Year 8

How is a ground bass related to chords?

Year 8

How is a ground bass related to chords?

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In this lesson, we will deepen our knowledge of the role of the basso continuo in Baroque music. We will explore how the ground bass and chords are related to one another, and learn how to play the chords of Pachelbel's Canon in a way stylistic to the Baroque period. We will then explore how to be the whole basso continuo in a virtual Baroque ensemble!

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This content is made available by Oak National Academy Limited and its partners and licensed under Oak’s terms & conditions (Collection 1), except where otherwise stated.

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10 Questions

Q1.
What does melody mean?
The highest part
The lowest part
Correct answer: The main idea or ideas in a piece of music
Q2.
What does accompaniment mean?
A melody in the bass line
The main melody in a piece of music
Correct answer: The parts that go with the melody e.g. bass line and chords
Q3.
What is a ground bass?
Correct answer: A bass line that repeats over and over again
A bass viol and harpsichord
A melody that repeats over and over again
Q4.
How long are the notes in the ground bass in Pachelbel's canon?
1 beat - crotchets
½ beat - quavers
Correct answer: 2 beats - minim
Q5.
What is the basso continuo?
The chords and melody in Baroque music
Correct answer: The ground bass and chords in Baroque music
The ground bass and melody in Baroque music
Q6.
Who plays the basso continuo?
Correct answer: Harpsichord and cello/bass viol
Harpsichord and violin
Violin and cello/bass viol
Q7.
What part of the basso continuo does the cello/bass viol play?
Chords
Correct answer: Ground bass
Melody
Q8.
What is the bass clef used for?
High pitches above middle C
Correct answer: Low pitches below middle C
Notes in the middle of the piano
Q9.
What are the notes in the spaces in the bass clef?
Correct answer: ACEG
FACE
GBDFA
Q10.
What are the notes on the lines in the bass clef?
ACEG
EGBDF
Correct answer: GBDFA

10 Questions

Q1.
What is a triad?
Correct answer: A chord with three notes, root, 3rd and 5th
A three sided note
Three notes next to each other: 1, 2, 3
Q2.
What are the primary triads?
I, iii, V (1, 3, 5)
Correct answer: I, IV, V (1, 4, 5)
ii, iii, vi (2, 3, 6)
Q3.
What are the primary triads in D major?
D, Em, F#m
D, F#, A
Correct answer: D, G, A
Q4.
What are the secondary triads?
I, iii, V (1, 3, 5)
I, IV, V (1, 4, 5)
Correct answer: ii, iii, vi (2, 3, 6)
Q5.
What is an inversion?
Playing the notes of the chord from low to high
Correct answer: Playing the notes of the chord in a different order
Reversing the chord
Q6.
Which of these is an inversion of a D major chord?
A C# D
A D E
Correct answer: A D F#
Q7.
What do you do when you spread a chord?
Invert the chord
Correct answer: Play the notes of the chord quickly from low to high
Repeat the chord
Q8.
What is the basso continuo?
The chords and melody in Baroque music
Correct answer: The ground bass and chords in Baroque music
The ground bass and melody in Baroque music
Q9.
Who plays the basso continuo?
Correct answer: Harpsichord and cello/bass viol
Harpsichord and violin
Violin and cello/bass viol
Q10.
What part of the basso contino does the cello/bass viol play?
Chords
Correct answer: Ground bass
Melody