Principles of Harmony and Voice-leading - Test 1

Conjunct Motion

Motion by step

Contour

The overall shape of a melodic phrase

Disjunct Motion

Motion by leap

Modified Sequence

A sequence in which the third and fourth statements have been modified through the addition (or removal) of notes

Motive

A recurring figure that 1) uses few melodic pitches and 2) uses one recurrent rhythmic figure

Partial Sequence

A type of tonal sequence when only a portion of the repeated melodic idea is treated sequentially, often done by holding down specific notes of the sequence

Real Sequence

A sequence in which the statements are exactly the same as the first statement (both interval size + quality stay the same)

Sequence

A pattern of rhythm and intervals that is repeated at different pitch levels

Step Progression

Any sequence of seconds (ascending or descending) when there are intervening pitches between them. Does not have to be sequential

Tonal Sequence

A sequence in which subsequent statements are not exactly the same as the first statement (only interval size stays the same; quality can differ)

Accented non-chord tone

Metrically strong non-chord tones, often done by falling on a beat (e.g. beat 1 in 3/4, beat 3 in 4/4)

Anticipation (ant)

Non-chord tone that results from a voice arriving at the next chord early. May be approached either by step or by leap

Appoggiatura (app)

Non-chord tone approached by leap and left by step

Changing Tones (ct)

Non-chord tones that comprise both the upper- and lower-neighbor tones in succession (also referred to as Double Neighbor Tones)

Chromatic

Non-chord tones that are NOT part of the prevailing scale

Diatonic

Non-chord tones that are a part of the prevailing scale

Dissonance

Formed by all non-chord tones (e.g. 2nd, 7th, tritone, augmented or diminished interval) with some of the other tones in the chord

Escape Tone (e)

Non-chord tone approached by step and left by leap

Neighbor Tone (n)

Non-chord tone approached by step and left by step in the opposite direction (e.g. up-down or down-up)

Passing Tone (p)

Non-chord tone approached by step and left by step in the same direction (e.g. up-up or down-down)

Pedal Tone (ped)

Non-chord tone that usually begins as a chord tone, most often in the lowest register, and is held over or repeated so that it becomes a dissonant non-chord tone and eventually a chord tone again

Resolution

Where the suspended tone resolves down by step to a chord tone

Retardation (r)

Non-chord tone that is held over from a previous chord and resolved up by step to a chord tone

Suspension (s)

Non-chord tone that is held over from a previous chord and resolved down by step to a chord tone

Unaccented non-chord tone

Metrically weak non-chord tones, often occurring on a weak beat or off-beat (e.g. beat 2 in 4/4)