Edexcel GCSE Music Key Words

Conjunct

Music moving in small steps

Disjunct

Music moving in large leaps

Sequence

A musical idea repeating higher or lower in pitch

Bitonal

Using two keys simultaneously. Used in Star Wars 'Rebel Alliance' theme.

Modal

Music using a certain mode or scale, e.g. Aeolian in C (Afro Celt Sound System).

Atonal

Music that lacks a key signature.

Homophony/homophonic/(melody dominated) homophony

Can be either melody and accompaniment or thick chords such as in the Beethoven, Defying Gravity

Contrapuntal

Two or more melodic parts sounding together. The Baroque term for Polyphony.

Polyphonic

Two or more melodic parts sounding together.

Counterpoint

Combining in a single texture two or more melodic lines, for example in a Bach piano piece.

Fugue

Polyphonic form popular in the Baroque era in which one or more themes are developed by imitative counterpoint.

Reverb

Adds a type of echo onto a pre-recorded sound. Used in Afro Celt Sound System.

EQ/Equalisation

Used to control the volume levels of different frequencies (Low, Mid, High). Used in all studio tracks but especially in Afro Celt Sound System.

Panning

Using the left and right of the stereo field, can often be heard in headphones. Used in Killer Queen, Afro Celt Sound System.

Overdubbing

Recording an additional part onto an existing recording. Used in Killer Queen to make it sound like there were more guitars and singers.

Flange/flanger

A studio effect where a signal is delayed. Used on the words 'laser beam' in Killer Queen.

Dissonant/dissonance

Musical notes which clash, and don't always sound good. Used in Star Wars, Samba Em Preludio.

Chromatic/chromaticism

Using notes from outside a scale, or a scale moving in purely semitones e.g. C C# D D# E etc.

Pedal note

Long held or repeated note, usually on tonic or dominant. Pedal notes are used frequently in the Beethoven, as well as at the start of Star Wars.

Sustain Pedal

Allows played notes on the piano to be sounded as long as the pedal is pressed. Used in the Beethoven.

Gigue

A type of musical dance. The Bach is a Gigue.

Lament

A sad, solemn song. Music for a While is a lament.

Word painting

A musical illustration of the meaning of a word or a short verbal phrase, for example 'laser beam', 'drop', 'eternal', 'eas'd'.

Syllabic

One note per syllable/word

Melisma/melismatic

Words stretched across multiple notes, e.g. 'eternal' or 'wand'ring' in Music for a While.

Alla Breve

2/2 time, cut time. Used in the Beethoven Allegro Molto e Con Brio section.

Figured bass

Bass part of a baroque accompaniment with numbers telling the player which chords are to be played.

Ground bass

A short theme, usually in the basso continuo, that is constantly repeated. Used in Music for a While.

Basso continuo

An accompaniment with two instruments - usually harpsichord and bass viol. Used in Music for a While and the Bach.