Which accompaniment structure features a repeating bass line with the upper figures staying constant?

Which accompaniment structure features a repeating bass line with the upper figures staying constant?

• A. Arpeggiation
• B. Blocked chords
• C. Ground bass
• D. Ostinato

Answer: (C)

Ground bass is an accompaniment pattern where a bass line repeats through a section, providing the harmonic spine while the upper voice or figures stay the same or follow a fixed pattern over each repetition. That repeating foundation is what defines the texture, and the upper material remains constant across the cycles, shaping a stable yet evolving sound as the bass repeats. This fits the description of a repeating bass line with the upper figures staying constant. Arpeggiation focuses on notes of a chord in sequence rather than a persistent bass loop, blocked chords present chords in solid blocks without a cycling bass, and ostinato is any repeating motif that can occur in any voice, not specifically the bass foundation. A classic example is a ground bass pattern in Baroque music, where the bass repeats while the upper melody moves in a predictable way.

Ground bass is an accompaniment pattern where a bass line repeats through a section, providing the harmonic spine while the upper voice or figures stay the same or follow a fixed pattern over each repetition. That repeating foundation is what defines the texture, and the upper material remains constant across the cycles, shaping a stable yet evolving sound as the bass repeats. This fits the description of a repeating bass line with the upper figures staying constant. Arpeggiation focuses on notes of a chord in sequence rather than a persistent bass loop, blocked chords present chords in solid blocks without a cycling bass, and ostinato is any repeating motif that can occur in any voice, not specifically the bass foundation. A classic example is a ground bass pattern in Baroque music, where the bass repeats while the upper melody moves in a predictable way.