music appreciation chapter 1-2

Many contemporary musicians define music as

organized sound

The characteristic tone quality of a sound is determined by

the voice or instrument which produces it

The highness or lowness of a sound is called its

pitch

The loudness or softness of a pitch is called its __ level.

dynamic

Composers use changes in pitch and dynamic levels in their music to

organize the material and achieve the expressive effect

Changing the size of a vibrating medium causes it to

produce a different pitch

A faster rate of vibration causes a pitch, and a slower rate of vibration causes a ___ pitch.

higher, lower

The rate of vibration of sound waves is called

frequency

Moving from the left side to the right side of a piano produces tones relatively in pitch

higher

We refer to specific pitches or tones with letter names using the letters _ of the alphabet.

A through G

A C-sharp note is in pitch than a C note.

higher

A B-flat note is in pitch than a B note

lower

Written music is said to be _.

notated

A musical staff has

5 lines and 4 spaces

The sign placed at the beginning of the staff to fix the position of all of the pitches on the staff is the ____.

Clef

The treble clef is also called the __ clef

G

The bass clef is also called the __ clef.

F

The musical term referring to the distance between two notes is

interval

The interval from C to D is a(n) ____.

second

The interval from C to E is a(n) _.

third

The interval from one C note to the C note eight tones above is called an eighth, or a(n) .

octave

The two notes of an octave

Sound quite similar, have the same letter name, look alike on the piano keyboard

The higher tone of an octave is produced at _ the rate of vibration of the lower tone

twice

Rhythm refers to the arrangement of

long and short sounds

Rests indicate .

measured silence

The rate of speed of a musical composition is its _.

tempo

The _ is an instrument that helps composers indicate the tempo of a composition.

metronome

Verbal tempo indications are

Often expressed in Italian terms, used by many composers, useful to know because they usually appear in concert programs

Meter refers to the organization of rhythm into

metrical patterns called measures

One example of unmetered music is a

chant

The rhythms in unmetered music may be compared with

literary prose

Metered music is notated in units called

measures

Duple meter has ___ beats per measure

two

Triple meter has ___ beats per measure.

three

Quadruple meter has ___ beats per measure.

four

Accents may be achieved in the following ways

duration, stress, position

Accented notes occurring in unexpected places create the rhythmic effect called

syncopation

Syncopation is used in jazz and _, a precursor of jazz.

ragtime

The note that usually equals two beats

half note

The note that usually equals one beat

quarter note

The last beat of a measure, which is usually the weakest is called the

upbeat