GSMST ORCHESTRA SPRING FINAL

Treble Clef Spaces

F-A-C-E

Bass Clef Spaces

All Cows Eat Grass (A-C-E-G)

Treble Clef Lines

Every Good Boy Does Fine (E-G-B-D-F)

Bass Clef Lines

Good Brownies Don't Fall Apart (G-B-D-F-A)

Tonic

The first note of any scale

Major Scales

Sound Bright and "Happy" (pattern is W-W-H-W-W-W-H)

Minor Scales

Sound Dark and "Sinister"; has a lowered 3rd scale degree

Harmonic Minor

The 7th scale degree is raised; sounds almost middle eastern

Melodic Minor

The 6th and 7th scale degrees are raised going up and lowered coming down

Natural Minor

Sounds dark throughout; it's the same up and down

Identify Scales Step 1

Look at the descending scale. If its 6th and 7th change on the way down, it's a MELODIC MINOR

Identify Scales Step 2

If notes don't change on descending scale, look at the 6th and 7th degrees. If there are THREE (3) half steps between the 6th and 7th, it's a HARMONIC MINOR

Identify Scales Step 3

If there is a whole step between the 6th and 7th degrees, look between the 7th and 8th. If there is a whole step, it's a NATURAL MINOR

Identify Scales Step 4

If there is a whole step between 6th and 7th and there is a half step between 7th and 8th, it's a MAJOR SCALE

D Melodic Minor Example

D E F G A B C# D - D C♮ B♭ A G F E D

G Harmonic Minor Example

G A B♭ C D E♭ F# G - G F# E♭ D C B♭ A G

A Natural Minor Example

A B C D E F G A - A G F E D C B A

F Major Example

F G A B♭ C D E F - F E D C B♭ A G F

Major Chord Interval

(4:3); Four (4) half steps from the Tonic to the second note and Three (3) half steps from the second note to the third note; 1-3-5 degrees

Minor Chord Interval

(3:4); Three (3) half steps from the Tonic to the second note and Four (4) half steps from the second note to the third note; 1st-♭3rd-5th degree

Augmented Chord Interval

(4:4); Four (4) half steps from the Tonic to the second note and Four (4) half steps from the second note to the third note; 1st-3rd-#5th degree

Diminished Chord Interval

(3:3); Three (3) half steps from the Tonic to the second note and Three (3) half steps from the second note to the third note; 1st-♭3rd-♭5th

Diatonic

Notes that occur naturally within a key signature (without accidentals)

Sharps and Flats

Raises or Lowers notes by a half (1/2) step

Triad

A set of three notes in intervals of three semitones (C major triad: C to E is three semitones, E to G is three semitones)

Semitones

A half step; The smallest interval between notes in classical western music

Order of Flats (opposite of Sharps)

B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ F♭

Order of Sharps (opposite of Flats)

F# C#G# D# A# E# B#

F Major

Has a B♭; Doesn't follow the Order of Sharps

Common Time

4/4

A beautiful tone is produced with proper ____, ____, and ____.

Bow Speed; Bow Placement; Bow Weight

Pick-up Notes/Upbeat

Usually played with an up bow

Start with a Loud Dynamic

Usually played with a down bow

Sul Tasto

Play over the fingerboard

Col Legno

Play with the wood of the bow

Con Sordino

Play with the mute

Sul Pontecello

Play near the bridge

Dolce

Play sweetly

Cantabile

Play in a singing style

Tie

Joins two notes of the same pitch

Slur

Smoothly connects two or more notes of different pitches

Terraced Dynamics

When one dynamic suddenly changes to another; A characteristic of the Classical period

Medieval Period

450-1450

Renaissance Period

1450-1600 (Columbus discovers America)

Baroque Period

1600-1750 (Bach and Handel wrote Hallelujah chorus song)

Classical Period

1750-1820 (Mozart, Declaration of Independence)

Romantic Period

1820-1900 (Tchaikovsky, The American Civil War)

20th Century/Modern Period

1900-present (Gershwin, The Great Depression, WW1 and WW2)

Treble Clef

Bass Clef