Musical Survey

[Lord Larehip]

[I made up the following test a couple of years ago just to see how much background people have in music today. It's not to make anyone feel stupid and I'm not looking for detailed info just a passing familiarity will do. Don't search the web for any answers, answer them as best you can off the top of your head. Likewise, don't look at other people's answers. If you don't know, just say you don't know. I'm looking for honesty so I can draw a proper conclusion. Thanks.]

Gender:

Age:

Do you play an instrument proficiently?

Without consulting any sources, answer the following questions:

1. Do you know who Miles Davis is? (Just yes or no)

2. Can you name a Miles Davis number or album?

3. Do you know who Doc Watson is?

4. Do you know who Bob Wills is?

5. Do you know who Duke Ellington is?

6. Can you name a Duke Ellington song?

7. Do you know who Johnny Ace is?

8. Do you know who Howlin’ Wolf is?

9. Who was the driving force behind the band T. Rex?

10. Name a T. Rex song:

11. Complete the following sentence: John Coltrane played the ____________.

12. Who was the Beatles’ drummer before Ringo Starr?

13. Ringo Starr’s real name is:

14. The Supremes recorded for what label?

15. Do you know who Big Joe Turner is?

16. Name a Big Joe Turner song:

17. Complete the following sentence: Johan Sebastian Bach was a classical composer during the ________ period.

18. Name an early form of European liturgical music:

19. Name a Holland-Dozier-Holland song:

20. Richard Strauss composed which piece? A. Blue Danube, B. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, C. Rite of Spring, D. Also Sprach Zarathustra, E. None of the above, F. All of the above

21. Name a Cole Porter song:

22. Complete the following sentence: Yo-Yo Ma plays the ________.

23. What is “the Carter lick”?

24. Antonio Salieri is important because: A. He invented many of the principles of modern music theory, B. He was the teacher of Franz Schubert, C. He murdered Mozart, D. He wrote many pieces for the pipe organ.

25. What was Mozart’s full name?

26. Beethoven’s teacher was: A. Johan Bach, B. George Frideric Handel, C. Antonio Salieri, D. Josef Haydn, E. None of the above.

27. Beethoven is credited with starting what period of classical music?

28. Name a Scott Joplin piece:

29. Most of Joplin’s pieces were written in which decade? A. 1890-1900, B. 1900-1910, C. 1910-1920, D. 1920-1930.

30. Who was “the King of the Mississippi Delta Bluesmen”: A. Charley Patton, B. Blind Willie McTell, C. Lightnin’ Hopkins, D. Mississippi Fred McDowell.

[Burning Down]

I'll take a crack at this. Answers in bold for easy reading.

Gender: Female

Age: 23

Do you play an instrument proficiently? I’ve been playing and studying the flute seriously since age 12. I’m currently 1 credit away from obtaining a Bachelor of Music degree. I also play guitar proficiently.

Without consulting any sources, answer the following questions:

1. Do you know who Miles Davis is? (Just yes or no) Yes, I love Miles!

2. Can you name a Miles Davis number or album? Bitches Brew

3. Do you know who Doc Watson is? Yes. Bluegrass guitarist.

4. Do you know who Bob Wills is? The King of Western Swing.

5. Do you know who Duke Ellington is? Yes, love him too.

6. Can you name a Duke Ellington song? Caravan

7. Do you know who Johnny Ace is? R&B singer. I think he even toured with Big Mama Thornton.

8. Do you know who Howlin’ Wolf is? Yes

9. Who was the driving force behind the band T. Rex? Marc Bolan

10. Name a T. Rex song: Bang a Gong.

11. Complete the following sentence: John Coltrane played the TENOR SAXOPHONE.

12. Who was the Beatles’ drummer before Ringo Starr? Pete Best

13. Ringo Starr’s real name is: Richard Starkey

14. The Supremes recorded for what label? Motown.

15. Do you know who Big Joe Turner is? Yes.

16. Name a Big Joe Turner song: Flip Flop and Fly.

17. Complete the following sentence: Johan Sebastian Bach was a classical composer during the BAROQUE period.

18. Name an early form of European liturgical music: Gregorian Chant.

19. Name a Holland-Dozier-Holland song: The Happening.

20. Richard Strauss composed which piece? A. Blue Danube, B. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, C. Rite of Spring, D. Also Sprach Zarathustra, E. None of the above, F. All of the above

D. Also Sprach Zarathustra

21. Name a Cole Porter song: Begin the Beguine

22. Complete the following sentence: Yo-Yo Ma plays the CELLO

23. What is “the Carter lick”? Finger style guitar where melody is played on the bass strings and the rhythm is maintained on the higher strings.

24. Antonio Salieri is important because: A. He invented many of the principles of modern music theory, B. He was the teacher of Franz Schubert, C. He murdered Mozart, D. He wrote many pieces for the pipe organ.

Going to say A, because he introduced many principles of operatic music theory. Not general music theory which is what your answer implies here.

