Toto Africa Glossary AOS4

Rock features

Characteristics typical of rock music, such as strong backbeat, electric guitars, driving rhythms, and verse-chorus structure.

African features

Musical elements derived from African traditions, including complex rhythms, call and response, syncopation, and use of percussion.

Verse-chorus

A common song structure with alternating verses and a repeating chorus.

Phrases

Musical sentences; short sections of melody, typically 4 or 8 bars long.

D.S al Coda

"Dal Segno al Coda": go back to the sign, play to "To Coda," then jump to the coda section.

Syllabic

Each syllable of the lyrics is matched to a single note.

Melismatic

A single syllable is sung across several notes.

Riff

A short, repeated musical pattern, often in rock/pop.

Hook

A catchy musical idea designed to grab the listener’s attention.

Instrumental range

The span between the lowest and highest notes an instrument can play.

Conjunct

Stepwise melodic movement (by tones/semitones).

Disjunct

Melodic movement by leaps or large intervals.

Ornamentation

Decorative notes that embellish a melody.

Acciaccatura

A very short 'crushed' note played before a main note.

Grace notes

Quick decorative notes before a main note.

Ascending

A melody that moves upwards in pitch.

Descending

A melody that moves downwards in pitch.

Pentatonic scale

A five-note scale commonly found in folk and world music.

Slide

A continuous glide between two notes, typically on stringed instruments or voice.

Glissando

A smooth glide between two pitches, passing through intermediate ones.

Tenor

A male vocal range between baritone and alto.

Agogo bells

A pair of pitched metal bells used in African and Latin music.

Conga

A tall, narrow drum from Latin America.

Marimba

A tuned percussion instrument with wooden bars and resonators.

Rock band

A typical ensemble of vocals, electric guitar, bass, drums, and sometimes keyboard.

Distortion

An effect that alters guitar sound to be gritty or fuzzy.

Chorus (effect)

An audio effect that makes one voice/instrument sound like many.

Homophonic

Texture with melody and accompaniment moving together rhythmically.

Call and response

One part performs and another replies; common in African and gospel music.

Anacrusis

A note or phrase that begins before the first beat of a bar (pickup).

Note values

Durations of notes, such as crotchet, quaver, etc.

Rests

Symbols that indicate silence in music for a specific duration.

Syncopation

Rhythmic emphasis on weak beats or offbeats.

‘Stop-time’

Sudden pauses in accompaniment with only vocals or solo parts continuing.

Triplets

Three notes played in the time of two of the same value.

Triplet crotchets

Three crotchet notes played in the time of two crotchets.

Metre / time signature

Indicates the number of beats per bar and the note value of one beat.

Chords

Three or more notes played together, forming harmony.

Major

A key or tonality that typically sounds happy or bright.

Minor

A key or tonality that often sounds sad or serious.

Dominant 11th

An extended chord built on the 5th scale degree, including the 11th.

Modulation

A change of key within a piece of music.

Key signature

Sharps or flats shown at the start of a piece indicating its key.

Chord inversions

Chords where the root is not the lowest note.

Imperfect cadence

A cadence that ends on chord V, giving a feeling of incompletion.

Pedal note

A sustained or repeated note (usually in the bass) while harmonies change above.