BM or BMus Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In music technology, what does DAW stand for?
- Digital Audio Workstation (Correct answer)
- Dynamic Audio Waveform
- Digital Arrangement Workflow
- Direct Audio Writer
Correct answer: Digital Audio Workstation
A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) is software used for recording, editing, mixing, and producing audio, such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro, or Ableton Live.
Question 2: When a BM student is asked to analyze a piece using 'Schenkerian analysis,' they are primarily examining:
- The hierarchical voice-leading structure from the surface to an underlying fundamental progression (Correct answer)
- The thematic and motivic transformations across formal sections
- The historical context and performance practice of the work
- The metric and rhythmic patterns in relation to text setting
Correct answer: The hierarchical voice-leading structure from the surface to an underlying fundamental progression
Schenkerian analysis, developed by Heinrich Schenker, reveals how surface melodic and harmonic details prolong a deep background structure (the Ursatz).
Question 3: Which interval is considered the most dissonant in traditional tonal counterpoint?
- Tritone (augmented fourth / diminished fifth) (Correct answer)
- Major seventh
- Minor second
- Perfect fourth above the bass
Correct answer: Tritone (augmented fourth / diminished fifth)
The tritone (three whole tones), called diabolus in musica in medieval theory, is the most dissonant interval and requires careful resolution in tonal writing.
Question 4: In the context of a college ensemble, what does 'section rehearsal' typically mean?
- A rehearsal where only one instrumental or vocal section meets to work on their specific parts (Correct answer)
- A rehearsal focused on one formal section of a large work
- A small-group chamber music coaching session
- A run-through of the full program in performance order
Correct answer: A rehearsal where only one instrumental or vocal section meets to work on their specific parts
Section rehearsals gather just one instrument family (e.g., brass, strings) or voice part to address specific technical issues before full ensemble rehearsals.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'extended techniques' in contemporary instrumental writing?
- Non-traditional playing methods that go beyond standard technique, such as col legno, multiphonics, or prepared piano (Correct answer)
- Advanced fingering techniques for rapid passage work in standard repertoire
- The use of extended ranges above the written range of an instrument
- Virtuosic ornamentation added at the performer's discretion
Correct answer: Non-traditional playing methods that go beyond standard technique, such as col legno, multiphonics, or prepared piano
Extended techniques expand the sonic palette of instruments through unconventional methods like bowing the wood of the bow (col legno), singing while playing, or inserting objects in a piano.
Question 6: In music copyright law in the United States, how long does copyright protection generally last for a work created by an individual after January 1, 1978?
- Life of the author plus 70 years (Correct answer)
- 50 years from the date of publication
- Life of the author plus 50 years
- 95 years from the date of creation
Correct answer: Life of the author plus 70 years
Under the Copyright Act of 1976 (as amended), works created by individuals are protected for the author's lifetime plus 70 years.
Question 7: What is the primary difference between a BM (Bachelor of Music) and a BA in Music?
- The BM is a professional degree with intensive conservatory-style training, while the BA is a liberal arts degree with broader general education requirements (Correct answer)
- The BM focuses on music history while the BA emphasizes performance
- The BM requires four years and the BA only three years of study
- The BM is offered only at conservatories while the BA is offered only at universities
Correct answer: The BM is a professional degree with intensive conservatory-style training, while the BA is a liberal arts degree with broader general education requirements
A BM is a professional music degree with ~70% music coursework focused on performance or composition, while a BA in Music typically requires less than 50% music credits within a liberal arts framework.
BM or BMus Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music 5
In music technology, what does DAW stand for?