2: Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf, Theme of the Cat

Audio Example 26.3: Schubert: Winterreise, Op. 89, III

Audio Example 26.4: Scriabin: Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 6, 1st Movement

Audio Example 26.5: Schumann: Album for the Young, Op. 68, Knight Rupert

Audio Example 26.6: Bartok: Bagatelle No. 1, Op. 6

Audio Example 26.7: Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21, Waldstein, 2nd Movement

Audio Example 26.8: Drouet: Study No. 16 from 72 Studies for the Boehm Flute

Audio Example 26.9: Ravel: Le Jardin Feerique from Ma Mere l’Oye Suite

Audio Example 26.10: Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue

Answers to the Exercises

1.

2.

3. A variety of answers are correct.

4.

Day 26 Listening Experience

Audio Example 26.11
Audio Example 26.12
Audio Example 26.13
Audio Example 26.14

Solutions to the Listening Experience

1.

2.

3.

4.


Day 27

Audio Example 27.1: Sibelius: Piano Sonata Op. 12

Audio Example 27.2: Beethoven: 6th Symphony, 1st Movement

Audio Example 27.3: Francisco Tarrega: Capricho Arabe

Audio Example 27.4: Bartok: Sonatina on Themes from Transylvania, SZ55

Audio Example 27.5: Faure: 3 Romances Sans Paroles, Op. 17

Audio Example 27.6: Scriabin: Sonata No. 3, 4th Movement

Audio Example 27.7: Schubert: 1st Impromptu, Op. 90

Audio Example 27.8: Haydn: Trio in D major, Hob.XV:24

Audio Example 27.9: Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty Suite, Op. 66, Prologue

Audio Example 27.10

Audio Example 27.11: Debussy: Syrinx

Answers to the Exercises

1. Adagio

2. Vivace

3. Andante

4. A variety of answers are correct.

5. 60 half note beats in a minute (or 60 minim beats in a minute)

6. Getting faster

7. Back to the original tempo.

Day 27 Listening Experience

Audio Example 27.12
Audio Example 27.13
Audio Example 27.14
Audio Example 27.15

Solutions to the Listening Experience

If your answers are similar or close enough, consider them correct.

1. An accelerando towards the end:

2. Two pauses:

3. A ritardando starting at the middle


Day 28

Audio Example 28.1

Audio Example 28.2: Mozart, Minuet KV1c

Audio Example 28.3

Audio Example 28.4

Audio Example 28.5

Audio Example 28.6

Day 28 Listening Experience

Audio Example 28.7
Audio Example 28.8
Audio Example 28.9

Listening Experience Solutions

1.

2.

3.


Day 29

Audio Example 29.1: Rachmaninov: Moment Musicaux, Op. 16, No. 4

Audio Example 29.2: Saint-Saens: Aquarium from Carnival of Animals

Audio Example 29.3: Albeniz: Suite Espanola, No. 4, Cadiz

Audio Example 29.4: Notation of electric guitar techniques

Audio Example 29.5: Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 4, 3rd movement

Audio Example 29.6: Flutter-tonguing

Audio Example 29.7: Vibrato

Audio Example 29.8: Horn stopping

Answers to the Exercises

1.

or

2.

3. It means that the notes should be played on the instrument’s lowest string, the “C” string.

4. The pianist’s thumbs are numbered “1”.

5. Because the right-hand fingers are not usually in direct contact with the strings. They hold the bow.

6. Flutter-tonguing

7. In the bell

8. Pizzicato means to pluck instead of to bow.

9. Circled numbers indicate which string a note should be played on.

10. “Sul G”.

Day 29 Listening Experience

Version 1a
Version 1b
Version 2a
Version 2b
Version 3a
Version 3b

Solutions to the Listening Experience

1a. No
1b. Yes

2a. Yes
2b. No

3a. No
3b. Yes


Day 30

Audio Example 30.1: Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op.120

Audio Example 30.2: Carl Bohm: The Fountain, Op. 221

Audio Example 30.3: Liszt: Dante Sonata

Audio Example 30.4: Saint-Saëns: Carnival of animals, Fossils

Audio Example 30.5: Bach: Minuet from the Anna Magdalena Notebook

Audio Example 30.6: Bach: Minuet BWV Anhang 118

Audio Example 30.7: Hugo Wolf: Und willst du deinen Liebsten sterben sehen, piano part

