Looking for a fun and engaging way to get your students talking about music? Would You Rather Questions For Music Class are a fantastic tool to spark lively discussions, encourage critical thinking, and even uncover hidden musical preferences. They’re simple, yet incredibly effective at drawing students into the world of sound and performance.
What Are These Musical Dilemmas?
So, what exactly are "Would You Rather Questions For Music Class"? They're essentially prompts that present students with two distinct, often equally appealing or challenging, musical scenarios. Think of them as mini-debates or thought experiments tailored specifically for the classroom. They're popular because they bypass dry lectures and tap directly into students' imaginations and personal tastes. The importance of these questions lies in their ability to make abstract musical concepts tangible and relatable. They break down complex ideas into bite-sized choices, making them accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their musical background.
Teachers use these questions in a variety of ways. They can be a quick warm-up activity to get the class energized, a springboard for deeper thematic discussions, or even a way to assess understanding in a less formal setting. Some teachers like to use them for:
- Icebreakers at the beginning of a unit.
- Discussion starters after listening to a piece of music.
- Creative writing prompts inspired by musical choices.
- Group activities where students defend their selections.
The beauty of Would You Rather Questions For Music Class is their versatility. They can be adapted to cover almost any musical topic, from instrument families and musical genres to famous composers and performance etiquette. Here are some examples of how they can be structured:
- Presenting two contrasting musical styles.
- Offering a choice between playing or listening to music.
- Posing hypothetical performance situations.
- Exploring the impact of music on emotions.
Instrumental Choices
Would You Rather Play the Trumpet or the Trombone?
- Would you rather be able to play any song perfectly on the trumpet but only with a sour note occasionally, or play the trombone flawlessly but have a slightly squeaky sound?
- Would you rather have to play the trumpet with your nose, or the trombone with your feet?
- Would you rather be able to play the trumpet incredibly loud but be off-key, or play the trombone softly and in tune?
- Would you rather have a trumpet that only plays polka music, or a trombone that only plays show tunes?
- Would you rather be famous for your trumpet solos but never get to play in a band, or be a vital member of an amazing band but never get a solo on the trumpet?
- Would you rather your trumpet sound like a foghorn, or your trombone sound like a duck?
- Would you rather be able to play the trumpet with perfect pitch but only when you're upside down, or play the trombone with perfect rhythm but only when you're hopping on one foot?
- Would you rather have a trumpet made of solid gold that's incredibly heavy, or a regular trumpet that's slightly out of tune?
- Would you rather have to play your trumpet with oven mitts on, or your trombone with boxing gloves on?
- Would you rather be the best trumpet player in the world but have to wear a clown suit everywhere you go, or be a decent trombone player and be super stylish?
- Would you rather your trumpet always play slightly flat, or your trombone always play slightly sharp?
- Would you rather only be able to play the trumpet in a library, or only be able to play the trombone in a stadium?
- Would you rather have a trumpet that never needs cleaning but sounds like a kazoo, or a trombone that needs constant polishing but sounds amazing?
- Would you rather be able to play the trumpet with your eyes closed, or the trombone with your ears plugged?
- Would you rather have a trumpet that shoots confetti when you hit a high note, or a trombone that vibrates the floor when you hit a low note?
- Would you rather have to play the trumpet with a piece of celery as your mouthpiece, or the trombone with a rubber chicken as your slide?
- Would you rather be able to play any song on the trumpet but forget it immediately after, or play one simple song on the trombone over and over perfectly?
- Would you rather have a trumpet that makes you invisible when you play it, or a trombone that makes you teleport when you play it?
- Would you rather have to play the trumpet by blowing air through your ear, or the trombone by humming very loudly?
- Would you rather be known as the "Trumpet Terror" who is technically brilliant but annoying, or the "Trombone Titan" who is steady and reliable?
Vocal Virtuosity
Would You Rather Sing Like an Opera Star or a Rock Star?
- Would you rather have a voice that can hit incredibly high opera notes but sounds strained, or powerful rock vocals but only in a gruff whisper?
- Would you rather have to sing all your songs in a falsetto voice, or a gravelly baritone voice?
- Would you rather only be able to sing in the shower, or only be able to sing when you're upside down?
- Would you rather have a voice that sounds like a beautiful angel but you can only sing lullabies, or a voice like a roaring lion but you can sing any rock anthem?
- Would you rather be able to perfectly mimic any singer but lose your own voice, or have a unique voice that no one can mimic but you can only sing in one style?
- Would you rather have to sing every song with auto-tune, or with a constant echo effect?
- Would you rather be able to sing with perfect pitch but have to stand on one leg, or sing with perfect rhythm but have to wear tap shoes?
- Would you rather have a voice that can make people cry with emotion, or a voice that can make people laugh uncontrollably?
