Notation shows…
pitch and duration
pitch
the highest or lowness of a tone, represented by notes
Duration
length of time a note or rest lasts
Interval
relationship between two notes
Enharmonics
tones that have the same pitch but different letter names
Half-step motion
a not followed by another that is either a half step up or down
Irregular divisions/subdivisions
divisions that require added numbers
Rhythm
a general term used to describe the motion of music in time
meter
a regular recurring pattern of strong and weak beats
Compound meter
each pulse is a dotted note
8/4
simple quadruple
8/8
simple quadruple
8/16
simple quadruple
6/4
compound duple
3/2
simple triple
6/4 =
3/2
3 ways to accent a note
symbol, dynamic, agogic
agogic accent
using duration to accent a note
how do agogic accents work
acoustically lengthened notes sound stronger.
Scale degree symbol
^
conjunct
together
disconjunc
apart
line below a scale degree
scale degree below doe
How to notate music
In a way that shows the beats
duple meter
a meter with 2 pulses per mesure
triple meter
A meter with 3 pulses per measure
quadruple meter
A meter with 4 pulses per measure
2/4
simple duple
2/2
simple duple
2/8
simple duple
3/4
simple triple
3/2
simple triple
3/8
simple triple
4/4
simple quadruple
4/2
simple quadruple
4/8
simple quadruple
6/8
compound duple
6/4
compound duple
6/16
compound duple
9/8
compound triple
9/4
compound triple
9/16
compound triple
12/8
compound quadruple
12/4
compound quadruple
12/16
compound quadruple
simple meter
A meter where the basic pulse will be a note that is not dotted
syncopation
When a part of the measure that is usually unstressed (weak beats) is accented
asymmetrical meter
A meter where the pulse cannot be divided into equal groups
5/4
asymmetrical
5/8
asymmetrical
5/16
asymmetrical
7/4
asymmetrical
7/8
asymmetrical
7/16
asymmetrical
tuplet
Breaking down notes
Pitch class
What octave a note is in in reference to c4
Tuplet rule
divide the note into the natural division until the number on notes gets high enough to be the natural division of the next shortest note
Scale
Collection of pitches in ascending and descending order
Diatonic
Across the tones
Diatonic scale
a scale of mixed half and whole steps each having a role
Chromatic
A nondiatonic scale consisting entirely of hald-step intevals.
Major scale
Scale of 7 different pitch classes with whole steps separating adjacent tones except for half steps between the 3rd and 4th and the 7th and 8th degrees. (WWHWWWH)
Pure/natural minor
7 different pitches with whole steps separating adjacent tones except for half steps between the 2nd and 3rd and the 5th and 6th degrees (WHWWHWW)
Harmonic minor
Natural minor scale with a raised 7th degree
Melodic minor
Natural minor scale with raised 6th and 7th degrees on the ascending and a natural minor scale on the descending
Key signature
Tonal system based on the major and minor scales
Relative scales
Major and minor scales with the same key
finding relative minor scales
6th degree of the major scale becomes the minors tonic
Finding relative major scales
The third degree of the minor scale becomes the majors tonic
Parallel scales
Major and minor scales with the same tonic
circle of fifths
A tool to help visualize relationships between major and minor scales
Major scale tonics on the outer scale
Key signatures within the circle
relative minors within the inner circle
Tonality
An original system of tones in which one tone becomes the central point to which the remaining tones are related
Pentatonic scale
A five tone scale
Whole tone scale
six tones all seperated by whole steps
Octatonic/diminished scale
eight notes that are separated by alternating half and whole steps
Ionian
1st Mode
Dorian
2nd mode
Phrygian
3rd mode
Lydian
4th mode
mixolydian
5th mode
aolian
6th mode
Locrian
7th mode
Solfeggio
Vocal exercises sung to a vowel, syllables, or words that indicate scale degrees
Pitch inventory/collection
List of tones used in a composition or section thereof
Pitch class
All notes of the same name regardless of octave
Transposition
Major scale pattern is duplicated at any pitch
Non-diatonic scale
A scale that does not observe the interval sequence of the diatonic or pentatonic. Many don’t have an identifiable tonic
Names of each scale degree for major scales
Tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading tone
Names of each scale degree for minor scales
tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, subtonic
Interval
Relationship in pitch between 2 notes that is named by the number of letter names that are continued within them
Quantity
Counting the letter names between 2 tones
Quality
Identify the intervals with no accidentals
Consonance
Intervals that are treated as stable and not required resolutions
Consonance intervals
All 3rds, all perfects, all 6ths
Dissonant intervals
all 2nds, all 7ths, all augmented, all diminished on paper, it could sound dissonant
Enharmonic intervals
Have the same sound but are spelled differently
Most common enharmonic intervals
A4 and d5 which is referred to as a tritone
tritone
A symmetrical interval because its original and inversion both contain 6 half steps, commonly augmented 4ths and diminished 5ths
Inversion of intervals
The lower tone becomes the higher tone or the higher tone becomes the lower tone
Compound intervals
intervals greater than an octave that are named by their simple equivalent