Audio Example 30.8: Joaquin Rodrigo: Concerto de Aranjuez, 1st movement

Audio Example 30.9: Chopin: Grande Valse Brillante, Op. 34, No. 3

Audio Example 30.10: Bach: Toccata and Fugue, BWV 565

Audio Example 30.11

Audio Example 30.12

Audio Example 30.13

Audio Example 30.14: Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 27 in G major (original, then slowed down)

Audio Example 30.15: Beethoven: Romance No. 2 in F

Audio Example 30.16: Chopin: Rondo, Op. 1, measures 4 – 6 (original, then slowed down)

Audio Example 30.17: Bach: Minuet 1 from French Suite No. 1, measures 9 – 10

Audio Example 30.18: Mozart: String Quartet No. 3, 1st movement

Audio Example 30.19: Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14, 3rd movement

Audio Example 30.20: Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 17, 1st movement, measures 51 – 53

Audio Example 30.21: Chopin: Prelude 9, Op. 28, measures 3 – 4

Audio Example 30.22: One-note tremolo

Audio Example 30.23: Two-note tremolo

Answers to the Exercises

1. An ornament is a quick decoration of a note, represented in musical notation by grace notes or special symbols.

2a. True
b. False (the mordent is not limited to a whole step above)
c. False
d. True
e. True

3. While the trill is a continuous and rapid alteration of a note and the note above it, a tremolo is a rapid alteration of either the same note, or any two notes (even ones that skip).

4.

5. The lower mordent is a decoration of the principal note with the note below it; the upper mordent is a decoration of the principal note with the note above it.

6. Trill

7. A fast note played just before the principal note

8. Please compare your answers to the diagrams in today’s lesson.

9. The turn starts on the note above the principal note while the inverted turn starts on the note below it.

10. The arrow specifies the direction of the arpeggio.

Listening Experience

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Solutions to the Listening Experience

1. Trill

2. Inverted turn

3. Tremolo

4. Acciaccaturas

5. Arpeggio

6. Upper mordent


Answers to the Test

1. The reason is that we can have rhythm without pitch but not pitch without rhythm.

2a and 2b:

3. The answer is “a.” – fixed

4. The answer is “d.” – Both meter and tempo

5. The answer is “c.” – The strong beat occurs every three beats

6. The answer is “a.” – It tells us how many beats there are per measure; and c. It tells us what type/quality of beats they are;

7. The answer is “b.” – Although the values of the notes in relation to each other are always the same, tempo is important because it determines how fast or slow those notes are.

8. The tie and the dot

9. The answer is “d.” – any note value

10a. The pulse of a compound time signature is assigned to a dotted note, making every beat divisible by 3. The pulse of a simple time signature is assigned to a basic note value (and never a dotted note). 

10b. Duplets and triplets allow for a division of a beat that is not normally permitted by the meter. A duplet allows for a beat of a compound meter to be divided into 2 equal parts. A triplet allows for a beat of simple meter to be divided into 3 equal parts. 

11.

12. These notes can be written correctly in various octaves. Please compare your answers to the diagrams in the book.

13.

14. These notes can be written correctly in various octaves. Please compare your answers to the diagrams in the book.

15a.

15b.

16.

17. There are 12 pitches. They’re named: C, C sharp (or D flat), D, D sharp (or E flat), E, F, F sharp (or G flat), G, G sharp (or A flat), A, A sharp (or B flat), B.

18. We mean that the first F note is 8 alphabetical and musical steps above the second F note.

19. While the half step is the smallest possible distance between any two notes, the whole step is the distance between any two notes that have one intervening note in between. Two half steps make a whole step.

20. To alter a note by a half step: the sharp raises a note by a half step; the flat lowers a note by a half step.

21. The natural: it cancels a sharp or a flat to bring the note back to its original.

22a. The double flat lowers a note by a whole step:

How to Read Music (in 30 Days) - Day 18: Accidentals
How to Read Music (in 30 Days) – Day 18: Accidentals

22b. The double sharp raises a note by a whole step:

How to Read Music (in 30 Days) - Day 18: Accidentals
How to Read Music (in 30 Days) – Day 18: Accidentals

23. The term for loud is “forte” and its symbol is this:

The term for soft is “piano” and its symbol is this:

24a.

24b. sub. p

25. Staccattissimo

26. Mistakes numbered 1 to 8 and fixed:

27a.

27b.

28. The final bar line was missing:

29. Play from the beginning to the measure marked ‘Fine’ (Italian for ‘end’).

30. The “engage sustain pedal” symbol:


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