- Would you rather have to sing your songs in a robot voice, or a monster voice?
- Would you rather be able to sing opera in space, or rock music on the moon?
- Would you rather have a voice that sounds like a chipmunk but you can sing any pop song, or a voice like a whale but you can sing any jazz standard?
- Would you rather have to sing opera with no music, or sing rock music with a kazoo accompaniment?
- Would you rather have a voice that can hypnotize people into dancing, or a voice that can lull them into a deep sleep?
- Would you rather only be able to sing when you're asleep, or only be able to sing when you're awake but exhausted?
- Would you rather have to sing your songs while juggling, or while balancing a book on your head?
- Would you rather have a voice that is always slightly off-key but incredibly powerful, or a voice that is perfectly in tune but very quiet?
- Would you rather be able to sing like an opera star but only in ancient Greek, or like a rock star but only in Pig Latin?
- Would you rather have a voice that always sounds like you have a cold, or a voice that always sounds like you're shouting?
- Would you rather be the lead singer of a famous band but wear a ridiculous costume, or sing backup vocals for a legendary artist and be completely anonymous?
- Would you rather have a voice that can shatter glass, or a voice that can soothe a crying baby instantly?
Rhythmic Revelations
Would You Rather Keep a Steady Beat or Be an Improvisational Genius?
- Would you rather be able to keep a perfect, unwavering beat for hours on end, or be able to improvise complex rhythms on any instrument but occasionally miss a beat?
- Would you rather only be able to play music with a metronome, or only be able to play music when you're in a moving vehicle?
- Would you rather have to tap your foot constantly while playing music, or have to sing nonsense syllables with every note?
- Would you rather be the person who always counts the band in perfectly, or the person who always comes in at the perfect moment with a surprising flourish?
- Would you rather have a drum set that automatically plays the beat for you, or a set of bongo drums that only respond to your emotions?
- Would you rather have to play all your music at a snail's pace, or at a hummingbird's speed?
- Would you rather have a metronome that speaks in riddles, or a metronome that sings opera?
- Would you rather be able to play any rhythm on a triangle, or any rhythm on a tuba?
- Would you rather have to play music while wearing heavy boots, or while wearing roller skates?
- Would you rather be able to create intricate rhythms by snapping your fingers, or by clapping your hands?
- Would you rather have a metronome that occasionally stops working, or one that randomly speeds up and slows down?
- Would you rather be able to play a single rhythm perfectly forever, or a thousand rhythms imperfectly?
- Would you rather have to play music with oven mitts on your hands, or with giant fuzzy gloves?
- Would you rather be able to drum along to any sound in the environment, or have your own internal drum machine that you can't turn off?
- Would you rather have to play music using only your elbows, or only your knees?
- Would you rather be able to play incredibly fast but sloppily, or incredibly slow but perfectly?
- Would you rather have a rhythm that's always slightly ahead of the music, or always slightly behind?
- Would you rather be able to perfectly mimic any rhythmic pattern after hearing it once, or create entirely new and unique rhythms?
- Would you rather have to play music while riding a unicycle, or while being spun around?
- Would you rather have a built-in rhythm section that only plays polka, or a rhythm section that plays disco and never stops?
Genre Juggernaut
Would You Rather Listen to Only Classical Music or Only Pop Music?
- Would you rather only be able to listen to classical music for the rest of your life, or only pop music?
- Would you rather have to listen to classical music at extremely high volumes, or pop music at barely audible levels?
- Would you rather be able to listen to any classical music but have to dance to it like a ballerina, or listen to any pop music but have to sing along like a rapper?
- Would you rather have your ringtone be a booming opera overture, or a chirpy pop song?
- Would you rather be forced to learn and play every single classical piece ever written, or every single pop song that's ever been a number one hit?
- Would you rather have to wear clothes that represent classical music (e.g., powdered wigs), or clothes that represent pop music (e.g., neon colors)?
- Would you rather only be able to listen to instrumental classical music, or pop music with only vocoder vocals?
- Would you rather have to conduct a symphony orchestra playing heavy metal, or a rock band playing a Mozart symphony?
- Would you rather have to wear headphones that only play polka music, or headphones that only play sea shanties?
- Would you rather be able to attend any classical concert but have to sit in the nosebleed section, or any pop concert but have to stand in the very front row?
- Would you rather have to listen to classical music played backward, or pop music played in reverse?
- Would you rather only be able to listen to classical music from the Baroque period, or pop music from the 1980s?
- Would you rather have to sing all your conversations in operatic style, or all your instructions in rap lyrics?
- Would you rather have to dedicate your life to mastering the tuba to play classical music, or the synthesizer to play pop music?
- Would you rather only be able to listen to one classical composer's entire works, or one pop artist's entire discography?
- Would you rather have your alarm clock play a different classical piece every day, or a different pop song every day?
