Music Theory Fundamentals – Part 1

Flashcards covering the major concepts from Part 1 of the Music Theory Fundamentals lecture, formatted as Question → Answer pairs for effective exam review.

What is the fundamental physical definition of sound?

Mechanical waves produced by a vibrating object that travel through a physical medium.

Which two broad categories of waves do we experience?

Mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves.

Why can electromagnetic waves travel through space while sound cannot?

Electromagnetic waves do not require a physical medium; mechanical (sound) waves do.

In music theory, which two sound properties are studied most?

Sound duration (rhythm) and sound frequency (pitch).

How is sound frequency measured?

In hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz = one wave per second.

What frequency range is typically audible to humans?

About 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

What do we call sounds below 20 Hz?

Infrasound (subsonic range).

What do we call sounds above 20 kHz?

Ultrasound (supersonic range).

Define pitch in simple terms.

A perceived highness or lowness of a sound corresponding to its frequency.

How are wavelength and pitch related?

Longer wavelength → lower frequency/pitch; shorter wavelength → higher frequency/pitch.

What sound property determines loudness?

Amplitude.

Higher amplitude means a _ sound.

Louder

What is the difference between sound and noise in physics?

Noise lacks a stable, clear enough frequency for the brain to perceive it as a musical pitch.

Define musical note.

A named specific pitch, usually labeled A–G, with additional properties like duration and loudness.

What is timbre?

The characteristic sound color or quality that makes the same note sound different on different instruments.

In everyday speech, 'tone' can mean either or .

timbre or note/pitch

How many distinct notes are there in Western music?

Twelve.

List the twelve notes in one octave of Western music.

A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab.

What are natural notes?

Notes without sharps or flats (A, B, C, D, E, F, G).

What is the distance of one half-step also called?

Semitone.

What is the distance of one whole step also called?

Tone (two semitones).

Between which natural note pairs is there no black key (no sharp/flat)?

Between B–C and E–F.

On the note circle, moving clockwise corresponds to in pitch.

Ascending (higher).

Define octave.

The interval between one note and the next of the same name with double (or half) the frequency.

What frequency is middle A4 in concert pitch?

440 Hz.

If A4 is 440 Hz, what is A5?

880 Hz (one octave higher).

What is concert (standard) pitch?

The tuning standard that sets A4 to 440 Hz.

What is scientific (philosophical) pitch's frequency for middle C (C4)?

256 Hz.

What does 12-Tone Equal Temperament (12-TET) do?

Divides the octave into twelve equal semitone intervals.

How many cents are in one semitone?

100.

Give the formula used to calculate frequencies in 12-TET.

fₙ = f₀ × (2^(1/12))ⁿ, where n = number of semitones from reference note.

What is intonation?

The accuracy of a produced pitch relative to its desired frequency.

Why was equal temperament developed?

To let fixed-pitch instruments play chords and sound acceptable in any key.

Define overtone (harmonic) series.

Naturally occurring higher frequencies that resonate with a fundamental note at whole-number ratios.

What is the ratio of frequencies in a perfect octave?

2 : 1.

What ratio defines a perfect fifth in just intonation?

3 : 2.

Name the four main interval qualities.

Perfect, Major, minor, Augmented, diminished (five if counting Augmented & diminished separately).

How many semitones are in a major third?

Four.

How many semitones are in a perfect fifth?

Seven.

Which interval spans six semitones and is called a tritone?

Augmented fourth or diminished fifth.

What is meant by interval inversion?

Flipping an interval so that the lower note becomes the upper (e.g., Major 3rd inverted is minor 6th).

What is a chromatic interval?

Any interval formed by the twelve chromatic scale tones.

What are diatonic intervals?

Intervals that occur within the major scale.

What happens to a major interval when it is narrowed by one semitone?

It becomes minor (or diminished for Perfect/Major).

What happens to a perfect interval widened by one semitone?

It becomes Augmented.

Define harmony.

The vertical relationship of pitches—notes sounding together or understood as simultaneous.

Define melody.

A horizontal sequence of pitches perceived as a musical line.

Define rhythm.

The temporal pattern and duration relationships of sounds, independent of pitch.

What two elements create a strong melody according to the notes?

Tension and release.

Explain the concept of a key's 'center of gravity.'

A tonic note toward which a piece's harmonic movement tends to resolve.

What is the root note of a chord or scale?

The reference note from which all interval relationships in that chord or scale are measured.

Differentiate root note and tonic note.

Root defines interval structure of a chord/scale; tonic is the central home pitch of a key.

Why can equal-tempered intervals sound less 'pure' than just-intonation intervals?

Because their frequencies are slightly altered, producing audible beats and less perfect resonance.

What physical phenomenon are 'beats' in tuning?

Periodic oscillations heard when two close frequencies interfere.

Which interval class sounds the most consonant after the octave?

Perfect fifth.

Which interval often has the greatest deviation between 12-TET and just intonation?

Major third.

What is meant by ‘fixed-pitch’ instruments?

Instruments such as piano or guitar that can produce only the specific pitches they are tuned to.

How many keys (pitches) does a full-size piano have?

88 keys, covering about seven octaves.

On a standard guitar, where is middle C (C4) located?

5th fret of the 3rd (G) string.

What is pitch inflation historically?

The tendency for tuning reference pitches to rise over time for a brighter sound.

Name one alternative to equal temperament mentioned.

Well temperament or just intonation.

Why are C notes used to label octave (register) ranges on piano diagrams?

Because C major contains only natural notes, making C a traditional starting point for registers.

What is the frequency ratio between successive semitones in 12-TET?

The twelfth root of 2 (~1.059463).

How many whole steps exist in one octave under 12-TET?

Six whole steps (12 semitones).