Which term refers to a technique involving rapid repetition of a single note?

• A. Simile
• B. Slur
• C. Tie
• D. Trill

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is a decorative effect where a note is shaken with rapid alternation to create brightness and tension. This technique is called a trill. In practice, a trill involves quickly alternating the written note with the note above it (the upper neighbor), producing a fast, shimmering line around the main pitch. The exact speed and start—often beginning on the upper neighbor—vary with era and style, but the essential idea is this rapid back-and-forth motion around the note. The other terms describe different ideas: simile tells you to continue a previous pattern in the same way, slur marks smooth, connected phrasing, and a tie links two identical pitches to sustain them across a beat or bar. None of those describe the quick alternation that characterizes a trill, which is why trill is the correct choice.