Study Guide for MUS 106 Test 2 Spring 2026

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms from Chapters 4, 7, and 9 in the study guide for MUS 106, focusing on music theory, expressive elements, and ethnomusicology.

Melody

A series of musical pitches that have repetition and variation.

Pitch

The relative height of a sound indicated by letters corresponding to each pitch.

Clef

A symbol that designates the location of note names on a staff.

Treble Clef

A stylized G indicating the note G on the second line of the staff.

Bass Clef

A stylized F indicating the note F on the fourth line of the staff.

Grand Staff

A combination of the treble and bass clef staff, often indicated with a vertical bracket.

Octave

The distance between two notes having the same letter; it consists of 8 notes.

Timbre

The color or quality of sound, typically associated with the type of instrument.

Four Families of Instruments

Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, Percussion.

Aerophones

Instruments that produce sound from a vibrating air stream; includes brass and woodwinds.

Membranophones

Percussion instruments that have a vibrating head or membrane to make sound.

Chordophones

Instruments that produce sound made from a vibrating string; analogous to string instruments.

Dynamics

The volume of sound in music, expressed in terms of loudness.

Decibels (dB)

A unit of measurement for sound intensity, ranging from the threshold of hearing (0 dB) to threshold of pain (130 dB).

Crescendo

A gradual increase in loudness.

Decrescendo

A gradual decrease in loudness.

Binary Form

A musical structure with two contrasting sections, often labeled A and B.

Ternary Form

A musical structure with three parts, labeled A, B, and A.

Strophic Form

A form where verses of music are repeated with the same melody.

Diaspora

The movement of people from their homeland to another region, taking their culture with them.

World Music

Traditional music that represents the cultural customs of different regions, often passed down orally.

Iconic Instruments

Musical instruments characteristic of specific cultures, such as the Bagpipe for Scotland or Sitar for India.