“Pop” Quiz

How much do you know about popular music?
The following are questions that all professional musicians (and most musicians who play for fun) can answer. Answer them as best you can, and see how you scored at the end of the quiz.

1. Do you own a fake book?

2. Do you know what a fake book is?

3. Can you read a lead sheet?

4. Can you learn a song from a recording (no sheet music)?

5. Can you transpose a song into any key?

6. Can you make a Dm7b5 chord on the piano?

7. Would you know a correct way to simplify this chord?

8. Would you know how to make the chord sound more interesting?

9. Do you know a G7 chord? (all four notes)

10. Do you know why it’s called a seventh?

11. Do you know for certain whether G7 and Gmaj7 are interchangeable?

12. Can you name the notes in a “blues scale”?

13. Can you make up an intro/ending on the spot?

14. Do you know when to use a diminished chord or augmented chord?

15. Can you take a piece and modify it to sound country?

16. Can you take a piece and modify it to sound gospel?

17. Do you play your piano more than two hours a week now?

18. Do you ever play in front of people (at parties, etc.)?

19. Do you ever play notes above three octaves above middle C?

20. Do you know how to play by ear?

21. Do you know what a “four chord” is?

22. Can you name the three chords are found in most rock songs and all blues songs?

23. Have you ever jammed with other musicians?

24. Do you really understand the importance of the Circle of Fifths?

25. Do you know what a ii V I progression is?

26. Can you predict which chord is likely to occur next in a song?

27. Can you accompany someone who is just humming a tune?

28. Can you give at least two reasons for inverting a chord?

29. Can you just sit down and play whatever comes into your mind?

30. Can you find what key a song is in just from hearing it?

31. Ever improvise?

Now, give yourself one point for every “yes” answer, add up the total and scroll down this page to evaluate your resutls.

0 - 5   Victim of Traditional Piano lessons.
Don’t feel bad. Even after years of traditional music studies, most people can’t answer the most basic questions concerning popular music. Here’s what you must do. Send for our orientation booklet immediately. Call 800-726-7654 and request “How to Read Just Enough Music to Get by in Pop Music.” Then enroll in our basic chord workshop Instant Piano for Hopelessly Busy People. If no workshop is available in your area, call the same toll-free number to order our home study course Popular Chord Style Piano. It’s inexpensive and guaranteed to satisfy.

6 - 10   Kind of a Rebel, Aren’t You?
Good for you. Either you had a pretty darn progressive teacher or you managed to break away from Classical Indoctrination on your own. Order Continuing Chord Piano to review basic chords and music nomenclature and to get a start on learning many of the wonderful secrets of pop piano playing.

10 - 15   A Real Musical Troublemaker.
You’ve come a long way so far. But there’s still a long way to go. If you answered ‘no’ to any of questions 12, 15, 16, 22, 23, or 31; send for How to Play Blues Piano Styles today. You’ll get some real insight on the art of improvising using tools that are oh so simple. This is our music, American music. This is stuff every American child should learn by second grade. (By the way, this blues program is basic enough for beginners too.)

16 - 25   Pro Musician. You probably sleep till at least noon everyday.
However, if you answered ‘no’ to any of the following questions: 4, 5, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, or 30; then you’ll need to order our special further study program How to Play Piano by Ear. This is like no other course you’ll ever find anywhere. It’s how the pros learn, and you’ll learn just like they did — by doing it. Simple step-by-step procedure introduces you a professional musician’s thinking process.

26 - 31   Musical Menace to Society.
But if you answered ‘no’ to any of the following questions: 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 28, 31 then you’ll probably go nuts over what you’ll find in the two programs Power Chords and Intros and Endings. Send for them now and learn music’s deepest, darkest secrets.