25. What was Mozart’s full name? Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

26. Beethoven’s teacher was: A. Johan Bach, B. George Frideric Handel, C. Antonio Salieri, D. Josef Haydn, E. None of the above.

D. Haydn. (Franz Joseph Haydn.)

27. Beethoven is credited with starting what period of classical music? Romantic

28. Name a Scott Joplin piece: Heliotrope Bouquet

29. Most of Joplin’s pieces were written in which decade? A. 1890-1900, B. 1900-1910, C. 1910-1920, D. 1920-1930.

B. 1900-1910. His peak period.

30. Who was “the King of the Mississippi Delta Bluesmen”: A. Charley Patton, B. Blind Willie McTell, C. Lightnin’ Hopkins, D. Mississippi Fred McDowell.

A. Charley Patton

[CrazyVegn]

Wow, BD gets a cookie of her choice. ;o)

[Burning Down]

Originally Posted by CrazyVegn

Wow, BD gets a cookie of her choice. ;o)

Mmmmm, maybe some Oreos

So how did I do?

[Lord Larehip]

When I created it, I did not think it would be a hard quiz. Then I started getting answers back and--jeesh! One guy couldn't answer anything but that Yoyo Ma played cello and Mozart's full name. On the Doc Watson question, he wrote: "What's Sherlock Holmes got to do with music?"

[Paedantic Basterd]

Originally Posted by Lord Larehip

When I created it, I did not think it would be a hard quiz. Then I started getting answers back and--jeesh! One guy couldn't answer anything but that Yoyo Ma played cello and Mozart's full name. On the Doc Watson question, he wrote: "What's Sherlock Holmes got to do with music?"

To be fair, there's a lot of music in the world, and many people are probably comparably well-versed in genres that you may not even know exist.

[Burning Down]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

To be fair, there's a lot of music in the world, and many people are probably comparably well-versed in genres that you may not even know exist.

I agree. I'm pretty well versed in classical, rock, and jazz and most of the sub-genres of each (classical and jazz have sub-sub-sub-sub genres even, heheh). But beyond that, I'm not all that knowledgeable. MB is a great place for me because I'm constantly learning about genres and artists I have never heard before.

[Trollheart]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

To be fair, there's a lot of music in the world, and many people are probably comparably well-versed in genres that you may not even know exist.

Yeah I agree. This questionnaire is very heavily based on "older" music, from jaz to blues and right back to classical. Had he asked who plays bass in Slayer or name both Iron Maiden guitarists, or maybe what was The Pet Shop Boys' most successful album, I think a lot more people would know these things. Like Necro says, even he and I, at the fifty-year mark, are stumped by some of these questions, so how are kids going to know?

I think it's too one-sided and certainly does not answer the question "how much do you know about music" unless you qualify that by inserting either the word "older" or "certain types of". It needs to be more comprehensive. Look at the list: how many questions refer to music/artistes less than 40 years old in terms of how long they've been around. I mean: Scott Joplin? Give me a break! Seriously. More "modern" questions will give you a far fairer and more balanced result.

Can I have my tuppence worth back now please?

Oh, and my Sherlock Holmes comment was of course a joke...

[Burning Down]

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Yeah I agree. This questionnaire is very heavily based on "older" music, from jaz to blues and right back to classical. Had he asked who plays bass in Slayer or name both Iron Maiden guitarists, or maybe what was The Pet Shop Boys' most successful album, I think a lot more people would know these things. Like Necro says, even he and I, at the fifty-year mark, are stumped by some of these questions, so how are kids going to know?

It's not about age though. You don't have to be "old" to know this stuff just like you don't have to be "young" to know everything about music released in the last 10 years. I'm 23 and would honestly not be able to answer the questions you're suggesting here, without turning to Wikipedia. I know about things that I like, so obviously this sort of thing can be very subjective.

I think it's too one-sided and certainly does not answer the question "how much do you know about music" unless you qualify that by inserting either the word "older" or "certain types of". It needs to be more comprehensive. Look at the list: how many questions refer to music/artistes less than 40 years old in terms of how long they've been around. I mean: Scott Joplin? Give me a break! Seriously. More "modern" questions will give you a far fairer and more balanced result.

I think that if more modern questions were included along with these questions, yes there would be a more balanced result. Most MB members are seriously lacking in basic knowledge of classical music (in this case, Western Art Music), and jazz (did I just read that someone doesn't know who Miles Davis is? ), so I think the results would still be fairly unbalanced.

You're welcome to make up a similar questionnaire

[Necromancer]

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Most MB members are seriously lacking in basic knowledge of classical music (in this case, Western Art Music), and jazz (did I just read that someone doesn't know who Miles Davis is? ), so I think the results would still be fairly unbalanced.

You're welcome to make up a similar questionnaire

That is what I always thought the main function of any music forum was, to gain more insight and knowledge from other members.

It would be sad if the lounge forum was the most popular forum, at any music site as far as that goes.