- Would you rather only be able to listen to classical music played on a kazoo orchestra, or pop music played on a banjo trio?
- Would you rather have to write an essay about the history of classical music but only use emojis, or about the history of pop music but only use interpretive dance?
- Would you rather be able to listen to any classical music at twice the normal speed, or any pop music at half the normal speed?
- Would you rather have your theme song be a grand classical march, or an infectious pop jingle?
Performance Predicaments
Would You Rather Perform Solo or in a Band?
- Would you rather perform a solo piece in front of thousands of people, or be part of a large ensemble where you can get lost in the crowd?
- Would you rather have your instrument break mid-performance, or forget all your lyrics mid-song?
- Would you rather have to perform wearing a full medieval costume, or a futuristic silver jumpsuit?
- Would you rather be the lead performer who gets all the spotlight but also all the blame, or a supporting performer who gets less attention but also less pressure?
- Would you rather have to perform a piece you've never practiced before, or a piece you know perfectly but have to play with your eyes closed?
- Would you rather perform in a silent movie with live music accompaniment, or a musical with no dialogue?
- Would you rather have to play your instrument using only your teeth, or sing a duet using only animal sounds?
- Would you rather have a standing ovation but know you made mistakes, or polite applause but know you nailed it?
- Would you rather have to perform on a stage that's constantly moving, or a stage that's covered in slippery ice?
- Would you rather be the conductor of an orchestra that only plays kazoo solos, or the drummer in a band that only plays with spoons?
- Would you rather have to perform a concert in a haunted house, or a concert on a roller coaster?
- Would you rather have your instrument spontaneously combust after your performance, or have your sheet music turn into confetti?
- Would you rather have to perform a song in a language you don't understand, or a song with lyrics that make no sense?
- Would you rather be able to control the audience's emotions with your music, or control the stage lighting with your mind?
- Would you rather have to perform a full opera solo while being chased by a flock of pigeons, or a rock concert while balancing on a tightrope?
- Would you rather have your instrument play itself but you can't control it, or have you play perfectly but your instrument makes weird noises?
- Would you rather have to perform a piece that's incredibly short but technically impossible, or incredibly long but very simple?
- Would you rather have to perform for a panel of harsh critics who only give one-word reviews, or for a group of overly enthusiastic fans who cheer for everything?
- Would you rather have to perform a silent musical number where your mouth doesn't move, or a song where you have to speak all the lyrics?
- Would you rather have your grand finale be an explosion of pyrotechnics, or a shower of puppies?
Composition Conundrums
Would You Rather Compose Your Own Music or Interpret Another's?
- Would you rather compose a symphony that millions adore but you can never hear, or compose a simple melody that only you can hear but you love it?
- Would you rather have to compose a song using only sounds from your kitchen, or only sounds from your commute?
- Would you rather have your compositions be critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful, or commercially successful but critically panned?
- Would you rather be able to compose a song that makes people cry every time they hear it, or a song that makes them dance uncontrollably?
- Would you rather have to compose a piece of music that lasts exactly one second, or a piece of music that lasts exactly one year?
- Would you rather have your compositions performed by the most talented musicians in the world but they all hate your music, or by amateur musicians who love your music?
- Would you rather have to compose a piece of music that only uses three notes, or a piece of music that uses every note at once?
- Would you rather have your music used in a horror movie, or a children's cartoon?
- Would you rather have to compose a song where all the notes are the same pitch, or all the rhythms are the same duration?
- Would you rather have your music be instantly forgotten after it's played, or have it be so catchy that it drives everyone insane?
- Would you rather be able to compose music that tells a story without words, or music that perfectly captures a specific emotion?
- Would you rather have your compositions only be playable on instruments that don't exist yet, or only on instruments that are broken?
- Would you rather have to compose a piece of music that sounds like a flock of angry birds, or a lullaby sung by a chainsaw?
- Would you rather have your music become the national anthem of a country you've never heard of, or the jingle for a product that everyone hates?
- Would you rather be able to compose music that physically changes the environment around the listener, or music that alters their perception of time?
- Would you rather have to compose a song using only words from a dictionary, or only using numbers?
- Would you rather have your compositions be so complex that only computers can play them, or so simple that even a baby can hum them?
- Would you rather have to compose a piece that makes people question reality, or a piece that makes them feel perfectly content?
- Would you rather have your music only be heard by animals, or only by plants?
- Would you rather have to compose a song that's a perfect imitation of another composer's style, or a song that's completely original but sounds like random noise?
Whether you're looking to spice up a music lesson or just want to hear what your students truly think about the world of sound, these Would You Rather Questions For Music Class are a fantastic way to engage them. They open up conversations, encourage creative thinking, and most importantly, make learning about music a whole lot more fun!