Home School Band Practice Test Page
Here you will find Practice tests for your written tests as well as other helps. Select the test at at your level (Bronze, Silver, etc.) to go to the test.
The practice tests and flashcard exercises require that you have a level 4 or above browser (i.e. Netscape Navigator version 4 or 6, or MS Internet Explorer 4 or 5).
Remember, none of the scores of these practice tests are recorded or used toward your grade. They are for your benefit. You can take them as many times as you like. The material for your test is in two parts. On your official test you will need to be able to draw notes and rests as well as show how many beats they get. The first practice test deals with this "fill in the blank" section. For how to draw notes see my short QuickTime animations listed below. These can be viewed if your browser has the QuickTime plug in.
BRONZE LEVEL
HOW TO DRAW NOTES AND MUSICAL SYMBOLS
Grab a sheet of staff paper and practice your music notation skills. If you don't have staff paper handy you can download a sheet here. The document is in pdf format that you can print. with the free Acrobat Reader software.
These can be viewed if your browser has the QuickTime plug-in. If you don't already have the QuickTime plug-in (a "plug-in" is a piece of software), you can download it, free of charge, from Apple Computer. It takes just a few minutes to download it onto your hard disk and install it. From then on, it will open automatically whenever you access QuickTime movies or QuickTime VRs (often shown as "QTVR"), wherever you are on the Web. QuickTime software is available for Windows OS and for Macintosh OS.
Click on a red button to play the demonstration. The clip should start by itself. You can advance it manually by moving the slider. Click on the blue button if your browser does not support QuickTime movies to see a still image.
How to draw a treble clef
How to draw a bass clef
How to draw a whole note
How to draw a whole rest
How to draw a half note
How to draw a half rest
How to draw a quarter note
How to draw a quarter rest
How to draw an eighth note
How to draw an eighth rest
How to draw an sixteenth note
How to draw a sixteenth rest
The material for your test is in two parts. On your official test you will need to be able to draw notes and rests as well as show how many beats they get. The first practice test deals with this "fill in the blank" section. I am presenting it in the form of a crossword puzzle. For how to draw notes see my short QuickTime animations listed below. These can be viewed if your browser has the QuickTime plug in.
OTHER RESOURCES ON-LINE MUSIC DICTIONARIES
Music Terms page of the Austin Symphony
Music Dictionary online Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary All of the musical terms in the glossary have AIFF files associated with them. Your computer needs to have sound capabilities and a browser "plug-in" that can read the AIFF sound format. Typically, the QuickTime plug-in will handle most of the visual and aural needs of this site. Click on the QuickTime link to download a free version of the plug-in for either Mac or Windows OS.
ON-LINE MUSIC THEORY
From Dolmetsch Online, a famous British recorder manufacturer founded in 1883.
This is a very useful site for general music theory that features short lessons in basic theory and notation. The lessons include graphics and sound. A free music trainer from the download page provides exercises in note, chord and key signature naming as well as ear training exercises.
ON-LINE MUSIC HISTORY
Provides short Classical composer biographies with links to photos and availability of recordings.
Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Dictionary of Composers
This site provides very brief info about classical composers with links to other sites.
Includes brief description of Classical music periods along with key composers and links to their music in RealAudio format.
NOTATION PROGRAMS
Home school band students, you can submit your work to me via the e-mail link below. If you install either version of the free Finale Notepad and use it to complete a project , you can send the results as an attachment to me at the e-mail link below. To get the notepad programs follow this link.
From Dolmetsch Online, a famous British recorder manufacturer founded in 1883.
An excellent dictionary provided by the Department of Music at Virginia Tech.
