Music Theory Fundamentals: Elements and Duration

Flashcards covering the elements of music, rhythmic values, time signatures, and basic music theory terminology based on lecture notes.

Duration

The lengths of sounds and silences in music.

Pitch

The relative highness and lowness of sounds.

Texture

The way layers of sound are combined in a piece of music.

Performing Media

The instruments, voices, or sound sources used in a piece of music.

Timbre

The distinctive quality of a sound that enables the sound sources to be identified.

Dynamics

The volume of sound.

Expression

The musical detail that articulates a style or interpretation of a style.

Structure

The design or form in music, referring to how a composition is constructed in sections or parts.

Semibreve

A note that is equal to $4$ beats.

Minim

A note that is equal to $2$ beats.

Crotchet

A note that is equal to $1$ beat.

Quaver

A note that is equal to $\frac{1}{2}$ beat.

Semiquaver

A note that is equal to $\frac{1}{4}$ beat.

Dotted Whole Note

A note that is equal to $6$ beats.

Dotted Half Note

A note that is equal to $3$ beats.

Dotted Quarter Note

A note that is equal to $1\frac{1}{2}$ beats.

Dotted Eighth Note

A note that is equal to $\frac{3}{4}$ beat.

Simple Duple Time

A time signature where the type of beat is a crotchet, represented as $2/4$.

Simple Triple Time

A time signature where the type of beat is a crotchet, represented as $3/4$.

Simple Quadruple Time

A time signature where the type of beat is a crotchet, represented as $4/4$.

Compound Duple Time

A time signature where the type of beat is a dotted crotchet, represented as $6/8$.

Compound Triple Time

A time signature where the type of beat is a dotted crotchet, represented as $9/8$.

Compound Quadruple Time

A time signature where the type of beat is a dotted crotchet, represented as $12/8$.

Major Scale Pattern

The sequence of intervals consisting of $Tone-Tone-Semitone-Tone-Tone-Tone-Semitone$ ($T-T-ST-T-T-T-ST$).

Enharmonic Notes

Notes that represent the same pitch but have different names, such as $D\flat$ and C#, or $E$ and $F\flat$.